Back to 'My life in the Grenadier Guards'
The Colourful history of the Grenadier Guards started with Charles Stuart the son of the Martyr " King Charles 1" who was executed on the 30th January 1649. After his unsuccesful battles with Oliver Cromwell the exhiled Charles 11 spent about three years wandering around Europe with his few remaining loyal supporters. Then at Bruges in Flanders Charles11 established contact with a few more loyal Royalist followers who had followed him into exhile. In the summer of 1656 Charles managed to form ( 5 ) infantry regiments from the remnants of his former supporters ( 1 English ), (1 Scottish ), and 3 Irish ). About four hundred of these loyal supporters were former officers but they accepted commisions at a lower rank in the new ( English Regiment ). A Lord Wentworth was given command of this Regiment in the September of 1656, and it was named " The Royal Regiment of Guards ) to whom the Grenadier Regiment trace their origins. On the Kings return to the throne in 1660 he disbanded the old Parliamentarian army and commissioned a Colonel John Russell to raise another twelve companies for his personal protection. In 1664 Lord Wentworth's Regiment was recalled from Flanders and merged with Colonel Russell's regiment to form the " Kings Regiment of Foot Guards ". In 1685 the name was changed and the regiment became " The First Regiment of Foot Guards " sometimes called the " First Guards ", But it was in 1815 after the Battle of Waterloo after the Regiment was reputed to have defeated the Grenadiers of Napoleons Imperial Guard they were given the title " The First or Grenadier regiment of Foot Guards", now shortened to " Grenadier Guards " as they are known today. We have since been told that the 1st Guards had defeated the Chaasseurs of the Imperial Guard and not the Grenadiers!. However that has not really altered anything as the outcome was the same. From that date onwards they were entitled to wear the large bearskin cap and white plumes. My story is only a guide to show the reader some of the colourful uniforms of the Grenadier Regiment as there are many publications which explain the history of the formation of the other Regiments of Guards from those early years. One excellent example being Sir Julian Pagets "The Story of the Guards ". My pictures although donated items from Clipart show the diversity of the style of uniform worn by the Guardsmen from those early years. They commence from the middle 1660s and continue up to and including 1997. The scarlet tunic is still with us to this day and is used for the ceremonial duties of the regiment. Down the centuries from the early battles from Tangiers 1680, the Marlborough's Wars of 1704-09, the Napoleonic and Crimea Wars to the two World Wars Grenadiers have continued to have a distinguished record. Ever since their conception Guardsmen have been required to perform duties in countries throughout the world in all sorts of adverse conditions. They have never been just ornamental troops and have been expected to serve wherever duty calls. They have been members of parachute regiments, driven tanks, armoured cars, flown helicopters and performed duties in the Long Range Desert Group. At one stage they even were members of the Camel Corps so it was obvious that there had to be changes in their mode of dress to suit the ever changing situations and conditions of their service.
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