General Discussion

Four Colours?

feeds@yuku.com (GrenadierEd) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 18:06:40 GMT

Dear All,

I was browsing and found this image; it displays 5 Grenadier Guards Officers, 4 of whom are carrying colours and a Guard behind clearly on Horseguards. The Guard looks like a troop guard only with more officers. Does anyone know where it is from / what it shows?

Kind Regards,

Ed

http://www.mick-gray.co.uk/Images/Grenadiers.jpg

New No 2 dress for the entire British Army

feeds@yuku.com (The Guardroom) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 10:20:39 GMT

With the costs of the war and lack of equipment being headline news, I am surprised to read that the entire British Army below Officer ranks are to be issued with a new No 2 uniform of the same shade cloth as that of the officers in the Guards Division.
Appreciate on the scheme of things cost is low, but would this not be better suited towards body armour increasing the immediate delivery of the new model helmet thats being issued ?

General Sir Michael Rose

feeds@yuku.com (The Guardroom) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 10:04:56 GMT

I read that Gen Sir M Rose is to cease being the Colonel of the Coldstream Guards later in 2009. Major Gen Bucknall will then become the 29th Colonel of the Regiment.
Are the Coldm Colonels only appionted for a certain period of time (10 years) or is he retiring his position ?
I believe he became the 28th Colonel back in Sept 1999 after Lt Gen the Hon Sir William Rous passed away.

Such as shame as Gen Sir Rose is a fascinating military career, that defnately brought some...

Promenading

feeds@yuku.com (gfed) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:43:44 GMT

I was watching a DVD of the Changing of the Guard that I purchased from the Guards Shop and I noted something interesting. The two Guard Captains are promenading together in the Palace forecourt and they're holding their swords horizontally by the lower part of the blade. Is this the norm for officers promenading?

Uniform identification

feeds@yuku.com (corbog) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:41:54 GMT

I understand the topic is somehow beyond this site's scope, but maybe someone can help me identify the uniform worn by the Officer depicted in the photo (see URL). I mean the tallest Officer, wearing a red cap and chain-mail epaulettes. My guess is Royal Scots Dragoons Guards. Right? Thanks and regards. http://1 yimg.com/g/images/spaceball.gif

Army Air Corps complete royal guard duty

feeds@yuku.com (Mr Turnip) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 12:46:06 GMT

Soldiers and officers from the Army Air Corps, many of whom have recently been deployed to Afghanistan, have this summer been undertaking one of the greatest honours in a soldier's career - protecting the Queen.The Army Air Corps (AAC) began their ceremonial duties in July, and have been guarding the Royal Households at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, the Tower of London and St James's Palace for two months. To ensure...

General Sir Richard Dannatt to be next Constable of the Tower of London

feeds@yuku.com (Mr Turnip) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 12:41:33 GMT

The Queen has approved the appointment of Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Richard Dannatt, as the next Constable of the Tower of London, Number Ten Downing Street has announced.
The Constable is the most senior appointment at the Tower, which is a royal palace and fortress as well as the most visited paid-for heritage attraction in the UK.
General Dannatt will be installed formally as Constable in a ceremony to be held at the Tower of London in autumn 2009 and will...

Plumes on cocked hats

feeds@yuku.com (corbog) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 10:39:14 GMT

Among the General Officers attending the TC ceremony behind the Queen, some wear white plumes on their cocked hats. Some others don't. Does this depend on the rank, or what? Can someone help me? Thanks.

Ensigns for the Queen's Birthday Parades of the past

feeds@yuku.com (TroopConnoisseur) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 14:38:23 GMT

The Queen's Birthday Parade is a very unique occasion in the life of the Household Division. To be chosen to carry that focal point, from which a part of the ceremony takes its name, (the Colour), means a lot for a young Officer, fresh from Sandhurst. I would like to give you a short overview from the Ensigns of the past and to give a small text of what they achieved and what they do now.
2009 - 2nd Lt Andrew Campbell
2008 - Lt Henry Finnegan (now a Captain...

Standards

feeds@yuku.com (MarkL) — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 14:52:59 GMT

Dear all,

I have been slightly disappointed that the standards of the Footguards has seemed to slip somewhat in the last 5-6 years. I am wholly aware that operational committment has been stepped up and I am 100% behind the lads of the Household Division but if you look at the latest Troop especially; the Escorts Halt was not 4 steps after the British Grenadiers had stopped, the arms were not at right angles, the ranks were a bit of a mess and the Escort were out of step on the...

About Left Form

feeds@yuku.com (corbog) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 16:02:24 GMT

In viewing the video-clip "Left Form" of this site, I noticed that while each Guard starts its Left Form drill, one of the Officers, after stepping off for the drill, turns about and marches down the ranks in a direction opposite to the Guard's, then, negotiating the last Guardsman, U-turns right and marches up again along with rest of the ranks, resuming, I suppose, his position in front of the Guard, before starting the "For-ward" movement. Is this Officer the...

Quick March

feeds@yuku.com (GrenadierEd) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 12:47:14 GMT

What is the quick march in this video?

Regards,

Ed

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCc251Kv84k

Queen's Colour for the Canadian Navy

feeds@yuku.com (gfed) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:24:05 GMT

I realize that this site is primarily for British ceremonial, but would anyone be interested in some photographs of the presentation of a replacement Queen's Colour to the Canadian Navy which took place in Halifax at the end of June? It wasn't quite the same standard as the Brigade of Guards, but still an impressive parade.

Changing Arms

feeds@yuku.com (gfed) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 23:09:40 GMT

I noticed in the "left form" video on the March Past of the Foot Guards page in http://www.trooping-the-colour.co.uk/ that the guards are automatically changing arms on the left form command. I haven't heard of this being done before. Is it something that was introduced when the UK switched rifles to the SA-80? Is carrying these rifles at the slope quite hard on the arm after a while? I only paraded with the...

Captain of the Escort

feeds@yuku.com (GrenadierEd) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 18:09:40 GMT

Dear all,

Just wondering why Lt Sam O'Gormann as a subaltern was the Captain of the Escort rather than the normality of the Coy Commander, Major Ed Boanas taking command?

Ed

2009 TC Ceremony. Royal Colonels

feeds@yuku.com (corbog) — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 15:49:45 GMT

Hello,
Does anybody know who were, this year, the mounted Royal Colonels following the Queen's phaeton. I could only spot Prince Charles and Princess Anne. Thanks.

Commanding Officer of The Welsh Guards killed in Afghanistan

feeds@yuku.com (Mr Turnip) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:10:34 GMT

The British military forces in southern Afghanistan have been dealt a huge personal blow with the death of the commanding officer of the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, the most senior commander killed in action since the Falklands war 27 years ago.

Lieutenant-Colonel Rupert Thorneloe, 39, who had commanded the Welsh Guards for less than a year, was killed while travelling as a passenger in the back of a Viking armoured tracked vehicle in Helmand province, visiting his troops engaged...

2009 Ceremony Irish Guards Pipers

feeds@yuku.com (corbog) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:03:03 GMT

Hello,
Viewing the YouTube video of this year's TC Ceremony (9 of 12 video) I noticed that some of the Irish Guards Band Pipers wore four-stripe inverted chevrons, surmounted by a Crown, on the right lower sleeve. Can somebody tell me what rank it corresponds to? Many thanks. Corbo

Guards Band Bayonets

feeds@yuku.com (The Guardroom) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 10:00:12 GMT

With the Guards Division transition to the SA80 rifle in 1986 from the SLR 7.62, why is it that the Guards Bands still continues to wear the SLR Bayonet and not the new SA80 bayonet ?
Would it not be more appropriate for them to have issued the standard issue bayonet like the rest of the men. I also notice that the Corps of Drums do have the SA80 bayonet issued. So why the difference between a drummer and a trumpet player ?
Sure someone on the forum will be able to answer this....

RHA arrival at Horse Guards on Trooping the Colour

feeds@yuku.com (The Guardroom) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:42:31 GMT

I have been to the rehearsals of trooping the colour on a few occassions now and been on the Mall even before the street liners have arrived, but as far as I remember I have never seen the Kings Troop RHA coming up the Mall before the parade.
How does the troop arrive at the Mall and if it is via the Mall, at what time do they pass.
It must be very early and they have the longest to wait on parade more than anyone.