Coldstream Guards

Coldstream Guards
User:jwhalifax · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Unit name	Coldstream Guards
Dates	1650 – present
Country	Kingdom of England (1650–1707), Kingdom of Great Britain (1707–1800), United Kingdom (1801–present)
Branch	British Army
Type	Foot Guards
Role	1st Battalion – Light Role Infantry, F Company – Public Duties, Inkerman Company – Public Duties
Size	One battalion, One company
Garrison	1st Battalion – Aldershot Garrison, F Company – Wellington Barracks
Ceremonial chief	The King
Colonel of the regiment	The Prince of Wales
Motto	Nulli Secundus (Second to None)
March	Quick – "Milanollo", Slow – "Figaro"
Identification symbol	Red plume (left side of bearskin)
Identification symbol label	Plume

Coldstream Guards. The Coldstream Guards is a line infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division. It is the oldest regiment in the Regular Army in continuous active service, originating in 1650 when General Monck raised it in the Scottish Borders. The regiment is renowned for its ceremonial duties at Buckingham Palace and other royal residences, as well as its distinguished operational history spanning global conflicts from the Napoleonic Wars to recent campaigns in Afghanistan.

History

The regiment was formed in 1650 at Coldstream, Scotland by George Monck as part of the New Model Army during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It played a pivotal role in the Restoration of Charles II in 1660, marching from Coldstream to London in an event known as the March of the Guards to London. Despite its seniority, it is ranked as the second regiment of Foot Guards after the Grenadier Guards, a tradition stemming from its entry into the English Army service after the Grenadier Guards. Its long service includes every major British conflict, fighting with distinction at the Battle of Waterloo under the Duke of Wellington, during the Crimean War at the Battle of Inkerman, and across the trenches of the First World War at battles like the Battle of the Somme and Battle of Passchendaele. In the Second World War, it served in the British Expeditionary Force, the North African Campaign, the Italian Campaign, and the North-West Europe Campaign.

Organisation

The operational battalion is the 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards, a Light Role infantry unit based at Aldershot Garrison as part of the 1st (United Kingdom) Division. For public duties, F Company is permanently stationed at Wellington Barracks in London, while Inkerman Company,\\ named for the Battle of Inkerman, also undertakes ceremonial tasks. The regiment is part of the Household Division, with its soldiers often selected for the King's Guard at Buckingham Palace, St James's Palace, and the Tower of London. The Colonel of the Regiment is The Prince of Wales, and the regiment's administration falls under the Guards and Parachute Division at the Army Headquarters in Andover.

Traditions and insignia

The regiment's motto, Nulli Secundus (Second to None), reflects its historical seniority, though it bears the unique distinction of being the only regiment to adopt the title of a place rather than a number. On ceremonial duty, soldiers wear the distinctive bearskin with a red plume on the left side, a feature that distinguishes them from the Grenadier Guards' white plume and the Welsh Guards' white-green-white plume. The buttons on the tunic are arranged in pairs, a key identifier for all Foot Guards. The regiment's quick march is "Milanollo", and its slow march is "Figaro". A notable tradition is the annual Coldstream Day celebration, commemorating its founding, and the regiment maintains a close association with Westminster Abbey for memorial services.

Battle honours

The regiment holds an extensive list of battle honours, emblematic of its service across three centuries. From the War of the Spanish Succession, honours include Oudenarde and Malplaquet. The Napoleonic Wars added the prestigious honour Waterloo. The Crimean War contributed Alma, Inkerman, and Sevastopol. The First World War saw honours from the Mons to the Hindenburg Line, including Ypres, Loos, and Cambrai. The Second World War honours range from the Dunkirk evacuation to the Normandy landings, the Caen, and the advance across the Rhine. More recent honours include Operation Telic in Iraq and Operation Herrick in Afghanistan.

Notable members

Many distinguished individuals have served in the regiment. Field Marshal Evelyn Wood was a Victoria Cross recipient from the Indian Rebellion of 1857. Major General Sir John Gellibrand commanded the Australian Corps during the First World War. Field Marshal The Earl Alexander of Tunis served as Governor General of Canada and was a senior commander in the Second World War. General Sir Michael Gow later became the Commandant of the Royal College of Defence Studies. The actor Sir Laurence Olivier served in the regiment during the Second World War, and Sir Christopher Lee was a member of the RAF Intelligence but had close familial ties to the regiment's history.

Category:British Army infantry regiments Category:Coldstream Guards Category:Military units and formations established in 1650 Category:Household Division