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The British Household Cavalry
The
Household Cavalry consists of The Life Guards and The Blues and Royals (Royal
Horse Guards and 1st The Royal Dragoons). They are the oldest and most senior
regiments in the British Army and are split between two different units equipped
to perform two quite different roles. The Household Cavalry Regiment has an
operational role in armored fighting vehicles which has seen them at the
forefront of Britain's military operations including the Falklands (1982), the
Gulf (1990), Bosnia, Kosovo and again in the Gulf in 2003 where D Squadron
performed with such distinction winning 5 gallantry awards including a George
Cross for Trooper Christopher Finney and a Distinguished Service Order for the
Squadron Leader Major Richard Taylor. The regiments are Guards Regiments and,
with the five Foot Guards Regiments, form the Household Division.
The second unit is the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment equipped with horses.
It is their unique privilege to meet the requirement to carry out mounted and
some dismounted ceremonial duties on State and Royal occasions which include the
provision of a Sovereign's Escort most commonly seen at the Queen's Birthday
Parade in June each year. Other occasions include Sovereign's Escorts for Her
Majesty The Queen during State Visits by visiting Heads of State, and as
required by Her Majesty anywhere in the Kingdom. They maintain a world-famous
tradition dating back to 1660.
Throughout
British history, the horse has played a significant role both in military
conflicts and in the majesty surrounding the throne. Today, though often thought
to serve a mostly ceremonial role - as seen in the daily Changing of the Guard
or as escorts to the Queen in her annual birthday parade - these troops,
particularly The Life Guards of the Queen's Household Cavalry, are in fact
combat trained soldiers atop precision-drilled horses, representing a military
force with a distinguished service record that dates back to1652. The Queen's
Life Guards, instantly recognizable due to their striking red tunics, white
plumed helmets, and horses served at Waterloo, in World Wars I & II and in
more recent actions, in the Middle East and Asia and the Persian Gulf. A symbol
of military history, precision and honor, The Life Guards and their handsome
dark horses reflect a continuity of selfless valor and equestrian service in a
time-honored tradition that has remained virtually unchanged for centuries.
Very often the men that you see finding the Queen's Life Guard in
Whitehall in gleaming State ceremonial uniforms (known as Mounted Review Order)
were only recently operating armored vehicles or parachuting in their airborne
role.
Uniquely
in the British Army, the Household Cavalry use their qualities to excellent
effect by combining their role in armored fighting vehicles (primarily Scimitar)
with the mounted State ceremonial role. Whether on horseback in London or
Edinburgh, or in armored fighting vehicles in support of the United Nations or
NATO in places such as Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia or the Gulf you can expect to
see the Household Cavalry at the forefront of the British Army.
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The
Regiments of the Household Cavalry and Royal Armored Corps today
are descendants of the famous Cavalry Regiments of the Line who
rode into battle on horseback and of the Royal Tank Regiment who
manned the first tanks during the Great War.
Today,
there are 12 regiments that make up the Household Cavalry and
Royal Armored Corps. They are equipped with the most formidable
fighting vehicles in the world, from the battle-proven Challenger
tank to the fast Scimitar reconnaissance vehicle.
Of
these 12 regiments, six are equipped with Challenger 2 and four
with the Scimitar. The Joint Nuclear Biological and Chemical
Regiment with the 1st Royal Tank Regiment, provide the British
Armed Forces with the ability to detect hazardous materials in any
environment.
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The
Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment is famous for the many
ceremonial duties that it carries out in London including the
state opening of Parliament. All Household Cavalrymen are dual
trained; on horseback and in the formation reconnaissance role.
Every
Regiment in the Corps takes pride in its own history and
traditions. The winning combination of the skills of a Royal
Armored Corps soldier and his advanced, battle-proven equipment
result in an exciting and varied challenge that shows modern
soldiering at its best.
To
find out more about each of the twelve regiments go to the links
below and click on the cap badges.
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The Household Cavalry website
Go here now and click on the FLASH page! Awesome!
The Pride of the 1st Life Guards - 1896
The trumpet, which lies placed on the two
drums, is a historic relic of immense interest. With it was sounded the
"Charge" at Waterloo of the 1st Life Guards with the regiments of the
Household Brigade - comprising the Life Guards, the Blues, and the King's
Dragoon Guards. It rests on two silver kettle drums, presented to the 1st
Life Guards by William the Fourth, ornamented in scroll and raised silver work,
that gives an idea of the helmets and breastplates then worn by the regiment.
In the foreground are richly worked silken standards, the Royal and the Troops'
standards, of this famous corps d'elite.
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