BRIEF REGIMENTAL HISTORY
The Life Guards, the senior Regiment in the British Army, can trace its origins back to approximately 1651. But generally the date given is 1660, at the Restoration of King Charles II from his exile in Europe.
They first saw action at the Battle of Sedgemoor in 1685, but their first battle honour is The Battle of Dettingen fought on June 16 1743.
After changes to the Army in 1788 The 1st & 2nd Life Guards Regiments were formed, from their descendants, The Horse Grenadier Guards & four Troops of the Kings Horse Guards. This period also saw the origins of today's Ceremonial uniform.
The Peninsula Campaign saw The Life Guards at home until 1812, they then joined Wellingtons army against Napoleon, as part of the Household Brigade and saw various action until the end of the campaign in 1814.
May 1815 saw the Regiment embark for Belgium after the threat of Napoleon once again spread across Europe. Their first action was in the village of Genappe on 17th seeing off the French Lancers, after they had routed the British 7th Hussars and the 23rd Light Dragoons. The following day saw the French defeated at Waterloo. The Life Guards formed part of the Household Brigade that charged the French Cuirassiers saving the British forces from being overrun.
After the death of George III in 1820, the Blues also joined the 1st & 2nd Life Guards as the third regiment of the Household Cavalry Regiment.
Not until August 1882 did The Life Guards once more serve away from home, In Egypt. As part of the Composite Household Cavalry Regiment, they took part in the moonlight charge at Kassassin. On September 15 they again saw action at Tel-El-Kebir.
With the Sudan in turmoil, in 1884, men from the 1st & 2nd Life Guards joined troops from other cavalry regiments to form The Heavy Camel regiment.
The Boer War's (1899/1902) in South Africa again saw the Household Cavalry Composite Regiment ready for action. The Relief of Kimberley & Paardeberg being two of the main battles.
During World War I, the Regiment saw action at Mons, Le Château, Ypres, Loos, and Zandvoorde where two complete squadrons were wiped out. They spent their fair share of time along with other regiments in the trenches and also fought at Arras, The Somme and Cambrai. 1918 saw them as specialists with Machine Guns fighting at Bethune and The Hindenburg Line.
Disappointment for the regiment came when in 1922 the 1st & 2nd Life Guards where amalgamated to become `The Life Guards (1st & 2nd)`, then in 1928 to `The Life Guards`.
The onset again in 1939 of World War, saw the Life Guards contribute men to the 1st Household Cavalry Regiment (1HCR), being sent to Palestine in 1940, with there horses. In 1941 the horses where releaved and replaced by 15 cwt trucks. The Regiment saw action in Iraq, Syria and Persia.
Back in the UK The 2nd Household Cavalry Regiment (2HCR) had been formed and given Armoured Cars. 1HCR would follow suit but stay in North Africa. 1HCR took part in the Battle of El Alamein, then in the Italian campaign in 1944. 2HCR landed at Normandy in July 1944 as an armoured car regiment and spearheaded the Guards Armoured Brigade advance through France to liberate Brussels. They reached the bridge at Nijmegan and Arnhem soon after.
After World War II, the Regiment saw service in Egypt's Canal Zone, Aden, Oman, in Cyprus, Malaya, Singapore and Borneo.
1969 saw the amalgamation of the Royal Horse Guards (the Blues) and the Royal Dragoons to become the Blues & Royals. The Royals now becoming part of the Household Cavalry Regiment.
Since the early seventies, the Regiment has done several tours of Northern Ireland and a number in Cyprus as United Nations Forces. The entire Regiment deployed to the Gulf in 1990, finishing up on the Kuwait City Basra highway.
During the defence review in 1991, the Regiment was reduced to two reconisancce squadrons based at Windsor with the Blues and Royals, and one squadron at Hyde Park to cover ceremonial duties. The Regiment has more recently had two squadrons on operational duties in Bosnia with the United Nations.