Irish Guards
Cap badge of the Irish Guards
Active:	1 April 1900-
Country:	United Kingdom
Allegiance:	{{{allegiance}}}
Branch:	Army
Type:	Foot Guards
Role:	Light Role Infantry
Size:	One battalion
Command structure:	{{{command_structure}}}
Current commander:
Garrison/HQ:	Aldershot
Colonel in Chief:	HM The Queen
Colonel of the Regiment:	James Hamilton, 5th Duke of Abercorn
Nickname:	The Micks Bob's Own
Patron:	{{{patron}}}
Motto:	Quis Separabit (Who Shall Separate Us) (Latin)
Colors:
Tactical Recognition Flash:
March:	quick - St Patrick's Day slow - Let Erin Remember
Mascot:	Irish Wolfhound
Notable battles or wars:
Notable commanders:
Anniversaries:	St Patrick's Day, 17 March
Decorations:
Battle honours:

This article deals with the current British Army regiment, for historical regiments, see Historical Irish Guards regiments.

The Irish Guards is a regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division. Image File history File links Irish-Guards-Cap-Badge. ... April 1 is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 274 days remaining. ... 1900 (MCM) was an exceptional common year starting on Monday. ... Traditionally light infantry (or skirmishers) were soldiers whose job was to provide a skirmishing screen ahead of the main body of infantry, harassing and delaying the enemy advance. ... Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor) (born 21 April 1926) is Queen of sixteen independent nations known as the Commonwealth Realms. ... James Hamilton, 5th Duke of Abercorn, KG (born July 4, 1934) is a Northern Irish peer and politician, and currently Lord Steward of the Household. ... Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... Image File history File links Guards_TRF.PNG Summary TRF of the regiments of Foot Guards of the British Army Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... March 17 is the 76th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (77th in Leap years). ... A battle honour is an official acknowledgement to recognize a military units achievements in specific wars or operations. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. ... The Guards Division is an administrative unit of the British Army responsible for the administration of all the units of Foot Guards: 1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards Nijmegen Company, Grenadier Guards 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards No 7 Company, Coldstream Guards 1st Battalion, Scots Guards F Company, Scots Guards 1st Battalion, Irish...

History

The regiment was formed on 1 April 1900 by order of Queen Victoria in response to the many courageous actions performed by Irish regiments in the Second Boer War. The Irish Guards' first honorary Colonel-of-the-Regiment was Field Marshal Lord Roberts, known to many troops as 'Bobs'. Because of this, the regiment gained the nickname 'Bob's Own' though are now known affectionately as 'The Micks'. This is not seen as offensive or derogatory by the regiment. April 1 is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 274 days remaining. ... 1900 (MCM) was an exceptional common year starting on Monday. ... Victoria Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria) (24 May 1819–22 January 1901) was a Queen of the United Kingdom, reigning from 20 June 1837 until her death. ... Combatants British Empire Orange Free State, South African Republic Commanders Frederick Roberts later Lord Kitchener Christiaan Rudolf de Wet and Paul Kruger Casualties Military dead:22,000 Civilian dead:N/A Total dead:22,000 Military dead:6,500 Civilian dead:24,000 Total dead:30,500 The Second Boer... Frederick Sleigh Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts of Kandahar, Pretoria and Waterford, VC, KG, KP, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCIE, PC (September 30, 1832 - November 14, 1914) was a distinguished British soldier and one of the most successful commanders of the Victorian era. ...

As of 2006, it is one of only two purely Irish regiments remaining in the British Army. (The other being the Royal Irish Regiment.) It recruits Catholics and Protestants alike in Northern Ireland, the Irish neighborhoods of major British cities, and (quietly and unofficially) in the Republic of Ireland. More recently, the regiment has seen some truly "non-traditional" recruits, notably Zimbabwean Christopher Muzvuru, who qualified as a piper before becoming one of the regiment's two fatal casualties in Iraq in 2003. In the British Army, there have been two regiments titled the Royal Irish Regiment // Royal Irish Regiment The Royal Irish Regiment was formed in 1684 by the Earl of Granard from independent companies in Ireland. ...

Irish Guards officers tend to be drawn from the ranks of graduates of elite British public schools, particularly those with a Catholic affiliation, such as Ampleforth College and Stonyhurst College. Catholic foreign royals or aristocrats, even those with no Irish connection, have often found a home in the Irish Guards. (Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, for example.) Ampleforth College in North Yorkshire is the largest private Catholic boarding school in the UK, and it is sometimes referred to as the Catholic Eton, a moniker also attached at different times to Beaumont (no longer open) and Stonyhurst College (both Jesuit schools) and which was Cardinal Newmans aim... The front of Stonyhurst College Stonyhurst College is the leading English Jesuit public school near Clitheroe, Lancashire, England. ... Grand Duke Jean (Jean Benoit Guillaume Robert Antoine Louis Marie Adolphe Marc dAviano) (born January 5, 1921) ruled Luxembourg from 1964 to 2000. ...

One way to distinguish between the regiments of Foot Guards is the spacing of buttons on the tunic. The Irish Guards have buttons arranged in groups of four. They also have a prominent blue plume on the right side of their bear skin hats. Foot guards is a term used to describe elite infantry regiments. ...

In May 1902, at Horse Guards Parade, the regiment's first Colours were presented by King Edward VII. The Irish Guards were stationed in the United Kingdom for the first fourteen years of its existence, performing a number of ceremonial duties in London during that time, until, in 1914, the 'Great War' began. Horse Guards Parade, London Horse Guards Parade is a large parade ground off Whitehall in central London. ... A colour is a name for certain kinds of flags. ... Edward VII (Albert Edward) (9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, King of the Commonwealth Realms, and the Emperor of India. ... For other uses, see London (disambiguation). ... Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ...

First World War

The 1st Irish Guards deployed to France, eight days after the UK had declared war upon the German Empire, as part of 4 (Guards) Brigade of the 2nd Division. The 1st Irish Guards would remain on the Western Front for the duration of WWI. The battalion took part in the Battle of Mons and the subsequent arduous and bloody Retreat from Mons, which began on the 24 August and would not end until the 5 September. The Irish Guards were one of the units of the rearguard during the retreat and took part in a small-scale action at Landrecies against the advancing Germans. The 1st Irish Guards also took part in another rearguard action at woods near Villers-Cotterets, on the 1 September, during the Battle of Le Cateau in which their CO Lieutenant-Colonel the Hon. George Morris and the Second-in-Command Major Hubert Crichton were killed. Le Cateau was a successful action that helped delay the inexeorable German advance towards Paris, inflicting very heavy losses on the Germans in the process. Flag of the German Empire, 1871–1918: black-white-red The German Empire is the name conventionally given in English to the German state from the time of the proclamation of Wilhelm I of Prussia as German Emperor (January 18, 1871) to the abdication of Wilhelm II (November 9, 1918). ... The British 2nd Division was originally formed in 1809 by Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington for service in the Peninsula War. ... Western Front was a term used during the First and Second World Wars to describe the contested armed frontier between lands controlled by Germany to the East and the Allies to the West. ... Combatants Britain Germany Commanders Sir John French Alexander von Kluck Strength 4 divisions 8 divisions Casualties 1,600 5,000 (estimate) The Battle of Mons (Flemish name for Mons is Bergen) was the first major action of the British Expeditionary Force in World War I. Following the surrender of the... British dead at Le Cateau. ... August 24 is the 236th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (237th in leap years), with 129 days remaining. ... September 5 is the 248th day of the year (249th in leap years). ... Landrecies is a commune of the Nord département, in France. ... Villers-Cotterêts is a commune of the Aisne département in northern France. ... September 1 is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years). ... On the 25th of September, 1914, the British, French & Belgians retreated from the Battle of Mons & set up defensive positions in Le Cateau. ... The Eiffel Tower, the international symbol of the city For other uses, see Paris (disambiguation). ...

In August that year, the 2rd (Reserve) Battalion was raised at Warley Barracks. The 1st Irish Guards later in September took part in Marne and the advance towards the Aisne. It was already becoming a bitter time for the Irish Guards, having lost their CO only a few weeks after they had reached France month, would face one of the bloodiest battles of 1914, Ypres, which began on the 19 October. The battle would rip the heart out of the old Regular Army, just like the Somme would rip the heart out of the New Army. The battalion was in the thick of it for the duration of 'First Ypres', taking part in the major actions of 'First Ypres, at Langemarck, Gheluvelt and Nonne Bosschen. By the end of 'First Ypres' on the 22 November, the battalion had sufferered over 700 casualties. The 2nd Division that the 1st Irish Guards were part of, suffered 5,769 officers and men killed. Combatants France United Kingdom Germany Commanders Joseph Joffre John French Helmuth von Moltke Karl von Bulow Alexander von Kluck Strength 1,071,000 1,485,000 Casualties Approximately 263,000: 250,000 French casualties (80,000 dead) 13,000 British casualties (1,700 dead) Approximately 250,000 total The First... The Battle of the Aisne is the name of three battles fought along the Aisne River in northern France during the First World War. ... The First Battle of Ypres was the last major battle of the first year (1914) of World War I. This battle and the Battle of the Yser marked the end of the Race to the Sea where the Germans tried to reach the French Channel ports of Calais and Dunkerque... October 19 is the 292nd day of the year (293rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... The Regular Army is the name given to the permanent force of the United States Army that is maintained during peacetime. ... Combatants United Kingdom France Canada India Newfoundland New Zealand South Africa Australia German Empire Commanders Douglas Haig Ferdinand Foch Max von Gallwitz Fritz von Below Strength 13 British & 6 French divisions (initial) 51 British divisions (final) 10. ... WWI recruitment poster for Kitcheners Army. ... Combatants United Kingdom France Canada Australia New Zealand German Empire Commanders Douglas Haig Hubert Gough Herbert Plumer Arthur Currie Max von Gallwitz Erich Ludendorff Strength Unknown Unknown Casualties 448,000 killed and wounded 260,000 killed and wounded The 1917 Battle of Passchendaele, also known as the Third Battle of... November 22 is the 326th day (327th on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

The rest of 1914 and early 1915 was spent in the trenches with little happening, yet still danger faced the British soldier everyday from snipers and shells. In February 1915, Lance-Corporal Michael O'Leary performed an astonishing act of bravery at Cuinchy, where attack and counter-attack had been taking place between the British and Germans there from the 29 January to early February. On the 1 February, the Lance-Corporal was part of a storming party which attacked an enemy barricade, during the attack the party suffered casualties and a group of the storming party then got caught up in their own artillery bombardment. The Lance-Corporal rushed forward, shooting five Germans before attacking a further three in a machine-gun position at the next barricade, capturing two Germans in the process. The trench and many prisoners were taken thanks to the actions of the Lance-Corporal. He was awarded the Victoria Cross, the first VC the Irish Guards won in the war. Photo submitted by Franklyncards Michael OLeary (VC)(September 29, 1890 - August 2, 1961) born Inchigeela Macroom Co Cork was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. ... January 29 is the 29th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... February 1 is the 32nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Victoria Cross medal, ribbon, and bar. ...

In May 1915, the 1st Irish Guards took part in the Battle of Festubert, though did not see much action, no doubt a good thing to many of the Guards in the trenches. In July 1915, the 2nd (Reserve) Battalion was redesignated the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion, and another battalion, the 2nd Battalion was formed at Waverley Barracks. In August that year the 1st Irish Guards, and the rest of the 4th (Guards) Brigade was moved to the Guards Division. The brigade was redesignated the 1st Guards Brigade. In September that year, the battalion, as-well as the 2nd Irish Guards, who had reached France in August, took part in the Battle of Loos, which lasted from the 25 September to early October. Battle of Festubert was an attack by the British army on the Ypres salient of the western front during World War I. It began on May 15, 1915 and continued until May 25. ... Unit History Formation The division comprised the following infantry brigades: 1st Guards Brigade  2nd Battalion, the Grenadier Guards 2nd Battalion, the Coldstream Guards 3rd Battalion, the Coldstream Guards 1st Battalion, the Irish Guards 2nd Guards Brigade  3rd Battalion, the Grenadier Guards 1st Battalion, the Coldstream Guards 1st Battalion, the Scots... The Battle of Loos was one of the major British offensives mounted on the Western Front in 1915 during World War I. The battle was the British component of the combined Anglo-French offensive known as the Second Battle of Artois. ... September 25 is the 268th day of the year (269th in leap years). ...

The 1st Irish Guards spent much of the remainder of 1915 in the trenches, but, on 1 July 1916 the Battle of the Somme began, it was, and still is, the bloodiest day in British military history. The 1st Irish took part in an action at Flers-Courcelette where they suffered rather severe casualties in the attack but performed bravely in the face of terrible withering fire from the German machine-guns. The battalion also took part in the action at Morval. They were involved in the capture of the northern part of a village, during the action and were relieved the following day by the 2nd Irish Guards. The 1st Irish Guards suffered quite heavily during the Morval engagement. July 1 is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 183 days remaining. ... 1916 (MCMXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... Combatants United Kingdom France Canada India Newfoundland New Zealand South Africa Australia German Empire Commanders Douglas Haig Ferdinand Foch Max von Gallwitz Fritz von Below Strength 13 British & 6 French divisions (initial) 51 British divisions (final) 10. ... The Battle of Flers-Courcelette, which began on 15 September 1916 and lasted for one week, was the third and last of the large-scale offensives mounted by the British Army during the Battle of the Somme. ... The Battle of Morval, which began on 25 September 1916, was an attack by the British Fourth Army on the German-held villages of Morval, Gueudecourt and Lesboeufs during the Battle of the Somme. ...

In 1917 the Irish Guards took part in the Battle of Pilckem which began on the 31 July during the Third Battle of Ypres. Further actions took place at Menin Road and Poelcapelle. During 'Third Ypres', at Broenbeek, in September, Lance-Sergeant Moyney and Private Woodcock of the 2nd Irish Guards, were part of an advance post that became surrounded by Germans. During the fifty day of the defence, the Lance-Sergeant attacked the advancing Germans with grenades and with his Lewis Gun. He, and his men, then charged the Germans, breaking through them and reaching a stream where he and Private Woodcock performed a rearguard while the rest of the party withdrew. They then subsequently began to withdraw too, crossing the stream, but Private Woodcock heard cries for help and he then returned, retrieving the wounded man and carrying him back to British lines under machine-gun fire. They had held out for astonishing ninety-six hours. Combatants United Kingdom France Canada Australia New Zealand German Empire Commanders Douglas Haig Hubert Gough Herbert Plumer Arthur Currie Max von Gallwitz Erich Ludendorff Strength Unknown Unknown Casualties 448,000 killed and wounded 260,000 killed and wounded The 1917 Battle of Passchendaele, also known as the Third Battle of... July 31 is the 212th day (213th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 153 days remaining. ... Passchendaele village, before and after the Battle of Passchendaele The Battle of Passchendaele, otherwise known as the Third Battle of Ypres, was one of the major battles of World War I, fought by British, ANZAC, and Canadian soldiers against the German army near Ypres (Ieper in Flemish) in West Flanders... John Moyney was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. ... Photo by Keith Shelvey Thomas Woodcock was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. ... The Lewis Gun was a pre-WWI era American design of machine gun most widely used by the British Empire and Imperial armies that continued to see service all the way through to WWII, it first saw combat with the Belgian Army in WWI. It is visually distinctive because of...

The Irish Guards took part in the Battle of Cambrai, the first large use of the tank in battle took place during the engagement. In 1918 the regiment fought at the same area that had caused so much pain to the British Army in 1916, the Somme. The regiment fought in a number of engaments during the Battle of the Somme, including at Arras and Albert. The regiment took part in a number of battles during the British offensives against the Hindenburg Line. Combatants United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Newfoundland German Empire Commanders Julian Byng Georg von der Marwitz Strength 2 Corps 1 Corps Casualties 45,000 killed 9,000 prisoners 100 tanks destroyed 45,000 killed 11,000 prisoners The Battle of Cambrai (November 20 - December 3, 1917) was a... There were a number of Battles of the Somme during World War I: Battle of the Somme (1916) (1 July–18 November 1916) - major Anglo-French offensive of 1916. ... First Day on the Somme Conflict First World War Date 1 July 1916 Place Somme, Picardy, France Result Decisive German victory The first day on the Somme, 1 July 1916, was the opening day of the British and French offensive that became the Battle of the Somme. ... Combatants United Kingdom, France, Australia, United States Germany Commanders Ferdinand Foch Georg von der Marwitz Strength 4 British armies 1 French army American Expeditionary Force Defensive forces and gun emplacements of the Hindenburg Line The Battle of the Hindenburg Line, which began September 18, 1918, was a key turning point...

On 4 November 1918 at the Sambre-Oise Canal, Acting Lieutenant-Colonel James Marshall of the Irish Guards but attached to the 16th Battalion, The Lancashire Fusiliers, organised repair parties who were trying to repair a damaged partly finished bridge. The first party soon came under fire and all were killed or wounded. The Lieutenant-Colonel, disregarding his own safety, stood at the bank, encouraging and helping the men as they worked on the bridge. Once it was repaired the Lieutenant-Colonel then began to lead his men across the bridge but was killed in the process. He was awarded the posthumous VC. November 4 is the 308th day of the year (309th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 57 days remaining. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... The Sambre-Oise Canal is located in France and saw one of the last Allied victories of World War I. The forcing of the Sambre-Oise Canal took place on November 4, 1918. ... James Marshall (VC, MC & Bar, Croix de Guerre (Belgium), Chevalier of the Order of Leopold (Belgium)) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. ... The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers is an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Queens Division. ...

The Irish Guards took place in the last advances on the Western Front On the 11 November 1918 the Armistice was signed. The 1st Irish Guards were at Maubeuge when the armistice was signed, it was near to where the Irish Guards began their war in 1914 at Mons, yet there would not be many survivors of that first battle by the 11 November. On the 11 December the regiment marched into Germany, drums beating, no doubt reflecting on the many experiences they had during the war, no doubt remembering the men that had fell in this deadly war that had effectively destroyed a generation. The Irish guards sacrifice during WWI was immense. Over 2300 officers and men were killed and well over 5000 wounded. The regiment won 406 medals, including four VCs during WWI. November 11 is the 315th day of the year (316th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 50 days remaining. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... A white flag is traditionally used to represent a truce. ... Maubeuge is a town and commune of northern France, in the département of Nord, situated on both banks of the Sambre, here canalized, 234 miles by railway southeast of Valenciennes, and about 2 m. ... November 11 is the 315th day of the year (316th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 50 days remaining. ... December 11 is the 345th day (346th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Among those killed serving with the Irish Guards in the First World War was Lt. John Kipling, the 18-year old son of author Rudyard Kipling, who was listed as missing at Loos in September 1915. (It was claimed that his grave was identified in 1992, though this is disputed.) In tribute to his son's regiment, Kipling composed the poem "The Irish Guards" and after the war wrote a two-volume history of the regiment's service in the war.

Inter-War

In 1919 the 2nd and 3rd Irish Guards were disbanded, and the 1st Irish Guards returned to the UK victoriously, though no doubt being scarred by their experiences in the First World War. In 1920, for St Patrick's Day, the regiment donned its full-dress for the first time since WWI. In 1922 the regiment then deployed to Constantinople as part of an allied force during the troubles in that region. Constantinople[1] was the name of the modern-day city of Ä°stanbul, Turkey over the centuries that it served as the second capital of the unified Roman Empire, and after its division into East and West, of the Eastern Roman Empire, also known as the Byzantine Empire (from the city...

The regiment's continued existence was briefly threatened when Winston Churchill, who served as Secretary of State for War between 1919 and 1921, sought the elimination of the Irish and Welsh Guards as an economy measure. This proposal, however, did not find favor in government or army circles and was dropped. Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was an English politician and author, best known as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. ...

In late 1923 the regiment deployed to the garrison at Gibraltar. They returned to the UK in 1924. They were then based in the south of England until 1936 when they deployed to Egypt. While stationed there, the regiment deployed to Palestine for a number of months on internal security duties against Arab militants. The regiment returned to the UK in 1938. The following year the 2nd Battalion of the Irish Guards was re-formed five months before World War II began. Map of the territory under the British Mandate of Palestine. ... The Arabs (Arabic: عرب ) are a large and heterogeneous ethnic group found throughout the Middle East and North Africa. ... Combatants Allies: Poland, British Commonwealth, France/Free France, Soviet Union, United States, China, and others Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, Japan, and others Casualties Military dead: 17 million Civilian dead: 33 million Total dead: 50 million Military dead: 8 million Civilian dead: 4 million Total dead: 12 million World War II...

Second World War

During the Second World War, the regiment lost over 700 men killed, 1500 wounded and was awarded 252 medals, including two VCs.

North-West Europe

Upon the outbreak of WWII in September 1939, both battalions of the Irish Guards were based in the UK. In 1940 the 1st Irish Guards deployed to Norway as part of 24th (Guards) Brigade in early April. In May the Polish liner, now troopship 'Chobry' which was transporting the Brigade HQ and the 1st Irish Guards from another area of Norway to the northern town of Bodø, was hit by Heinkel He 111 bombers which killed many men, including the CO and Second-in-Command of the 1st Irish Guards, as-well as losing all their heavy equipment. Fire began to engulf the ship and, considering the amount of ammunition onboard, a deadly and immense explosion seemed imminent. The men were rescued by escorting vessels. The British 24th Infantry Brigade was a British Army formation during the Second World War . ... County Nordland Landscape Salten Municipality NO-1804 Administrative centre Bodø Mayor (2005) Odd-Tore Fygle (Ap) Official language form BokmÃ¥l Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 62 1,392 km² 1,308 km² 0. ... He 111K The Heinkel He 111 was the primary Luftwaffe medium bomber during the early stages of World War II, and is perhaps the most famous symbol of the German side of the Battle of Britain. ...

Later that month the battalion did fight on land in Norway, seeing action Pothus, holding out against tough German opposition for two days until they were finally forced to withdraw due to being outflanked by the advancing Germans. The Brigade HQ and battalion were withdrawn by boat, though they left many behind. The men left behind managed to break out, reaching Allied lines later that day. The regiment was finally evacuated back to the UK with the rest of the expeditionary force in June.

In May 1940, the 2nd Irish Guards deployed to the Hook of Holland to cover the evacuation of the Dutch Royal Family. The battalion evacuated the day after the Government and Dutch Royal Family had been evacuated. They had only a short respite upon their returned to the UK for just a few days later they returned, along with the Welsh Guards, to the continent, to Boulogne, a port in northern France, reaching the town on 22 May. Their orders were to defend part of Boulogne during the epic evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) from the overwhelming and inexorable advance of the Germans. The Guards stoutly defended their area of responsibility from better equipped German forces, repulsing a number of German attacks on the 22nd, but on the morning of the 23rd, superior Germany forces attacked the battalion and the Guards suffered very heavily in the attack. Later that day the battalion was evacuated from Boulogne, they were the last to leave, and fought valiantly while waiting to be evacuated. Ferry terminal on the Nieuwe Waterweg Hoek van Holland (literally Corner of Holland, but known in English as the Hook or Hook of Holland) is a town in South Holland in the Netherlands. ... The Netherlands have been an independent monarchy since 1815, and have been governed by members of the House of Orange-Nassau since. ... The Welsh Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division. ... Boulogne-sur-Mer is a city and commune in northern France, in the Pas-de-Calais département of which it is a sous-préfecture. ... May 22 is the 142nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (143rd in leap years). ... The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) was the British army sent to France and Belgium in World War I and British Forces in Europe from 1939 - 1940 during World War II. The BEF was established by Secretary of State for War Richard Haldane following the Second Boer War in case the...

In 1941 the 2nd Irish Guards re-roled as an armoured regiment, joining the newly formed Guards Armoured Division. That year, the Holding Battalion, later that year the 3rd Irish Guards, was raised. In 1943, the 3rd Irish Guards joined the Guards Armoured Division as an infantry battalion. The Guards Armoured Division was formed on 17 June 1941. ...

In 1944 the 2nd and 3rd Irish Guards took part in the Normandy Campaign. The Irish Guards, as part of the Guards Armoured Division, took part in Operation Goodwood that began on 18 July. The Division's objective was Cagny, Vimont and the surrounding area. During that day, near Cagny, Lieutenant John Gorman of the 2nd Irish Guards was in his Sherman tank when he was confronted by a far superior 68 ton Tiger II or 'King Tiger'. Gorman's tank fired one shot at the Tiger II but to no avail; the shot simply bounced off of the thick armour. Upon the order to fire again, the Sherman's gun jammed. The Lieutenant then gave the order to ram the Tiger II just as it was beginning to turn its massive 88mm gun on Gorman's tank. The Sherman tank smashed into the Tiger II, the collision disabling both tanks. Both tank's crews then bailed out. Lieutenant Gorman, once he had seen his crew to safety, returned to the scene in a commandeered Sherman Firefly and destroyed the King Tiger. He won the Military Cross for his heroics. The driver from his own crew, Lance-Corporal James Brown, won the Military Medal. Combatants Allied Powers Nazi Germany Commanders Dwight D. Eisenhower (Supreme Allied Commander) Bernard Montgomery (land) Bertram Ramsay (sea) Trafford Leigh-Mallory (air) Gerd von Rundstedt (OB WEST) Erwin Rommel (Heeresgruppe B) Strength 326,000 (by June 11) Unknown Casualties 53,700 dead, 18,000 missing 155,000 wounded 200,000... Operation Goodwood was an Allied military operation of World War II from July 18 to 20 July 1944 taking place in Normandy some weeks following D-Day. ... July 18 is the 199th day (200th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 166 days remaining. ... Cagny is a commune of the Calvados département, in the Basse-Normandie France. ... Vimont is a commune and a canton of the département of Calvados, in the Basse-Normandie région, in France. ... General characteristics Length: 5. ... The Panzerkampfwagen VI Ausf. ... Military Cross The Military Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army, and formerly also to officers of the armies of other Commonwealth countries, for distinguished and meritorious services in battle. ... The Military Medal was (until 1993) a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land. ...

The Irish Guards were involved in further action that day. Cagny, devastated by heavy bombing, was finally liberated on the 19 July. The Irish Guards also saw action in the Mont Pincon area. On the 29 August the 3rd Irish Guards crossed the Seine and began the advance into Belgium with the rest of the Guard's Division on their journey to Brussels. July 19 is the 200th day (201st in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 165 days remaining. ... August 29 is the 241st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (242nd in leap years), with 124 days remaining. ... The Seine (pronounced in French) is a major river of north-western France, and one of its commercial waterways. ... Map showing the location of Brussels in Belgium Brussels City Hall Emblem of the Brussels-Capital Region Flag of The City of Brussels Brussels (Dutch: Brussel, pronounced ; French: Bruxelles, pronounced in Belgian French and often by non-Belgian speakers of French; German: Brüssel) is the capital of Belgium, the...

The Irish Guards were part of the ground force of Operation Market Garden, Market being the airborne assault, Garden the ground assault. The Irish Guards Group were commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Joe Vandeleur, played by Michael Caine in the movie "A Bridge Too Far". The Irish Guards led XXX Corps in their advance towards Arnhem, which was the objective of the British 1st Airborne Division, the furthest from XXX Corps. The Corps crossed the Belgian-Dutch border, advancing from Neerpelt on the 17 September but meet very heavy resistance from German forces prepared with anti-tank weapons. Most of the tanks in the initial troops were hit and destroyed. As a result the advance was much slower than planned. The Corps then camped at Valkenswaard. Early the following day recce units of the Guards Division made contact with the 101st Airborne who had liberated Eindhoven, the rest of the Corps reached the city later that day. The Corps were now camped outside Son while the Royal Engineers built a Bailey bridge so that the Corps could cross the Wilhelmina Canal and advance to Nijmegen. The bridge was completed the following day. Combatants XXX Corps First Allied Airborne Army II SS Panzer Corps Army Group B First Parachute Army Commanders Montgomery von Rundstedt Strength 35,000 airborne, XXX Corps 20,000 (start of the battle) Casualties 18,000 casualties 13,000 casualties Operation Market Garden (September 17-September 25, 1944) was an... Michael Caine as Alfred Pennyworth in Batman Begins Sir Maurice Joseph Micklewhite, CBE (born 14 March 1933), known professionally as Sir Michael Caine, is an English film actor. ... A Bridge Too Far, a book by Cornelius Ryan published in 1974, tells the story of Operation Market Garden, a failed Allied attempt to break through German lines at Arnhem in the occupied Netherlands during World War II. The name for the book comes from a comment made by British... The XXX Corps was an infantry corps in the British Army. ... Arnhem is a municipality and a city in the east of the Netherlands, located on the Lower Rhine, and the capital of the Gelderland province. ... The British 1st Airborne Division was a military unit that fought in World War II. It suffered terrible casualties, especially in Operation Market Garden. ... Neerpelt is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. ... September 17 is the 260th day of the year (261st in leap years). ... Valkenswaard is a municipality and a town in the southern Netherlands. ... The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) —nicknamed the Screaming Eagles— is an air assault division of the United States Army mainly trained for air assault operations. ... Eindhoven is a municipality and a city located in the province of Noord-Brabant in the south of the Netherlands, originally at the confluence of the Dommel and Gender brooks. ... A son is a male offspring; a boy, man, or male animal in relation to his parents. ... The Corps of Royal Engineers (RE), commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army. ... Bailey bridge over the Coppename river at Witagron, Suriname. ... Nijmegen (Zuid-Gelders: Nèhméége) (obsolete spellings: Nijmwegen, Nymegen, Nieumeghen — known in German as Nimwegen, French as Nimègue, and Spanish as Nimega) is a municipality and a city in the east of the Netherlands, near the German border. ...

Later that day the Guards Division, led by the Irish Guards, reached Nijmegen where the 82nd Airborne Division was located. Their advance had to be halted, for the 82nd had not taken the bridge as intended. The bridge was finally captured in the evening of the 20th. On the 21st, the British Paras at Arnhem, heavily outnumbered and outgunned, had to surrender on the 21st, after many days fighting that saw true heroism and courage, XXX Corps had been just an hour from the bridge at Arnhem but had to wait for the arrival of the 43rd Infantry Division. Further fighting took place until the 25th, it was, at times, a truly tragic campaign. Nijmegen (Zuid-Gelders: Nèhméége) (obsolete spellings: Nijmwegen, Nymegen, Nieumeghen — known in German as Nimwegen, French as Nimègue, and Spanish as Nimega) is a municipality and a city in the east of the Netherlands, near the German border. ... The 82nd Airborne Division of the United States Army was Constituted in the National Army as the 82nd Division on August 5, 1917, and was Organized on August 25, 1917, at Camp Gordon, Georgia. ... The 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division was a British Territorial Army division formed in September 1939. ...

The Irish Guards saw further action in Holland until they were finally part of the advance towards, and into, Germany, seeing much bitter action as they progressed into Germany. The Guards saw action during the Rhineland Campaign. On the 21 April, at a village known as Wistedt in Northern Germany, Guardsman Charlton of the 2nd Irish Guards, was a co-driver of a tank during the capture of the village by a small number of the Irish Guards. The Germans soon attempted to re-take the village with numerically superior forces, which largely consisted of officer cadets under the command of their very experienced instructor officers as well as two or three self-propelled guns. Three of the four tanks of the small Irish Guards force were badly hit, Charlton, as the Irish Guards became increasingly in danger of being over-run by the Germans, took the machine gun from his disabled tank and advanced in full view of the attacking Germans, firing and inflicting heavy casualties on the Germans, halting the lead company and allowing the rest of the Guards time to reorganise and retire. He continued his attack, even when he was wounded. Charlton, now with just one arm, carried on firing until he collapsed from a further wound and loss of blood. His courageous and selfless disregard for his own safety helped most of the Irish Guards to escape capture. He later died of the wounds he had received. He was awarded the posthumous VC, it was the last Victoria Cross of the European theatre, and the last, so far, of the Irish Guards. Unusually much of the citation was based on German accounts of the fight as most of his later actions were not witnessed by any of the Guards officers or surviving non-commissioned officers. The Battle of the Siegfried Line was one of the final Allied campaigns1 of World War II of the Western European Campaign and details the fights on and around the Siegfried Line. ... April 21 is the 111th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (112th in leap years). ... Edward Colquhoun Charlton was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. ... Victoria Cross medal, ribbon, and bar. ...

North Africa and Italy

In March 1943 the 1st Irish Guards, who had been based in the UK since 1940, landed at the North African country of Tunisia. The battalion fought in the Medjez Plain area, seeing action at Djebel bou Aoukaz, or 'Bou', during the bloody engagements to capture the area. Part of the area was took on the 27 April and further fighting carried on for a number of days with the Irish Guards suffering heavy casualties in the process. April 27 is the 117th day of the year (118th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 248 days remaining. ...

During an action on the 28th, Lance-Corporal Kenneally of the 1st Irish Guards, charged down the forward slope of the ridge that his own company was positioned alone, attacking the main body of a German company that was preparing to attack, firing his Bren gun as he did so, causing so much surprise and confusion that the Germans broke in disorder and began to retreat. The Lance-Corporal returned to his position unharmed, firing his Bren on the Germans upon his return. Photo from Monuments To Courage John Patrick Kenneally was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. ... The Bren, usually called the Bren Gun was a series of machine guns adopted by Britain in the 1930s and used in various roles into the 1980s. ...

On the 30 April the Lance-Corporal repeated his brave actions when, accompanied by a Sergeant of the RC, charged the enemy who were forming up to assault the same position that the Lance-Corporal performed his daring feat. Both men charged the Germans, firing as they did so and inflicting heavy casualties on the Germans which resulted in the routing of the German force. The two men began to return to their position but as they did so, Kenneally was hit in the thigh. This, however, did not stop him. He carried on fighting, refusing to relinquish his Bren gun and leave his position. Despite his wound he fought for the rest of the day and for his actions was awarded the Victoria Cross, the regiment's first of the war. April 30 is the 120th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (121st in leap years), with 245 days remaining. ...

Sixty hand-picked men of the Irish Guards were part of the 14,000 strong British contingent that took part in the victory parade in the capital Tunis on the 20 May 1943. In December that year the 1st Irish Guards reached Italy. May 20 is the 140th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (141st in leap years). ... 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1943 calendar). ...

The battalion took part in the Anzio Landings on the 22 January 1944. The battalion saw much action at Carroceto only a few days after landing at Anzio where they repulsed a number of German attacks there. The battalion also took part in the attack on Campoleone, experiencing very fierce fighting that saw the Irish Guards dwindle in manpower even more. A German counter-attack was launched a number of days later. The battalion inflicted heavy casualties on the attacking Germans, but the following day, became surrounded with little support against the armour of the Germans, and so were forced to fight their way out which they did successfully, but suffering many casualties in the process. Operation Shingle (January 22, 1944), during the Italian Campaign of World War II, was an Allied amphibious landing against Axis forces in the area of Anzio and Nettuno, Italy. ... January 22 is the 22nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1944 calendar). ... Anzio (2003 pop. ...

A few further actions took place for the battalion's companies but, by April, the battalion was severely depleted in manpower and returned to the UK where they would remain for the duration of the war as a training battalion.

1945-Present day

The Irish Guards' mascot

With Army demobilisation, the 3rd Irish Guards was disbanded in 1946, the 2nd doing so the following year. In 1947 the 1st Irish Guards deployed abroad for the first time since 1944, heading for troubled Palestine to perform internal security (IS) duties there. After the British left Palestine in May 1948, the battalion moved to Tripoli, Libya and returned home in 1949. The battalion joined the British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) in West Germany in 1951, remaining there until 1953. After the battalion participated in ceremonial duty for the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, it was posted to the Suez Canal Zone in Egypt, remaining there until the British withdrawal in 1956. Irish Wolfhound, mascot to the Irish Guards Taken by Elf | Talk, July 17, 2004 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Irish Wolfhound, mascot to the Irish Guards Taken by Elf | Talk, July 17, 2004 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Tripoli Tripoli (population 1. ... There have been two formations named British Army of the Rhine (BAOR). ... British coronations are held in Westminster Abbey. ... Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor) (born 21 April 1926) is Queen of sixteen independent nations known as the Commonwealth Realms. ... 1881 drawing of the Suez Canal The Suez Canal (Arabic, Qanā al-Suways), west of the Sinai Peninsula, forms a 163 km (118 miles) ship canal in Egypt between Port Said (Būr Saīd) on the Mediterranean and Suez (al-Suways) on the Red Sea. ...

In 1958, during troubles in Cyprus when there was much tension, indeed violence, between Greek and Turkish Cypriots and against the British forces by EOKA, the regiment perfomed vital internal security duties. They returned to Britain in the closing months of that year. In 1961 it was back in West Germany. In 1966, the regiment moved to Aden, another colony experiencing violence. The Irish Guards returned home just before Aden gained independence from the British Empire in 1967. EOKA (Εθνική Οργάνωσις Κυπρίων Αγωνιστών, Ethniki Organosis Kyprion Agoniston, in English National Organisation of Cypriot Fighters) was a Greek Cypriot nationalist organisation that fought for the expulsion of British troops from the island, for self-determination and for union with Greece in the mid to late 1950s. ...

In 1970 the regiment was posted to the Hong Kong garrison, remaining there for two years until its return to the UK. In 1974, the regiment re-roled as a mechanised battalion, subsequently being posted to the BAOR. In the same year, the regiment suffered their only casualty of The Troubles, when Guardsman Samuel Murphy was abducted and murdered whilst on home leave in Belfast. They returned to Britain from Germany in 1977. In 1981, at Chelsea Barracks in London, a bus carrying men of the regiment was subject to a terrorist attack by the IRA, resulting in 23 soldiers being wounded and the deaths of two passers-by. Mechanized infantry are infantry troops that use armoured fighting vehicles for transport and as heavy weapons support in combat. ... The Troubles is a generic and euphemistic term used to describe a period of sporadic communal violence involving paramilitary organisations, the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC), the British Army and others in Northern Ireland from the late 1960s until the mid-1990s with the Good Friday Agreement on April 10, 1998. ... The West Cork Flying Column during the War of Independence. ...

The regiment returned to the BAOR the following year. In 1986 the regiment returned home where they received their new Colours in 1988 by HM The Queen. They deployed to the Central American country of Belize that year. At that time, Belize still felt threatened by its neighbour Guatemala which did not recognise Belize's independence in 1981 as Guatemala believed that Belize belonged to it. The regiment was posted to the British sector of West Berlin in 1989, their first and only deployment to the city. The regiment were present when the Berlin Wall fell that year. They left the newly united Berlin in 1992. Boroughs of West Berlin West Berlin was the name given to the western part of Berlin between 1949 and 1990. ... East German construction workers building the Berlin Wall, 1961-11-20 In the last phase of the wall´s development, the death strip between fence and concrete wall gave guards a clear shot at hundreds of would-be escapees from the East. ...

The Irish Guards, in common with the other British Army regiments of Irish origin, were long exempted from service in Northern Ireland. (Small numbers of Irish Guarsdmen, however, gained experience in Ulster while attached to other Guards regiments.) The drawdown in the overall size of the British Army following the end of the Cold War, however, meant that this policy was no longer sustainable. The year 1992 saw the regiment finally carry out its first tour-of-duty in Northern Ireland, being based in County Fermanagh. The violence in NI had mostly subsided by this time. They left the following year. In 1995 their second tour of NI began, based in County Tyrone. The regiment headed for Germany in 1998 as part of British Forces Germany, successor to BAOR. Dieu et mon droit (motto) (French for God and my right)2 Northern Irelands location within the UK Main language English Other recognised languages Irish, Ulster Scots Capital and largest city Belfast First Minister Office suspended Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Peter Hain MP Area  - Total Ranked 4th... Statistics Province: Ulster County Town: Enniskillen Area: 1,691 km² Population (est. ... This article is about County Tyrone. ... The British Forces Germany (BFG) is the successor of the British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) and Royal Air Force Germany (RAFG), which were disbanded in 1994 after the end of the Cold War. ...

During the troubles in the Balkans in 1999, a company of the Irish Guards deployed to former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia while the rest deployed to Kosovo, forming the Irish Guards Battle Group. The Battle Group was the first British unit to enter the Kosovan capital city of Pristina on 12 June and were greeted by the local population who treated the Guards like heroes. After the town had been secured the battle group began to consolidate its position, moving across the surrounding countryside to secure it. The Battle Group performed professionally, attempting to prevent violence from breaking out between the Albanian and Serb Kosovans while also helping to rebuild the country. The regiment left in September, heading back to Germany. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Motto: (English: ) Anthem: (Transliteration: ) (English: ) Capital Skopje Largest city Skopje Official language(s) Macedonian, Albanian1 Government Parliamentary republic  - President Branko Crvenkovski  - Prime Minister Vlado Bučkovski Independence From Yugoslavia   - Declared September 8, 1991  Area    - Total 25,333 km² (146th)   9,779 sq mi   - Water (%) 1. ... For other uses, see Kosovo (disambiguation). ... Prishtinë/Prishtina (Albanian indefinite/definite form) or Priština (Приштина) (Serbian) is the capital city of Kosovo, a landlocked province of Serbia located at 42°65′ N 21°17′ E. It is estimated that the current population of Prishtina is as high as 500,000. ... June 12 is the 163rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (164th in leap years), with 202 days remaining. ... Serbs (Serbian: Срби, Srbi) are a south Slavic people who live mainly in Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and, to a lesser extent, in Croatia. ...

In 2000, the 100th year of the creation of the Irish Guards, Liverpool granted them the freedom of the city. The following year the regiment took part in training exercises in Poland, BATUS in Canada and the large exercise in Oman called Saif Sareea II. Liverpool waterfront by night, as seen from the Wirral. ... The British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS) is a unit located at the vast training area of Canadian Forces Base Suffield in Alberta, Canada. ... Exercise Saif Sareea II was a major military exercise in September and October 2001 involving the military of the United Kingdom and Oman. ...

In 2003 the regiment deployed to Kuwait during the build-up to the war with Saddam's Iraq. The Irish Guards were part of the 7th Armoured Brigade (successor of the famed 7th Armoured Division, 'The Desert Rats') and began training for the war. The battalion was split up with companies, platoons and sections being attached to various units of the Desert Rats. Upon crossing the Iraq border, the Desert Rats began the journey towards the area around Basra, gradually taking control of much of the area that surrounded Iraq's second largest city. For other uses of the term, see Iraq war (disambiguation) The 2003 invasion of Iraq (also called the 2nd or 3rd Persian Gulf War) began on March 20, 2003, when forces belonging primarily to the United States and the United Kingdom invaded Iraq without the explicit backing of the United... The 7th Armoured Brigade is a unit of the British Army. ... The 7th Armoured Division (known as the Desert Rats) of the British Army was the most famous unit of its type in British service during World War II. It was a regular division in the Middle East, designated the Mobile Division at first, renamed the Armoured Division (Egypt) in September... Location of Basra Basra (also spelled BaÅŸrah or Basara; historically sometimes written Busra, Busrah, and the early form Bassorah; Arabic: , Al-Basrah) is the second largest city of Iraq with an estimated population of c. ...

Soldiers of the Irish Guards led the British advance on Basra from late March, helping in securing objectives on the outskirts of the city. During the Battle of Basra, the Irish Guards lost two soldiers: Lance Corporal Ian Keith Malone and Piper Christopher Muzvuru. The latter was a native of Zimbabwe, and was the first black piper in the regiment's history. The regiment claim to have been the first to enter Basra on 6 April, stating they did so many hours before the Parachute Regiment. The Irish Guards reverted from a war-role to performing many duties that would be familiar to any British soldier that has served in Northern Ireland. They performed these duties until early May when they left Iraq. This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Lance Corporal Ian Keith Malone (8 December 1974 - 6 April 2003) from Dublin in the Republic of Ireland, who was killed in the Iraq War, was a member of the British Armys Irish Guards. ... April 6 is the 96th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (97th in leap years). ... The Parachute Regiments display team, the Red Devils at an American airshow The Parachute Regiment is the main body of elite airborne troops of the British Army. ...

Sadly, the regiment's service in Iraq ended on a sour note, with three members of the regiment being indicted for manslaughter in the death of a young Iraqi who was pushed into a canal and apparently drowned. The three were acquitted at court martial in June 2006, and while they afterwards made statements critical of the Army high command, they praised the support they received from the Irish Guards.

In 2005, the 1st Battalion, Irish Guards became the first unit to be officially awarded battle honours for service in Iraq - this was to enable these to be displayed on the battalion's new regimental colour during the Sovereign's Birthday Parade. The custom has been to award, to those units who took part, the right to display the name of a particular battle, campaign or war. ... The practice of carrying standards, to act both as a rallying point for troops, and to mark the location of the commander, is thought to have originated in Egypt some 5,000 years ago. ... Elizabeth II riding to trooping the colour for the last time in 1986 Trooping the Colour is a military pageant or ceremony performed by regiments of the Commonwealth and the British Army. ...

Band History

The Regimental Band was formed at about the same time as the regiment itself and consisted of 35 musicians with a Warrant Officer, Mr. CH Hassell, as the Bandmaster. The most notable event in these early years occurred in 1905 when the band was invited to make what turned out to be the first of many tours of Canada.

During two World Wars the band frequently travelled to active service areas performing concerts for the troops. Commitments during the Second World War became so intense that the strength of the band was increased to 65 musicians. It has toured extensively and in addition to Canada has visited the USA, Australia, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Italy, Germany, France, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Japan and Egypt. In Japan the band was accorded the unique privilege of being the first band ever to perform inside the Imperial Palace in the presence of the Empress and two Crown Princes.

The band is permanently stationed in London and has an establishment for 49 musicians from which it provides a Concert Band, Marching Band, Orchestra, Dance Band, Brass Quintet and Fanfare Trumpeters.

The band has numerous recordings to its credit and has broadcast frequently, one such broadcast being the British premier of Hindemith's Symphony for Concert Band. On retirement from the Band, a number of musicians have continued their musical careers with national orchestras such as the Halle Orchestra and The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, or working in the world of popular music, recording with artists such as Sting and Tom Jones (singer). Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner, CBE (born 2 October 1951), usually known by his stage name Sting, is a British musician from Newcastle upon Tyne. ... Tom Jones Sir Thomas Jones Woodward, Kt, OBE (born 7 June 1940), best known by his stage name, Tom Jones is a Welsh pop singer particularly noted for his powerful voice. ...

In common with the other Guards regiments, the Irish Guards also have a "Corps of Drums," which is, in fact, a fife and drum band.

Like the Scots Guards, the Irish Guards also feature a pipe band. The Drums and Pipes were formed during the First World War, with the first two sets of Great Irish Warpipes being donated by John Redmond, the leader of the Irish National Party in Parliament, whose son was serving with the regiment as an officer. Unlike the regimental band, pipe bands are based at battalion level, and when additional battalions were raised for wartime service, pipe bands were also raised to accompany them. The Irish Warpipes are closely related to the Great Highland Bagpipe, with which they are essentially synonymous. ... John Redmond, MP John Edward Redmond (1856 – March 1918) was the leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party from 1900 to 1918. ...

For several decades, Irish Guards pipers carried the Great Irish Warpipes, essentially a two-drone version of the three-drone Scottish Highland Bagpipe. In 1968, the Highland pipe was standardized throughout the British Army and has been used by the Irish Guards ever since. The Irish Warpipes are closely related to the Great Highland Bagpipe, with which they are essentially synonymous. ...

Members of the regimental band are full-time musicians who train for duty as medical assistants in wartime. Pipers and drummers, however, are full-time soldiers who undertake their musical responsibilities on a part-time basis.

Uniform, Motto, Nicknames, Mascot and Traditions

Uniform

Like their sister Guards regiments, the "Home Service Dress" of the Irish Guards is a scarlet tunic and bearskin. Buttons are worn in two rows of four, reflecting the regiment's position as the fourth most senior Guards regiment, and the collar is adorned with a shamrock on either side. They also sport a blue plume on the right side of the bearskin. Irish Guards, wearing bearskins, march to the Cenotaph, London, on June 12th 2005 for a service of remembrance for Irish troops For the fairy tale of this title, see Bearskin (fairy tale). ... The Shamrock The shamrock, an unofficial symbol of Ireland and Boston, Massachusetts, is a three-leaved young white clover, sometimes (rarely nowadays) Trifolium repens (white clover, known in Irish as seamair bhán) but more usually today Trifolium dubium (lesser clover, Irish: seamair bhuí). The shamrock was traditionally used for...

A blue, rather than an Irish green, plume was selected because blue is the color of the mantle and sash of the Knights of St. Patrick, Ireland's order of chivalry, from which the regiment draws its capstar and motto. Also, the uniform of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers, which were still in existence at the time the Irish Guards were formed, was a scarlet tunic and bearskin with a green plume. To prevent confusion, the Irish Guards opted for a blue plume. The Most Illustrious Order of Saint Patrick is an order of chivalry associated with Ireland. ... Official name The Royal Dublin Fusiliers Colonel-in-Chief HRH Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn (1908) Nicknames The Blue Caps The Dubs The Lambs The Old Toughs Motto Anniversaries Marches Slow: The British Grenadiers St Patricks Day Unnofficial: The Dublin Fusiliers Alliances Description Line Infantry regiment Creation...

In "walking out dress," the Irish Guards can be identified by the green band on their forage caps. Officers also traditionally carry an Irish blackthorn walking stick. Binomial name Prunus spinosa L. The Blackthorn, is a large shrub or a small tree of the genus Prunus, botanically Prunus spinosa. ...

The uniform of the Irish Guards pipers is, like the Scots Guards, a kilt and tunic, yet is also very different. Irish pipers wear saffron kilts rather than tartan, green hose and heavy black shoes known as brogues, a rifle green doublet with buttons in fours and a floppy Irish beret known as a caubeen. The regimental capstar is worn over the piper's right eye. A white tunic is available for wear in the tropics. The pipe major, like the pipe major of the Scots Guards, also holds a warrant as personal piper to Her Majesty, the Queen. The Scots Guards is a regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division, and have a long and proud history stretching back hundreds of years. ...

Motto

The regiment takes its motto, "Quis Separabit," or "Who shall separate us?" from the Order of St. Patrick, which is currently in abeyance. The Most Illustrious Order of Saint Patrick is an order of chivalry associated with Ireland. ...

Nickname

The Irish Guards are known affectionately throughout the Army as "the Micks." An earlier nickname, "Bob's Own," after Field Marshal Lord Roberts, their first colonel, has fallen into disuse.

Mascot

Since 1902, an Irish Wolfhound has been presented as a mascot to the regiment by the members of the Irish Wolfhound Society, who hoped the publicity would increase the breed's popularity with the public. The Irish Wolfhound is a breed of hound (a sighthound), bred to hunt. ...

The first mascot was called Brian Boru, after Ireland's great national hero. There have been 12 more since, all named after Irish High Kings or heroes. In 1961, the wolfhound was admitted to the select club of "official" Army mascots, entitling him to the services of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, as well as quartering and food at public expense. Originally, the mascot was in the care of a drummer boy, but is now looked after by one of the regiment's drummers and his family. The Irish Guards are the only Guards regiment permitted to have their mascot lead them on parade. During Trooping the Colour, however, the mascot marches only from Chelsea Barracks as far as Horse Guards Parade. He then falls out. He does not participate in the trooping itself. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Elizabeth II riding to trooping the colour for the last time in 1986 Trooping the Colour is a military pageant or ceremony performed by regiments of the Commonwealth and the British Army. ... Horse Guards Parade, London Horse Guards Parade is a large parade ground off Whitehall in central London. ...

Traditions and Affiliations

St. Patrick's Day is the traditional regimental holiday (although Orangemen's Day, July 12, is also marked with gusto). Fresh shamrock is presented to the members of the regiment, no matter where it is stationed. Except in wartime, the presentation is traditionally made by a member of the Royal Family. This task was first performed in 1901 by Her Majesty Queen Alexandra and later by HM Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. Since the latter's death, the presentation has been made by the Princess Royal. St. ... This page is about the wife of Edward VII of the United Kingdom. ... Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon as Queen Elizabeth. ... The Princess Royal visits the USNS Comfort on July 11, 2002 while the ship was docked in Southampton, England The Princess Anne, Princess Royal, (Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise Laurence, formerly Phillips, née Windsor, later Mountbatten-Windsor, (born August 15, 1950)), is a member of the British Royal Family and...

The regiment is also associated with HMS Portland, as well as the 4th Bn., Royal Australian Regiment. The Royal Australian Regiment (RAR) is the main regular infantry formation in the Australian Army. ...

Battle honours

• First World War: Mons, Retreat from Mons, Marne 1914, Aisne 1914, Ypres 1914 1917, Langemarck 1914, Battle of Gheluvelt, Nonne Bosschen, Festubert 1915, Loos, Somme 1916 1918, Flers-Courcelette, Morval, Pilckem, Poelcapelle, Passchendaele, Cambrai 1917 1918, St. Quentin, Lys, Hazebrouck, Albert 1918, Bapaume 1918, Arras 1918, Scarpe 1918, Drocourt-Quéant, Hindenburg Line, Canal du Nord, Selle, Sambre, France and Flanders 1914–18
• Second World War:
  • North-West Europe: Pothus, Norway 1940, Boulogne 1940, Cagny, Mont Pincon, Neerpelt, Nijmegen, Aam, Rhineland, Hochwald, Rhine, Bentheim, North-West Europe 1940 1944–45,
  • North Africa: Medjez Plain, Djebel bou Aoukaz, North Africa 1943,
  • Italy: Anzio, Aprilia, Carroceto, Italy 1943–44
• Al Basrah 2003, Iraq 2003

Combatants Britain Germany Commanders Sir John French Alexander von Kluck Strength 4 divisions 8 divisions Casualties 1,600 5,000 (estimate) The Battle of Mons (Flemish name for Mons is Bergen) was the first major action of the British Expeditionary Force in World War I. Following the surrender of the... British dead at Le Cateau. ... Combatants France United Kingdom Germany Commanders Joseph Joffre John French Helmuth von Moltke Karl von Bulow Alexander von Kluck Strength 1,071,000 1,485,000 Casualties Approximately 263,000: 250,000 French casualties (80,000 dead) 13,000 British casualties (1,700 dead) Approximately 250,000 total The First... The Battle of the Aisne is the name of three battles fought along the Aisne River in northern France during the First World War. ... There were four Battles of Ypres during World War I: First Battle of Ypres ( October 19 – November 22, 1914) Second Battle of Ypres ( April 22 – May 15, 1915) Third Battle of Ypres ( July 31 – November 6, 1917) (also known as Passchendaele) Fourth Battle of Ypres ( September 28 – October 2, 1918... Combatants United Kingdom France Canada Australia New Zealand German Empire Commanders Douglas Haig Hubert Gough Herbert Plumer Arthur Currie Max von Gallwitz Erich Ludendorff Strength Unknown Unknown Casualties 448,000 killed and wounded 260,000 killed and wounded The 1917 Battle of Passchendaele, also known as the Third Battle of... Battle of Festubert was an attack by the British army on the Ypres salient of the western front during World War I. It began on May 15, 1915 and continued until May 25. ... The Battle of Loos was one of the major British offensives mounted on the Western Front in 1915 during World War I. The battle was the British component of the combined Anglo-French offensive known as the Second Battle of Artois. ... See Battle of the Somme (disambiguation) for other battles and meanings Battle of the Somme Conflict First World War Date 1 July 1916 – 18 November 1916 Place Somme, Picardy, France Result Stalemate The 1916 Battle of the Somme was one of the largest battles of the First World War, with... The Battle of Flers-Courcelette, which began on 15 September 1916 and lasted for one week, was the third and last of the large-scale offensives mounted by the British Army during the Battle of the Somme. ... The Battle of Morval, which began on 25 September 1916, was an attack by the British Fourth Army on the German-held villages of Morval, Gueudecourt and Lesboeufs during the Battle of the Somme. ... Combatants United Kingdom France Canada Australia New Zealand German Empire Commanders Douglas Haig Hubert Gough Herbert Plumer Arthur Currie Max von Gallwitz Erich Ludendorff Strength Unknown Unknown Casualties 448,000 killed and wounded 260,000 killed and wounded The 1917 Battle of Passchendaele, also known as the Third Battle of... Passchendaele village, before and after the Battle of Passchendaele The Battle of Passchendaele, otherwise known as the Third Battle of Ypres, was one of the major battles of World War I, fought by British, ANZAC, and Canadian soldiers against the German army near Ypres ( Ieper in Flemish) in West Flanders... Combatants United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Newfoundland German Empire Commanders Julian Byng Georg von der Marwitz Strength 2 Corps 1 Corps Casualties 45,000 killed 9,000 prisoners 100 tanks destroyed 45,000 killed 11,000 prisoners The Battle of Cambrai (November 20 - December 3, 1917) was a... The Battle of the Lys was part of the 1918 German Operation Georgette offensive in Flanders during the First World War. ... First Day on the Somme Conflict First World War Date 1 July 1916 Place Somme, Picardy, France Result Decisive German victory The first day on the Somme, 1 July 1916, was the opening day of the British and French offensive that became the Battle of the Somme. ... During the First World War, the Second Battle of the Somme of 1918 was fought on the Western Front from the end of the summer, in the basin of the Somme River. ... The Battle of Arras is the name of a number of battles near the town of Arras in Artois, France: Battle of Arras (1654) Battle of Arras (1917) - British offensive during the First World War. ... The Hindenburg Line was a vast system of defences in Northern France constructed by the Germans during the winter of 1916– 17 during World War I; the Germans called it the Siegfried Line. ... The Battle of the Sambre refers to two battles fought along the Sambre River during the First World War: Battle of the Sambre (1914) (21–23 August 1914) - commonly known as the Battle of Charleroi, one of the Battles of the Frontiers. ... For most of World War I, Allied Forces, predominantly those of France and the United Kingdom, were stalled at trenches on the Western Front. ... Evacuation at Dunkirk, June 1940. ... Cagny is a commune of the Calvados département, in the Basse-Normandie France. ... Neerpelt is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. ... Nijmegen (Zuid-Gelders: Nèhméége) (obsolete spellings: Nijmwegen, Nymegen, Nieumeghen — known in German as Nimwegen, French as Nimègue, and Spanish as Nimega) is a municipality and a city in the east of the Netherlands, near the German border. ... The Rhineland (Rheinland in German) is the general name for the land on both sides of the river Rhine in the west of Germany, although some consider the lands to the east of the river culturally distinct, jovially referring to them as Schäl Sick; the bad or wrong side... Loreley At 1,320 kilometres (820 miles) and an average discharge of more than 2,000 cubic meters per second, the Rhine (Dutch Rijn, French Rhin, German Rhein, Italian: Reno, Romansch: Rein, ) is one of the longest and most important rivers in Europe. ... Bentheim (in full Grafschaft Bentheim (County of Bentheim)) is a district in Lower Saxony, Germany. ... North-West Europe Campaign of 1940 is a battle honour given to several regiments in the British Army. ... North-West Europe Campaign of 1944-1945 is a battle honour given to several regiments in the British Army. ...  Northern Africa (UN subregion)  geographic, including above North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent. ... Anzio (2003 pop. ... An Aprilia RS125, model of 1998 Aprilia is an Italian motorcycle company, which in recent times bought the historical Moto-Guzzi and Laverda brands. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

Victoria Cross winners

• Guardsman Edward Colquhoun Charlton, 2nd Battalion, The Irish Guards
• Lance-Corporal John Patrick Kenneally, 1st Battalion, The Irish Guards
• Acting Lieutenant-Colonel James Marshall, Irish Guards but attached to the 16th Battalion, The Lancashire Fusiliers
• Lance-Sergeant John Moyney, 2nd Battalion, The Irish Guards
• Lance-Corporal Michael O'Leary, 1st Battalion, The Irish Guards
• Private Thomas Woodcock, 2nd Battalion, The Irish Guards

Edward Colquhoun Charlton was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. ... Photo from Monuments To Courage John Patrick Kenneally was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. ... James Marshall (VC, MC & Bar, Croix de Guerre (Belgium), Chevalier of the Order of Leopold (Belgium)) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. ... John Moyney was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. ... Photo submitted by Franklyncards Michael OLeary (VC)(September 29, 1890 - August 2, 1961) born Inchigeela Macroom Co Cork was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. ... Photo by Keith Shelvey Thomas Woodcock was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. ...

Colonels of the Regiment

British Army regiments typically feature an honorary "colonel," often a member of the Royal Family or a prominent retired military officer with connections to the regiment, who functions as a kind of patron or guardian of the regiment's interests in high government circles. (HM the Queen is colonel-in-chief of all Guards regiments.)

The Irish Guards colonels have been:

Field Marshal Sir Frederick Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts of Kandahar and Pretoria and the City of Waterford, VC, KG, KP, PC, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCIE. Appointed Oct. 17, 1900. Frederick Sleigh Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts of Kandahar, Pretoria and Waterford, VC, KG, KP, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCIE, PC (September 30, 1832 - November 14, 1914) was a distinguished British soldier and one of the most successful commanders of the Victorian era. ...

Field Marshal Sir Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener of Khartoum and of Broome, KG, KP, PC, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCIE. Appointed Nov. 15, 1914. The Earl Kitchener Horatio Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener, KG, KP, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, ADC, PC (24 June 1850 – 5 June 1916) was a British Field Marshal, diplomat and statesman. ...

Field Marshal Sir John French, 1st Earl of Ypres and High Lake, KP, PC, GCB, OM, GCVO, KCMG, ADC. Appointed June 6, 1916. The Earl of Ypres John Denton Pinkstone French, 1st Earl of Ypres, KP, GCB, OM, GCVO, KCMG, PC (28 September 1852–22 May 1925) was a British Field Marshal, the first commander of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in World War I. Biography Born in Ripple in Kent, the son...

Field Marshal Sir Frederick Lambart, 10th Earl of Cavan, KP, GCB, GCMG, GCVO, GBE, DCL, LLD, DL. Appointed May 23, 1925. Frederick Lambart, 10th Earl of Cavan was brought back from retirement at 48 in 1914 and rose to become one of the British Armys more successful commanders during the First World War. ...

Field Marshal Sir Harold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis and Errigal in the County of Donegal, KG, PC, GCB, OM, GCMG, CSI, DSO, MC, CDL, LLD. Appointed Aug. 28, 1946. Field Marshal Harold Rupert Leofric George Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis KG GCB, MC, DSO (December 10, 1891 - June 16, 1969) was a British military commander and Field Marshal, notably during World War II as the commander of the 15th Army Group. ...

Gen. Sir Basil Oscar Paul Eugster, KCB, KCVO, CBE, DSO, MC, MA. Appointed June 17, 1969.

Gen. HRH Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, KG. Appointed Aug. 21, 1984. Grand Duke Jean (Jean Benoit Guillaume Robert Antoine Louis Marie Adolphe Marc dAviano) (born January 5, 1921) ruled Luxembourg from 1964 to 2000. ...

James Hamilton, 5th Duke of Abercorn, KG. Appointed Nov. 1, 2000. James Hamilton, 5th Duke of Abercorn, KG (born July 4, 1934) is a Northern Irish peer and politician, and currently Lord Steward of the Household. ...

Directors of Music

Capt. C.H. Hassel, OBE, 1900-1929

Capt. J.L.T. Hurd, 1929-1938

Maj. G. H. Wilcocks, MBE, MVO, 1938-1948

Lt. Col. C.H. Jaeger, OBE, LRAM, ARCM, psm, 1948-1969

Major E.G. Horabin, LRAM, ARCM, psm, 1969-1977

Lt. Col. M.G. Lane, ARCM, psm, 1977-1989

Major M.J. Henderson, psm, 1989-1998

Lt. Col. A.R. Chatburn, BA, ARCM, psm, 1998-2005

Maj. S.C. Barnwell BBCM, psm, 2005-

Pipe Majors

Original title of "Sergeant Piper" was changed to "Pipe Major" via Army Order 139 of 1928, change to date from July 31, 1928.

1st Battalion

Sgt. T. Atkins, 1917(?)-36; Sgt. F. Cosgrove, 1936-39; CSgt. R.J. Batt, 1939-40; WO2 J. Smyth, 1940-43; Sgt. A.F. Phair, 1943-49; WO2 J. Ramsey, 1950-54; WO2 T.R. Ramsey, 1954-61, 1963-72; Capt. H.F. Groves, 1961-63; CSgt. W. Lyons, 1972-78; CSgt. J.M. Johnston, 1978-81; Sgt. K.J. Frazer, 1981-1991; Sgt. J. Stranix, 1991-1993; Sgt. J. Martin, 1993-95; Sgt. R. Tumulty, 1995-00; Sgt. R. Allan, 2000-05; Sgt. D. Rogers, 05-Present

2nd Battalion

Sgt. J.T. Crozier, 1941-44; CSgt. R.J. Batt, 1945-47;

3rd Battalion

CSgt. R.J. Batt, 1941-44; Sgt. E. Norbury, 1944-46

Training Battalion

WO2 J. Smyth, 1940; CSgt. R.J. Batt, 1940-41, 1944-45

Order of Precedence

The Scots Guards is a regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division, and have a long and proud history stretching back hundreds of years. ... For the purposes of parading, the British Army is listed according to an order of precedence. ... The Welsh Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division. ...

References

• "Europe's Last VC - Guardsman Edward Charlton", After the Battle (magazine) No. 49, 1985. Contains additional memoirs of the surviving Irish Guards officers and men and German officers which correct the original citation.
• Army.mod.uk - Irish Guards
• The Long, Long Trail - Irish Guards
• Irish Guards.org.uk
• Regiments.org - Irish Guards

http://www.irish-guards.co.uk/origin-irish-guards.htm leads into the Loyal Stuart Service of the before Irish Guards.