Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 1.djvu/42

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [io s. i. JAS. 0, in*.

GRENADIER GUARDS. (9 th S. xii. 484.)

WITH the exception of the recently raised regiment of Irish Guards, there is hardly a regiment in the British service which owes its present designation to thedate of its inception, therefore there is nothing extraordinary in the fact of the Grenadier Guards receiving such a title from the Regent on 29 July, 1815, as a reward for their defeat of the Grenadiers of the French Imperial Guards at Waterloo.

The present Grenadier Guards take pre- cedence in our army, as a regiment, since 1660, when a standing force was originated after the Restoration, and has remained under the same constitution ever since. Charles II., in consequence of the "Fifth Monarchy" outbreak, issued an order for a new regiment to be raised (all the Cromwellian troops having been disbanded by Act of Parliament), which consisted of twelve com- panies of 100 men each, and was designated "the King's Regiment of Foot Guards," the king himself being its first colonel. It was subsequently known as the 1st Foot Guards until 1815, when it received, as already stated, its title of 1st or Grenadier Regiment of Foot Guards, now shortened to Grenadier Guards. As a matter of fact, Charles had raised a regiment in Flanders in 1656, known as the Royal Regiment of Guards, under the colonelcy of Lord Wentworth. Although this regiment was disbanded through in- ability to maintain it, most of those who had served were enrolled in another regiment raised and commanded by Col. John Russell, which eventually became absorbed into the King's Regiment of Foot Guards.

The grenade, as a weapon of war, was in- vented at Granada in 1594, and the soldiers who carried and threw these missiles were termed grenadiers. They were not intro- duced into our army until 1677, when a num- ber of picked men in each regiment were so armed, and termed the 1st or Grenadiei Company. The Guards and all other regi- ments had such companies, and later on, in 1693, the Horse Grenadier Guards were raised. From Evelyn's 'Diary,' under date 29 June, 1678, I extract the following :

"Now were brought into service a new sort of soldiers, called grenadiers, who were dexterous in flinging hand-grenades, every one having a pouchful Ihey had furred caps with coped crowns like janis- saries, which made them look very fierce ; and some had long hoods hanging down behind, as we picture fols, their clothing likewise piebald red and yellow.'

In Sandford's 'History of the Coronation

of James II.' the costume of a grenadier is

described, showing that he wore the conical

ap, and that, in addition to a carbine and

artouch-box, he carried a grenade pouch, a

sword, a hammer, and a hatchet.

There is a plate in the Archaeological Journal showing a, grenadier preparing to throw the grenade. The plate depicts a soldier of 1745, and as the grenade is held in the hand, it would seem that, after all, the manual projection of the missile was found as reliable as the mortar, and it was doubt- less more convenient. The soldier holds the grenade as though he were about to throw an overhand ball at cricket.

Although hand grenades were long ago abolished from the army, great use was made of them during the siege of Mafeking.

Whilst on the subject of the Guards, it is as well to note that although the Coldstreams come next in seniority to the Grenadiers, their origin is actually older than that of the latter regiment, for whilst in the act of being disbanded under Monk, they were brought into the army establishment as the Cold- stream Regiment of Foot Guards. The fol- lowing anecdote shows why they retained their name of Coldstream. After the Re- storation the three regiments of Guards were assembled on Tower Hill to take the oath of allegiance, and as a sign of repudiation of the Commonwealth they were ordered to lay down their arms. Having obeyed this order with alacrity, they were then commanded by the king to take them up in his service as the first, second, and third regiments of Foot Guards. The first and third did so, with cheers, but the second stood firm. "Why does your regiment hesitate ? " inquired the king of General Monk. " May it please your Majesty," said the stern old soldier, saluting, " the Coldstreams are your Majesty's devoted servants, but after the services they have rendered your Highness, they cannot consent to be second to any regiment." " They are right," said the king, " and they shall be second to none. Let them take up arms as my Cold- stream Regiment of Foot Guards." These words had a magical effect ; the arms were raised amid frantic cries of "Long live the king ! " Since that time the motto of the regiment has been " Nulli secundus."

The Scots Guards, so named, were formed in Scotland under the command of the Earl of Linlithgow in 1662, and consisted of only five companies. In 171S they were known as the 3rd Regiment of Foot Guards. In 1831 the regiment was designated the .Scots Fusilier Guards ; and it was only a short