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Irish Guards

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The Irish Guards (IG), part of the Guards Division, is a regiment of the British Army.

As of 2006, it is one of only two purely Irish regiments remaining in the British Army. (The other is the Royal Irish Regiment.) The Irish Guards recruit Catholics and Protestants alike in Northern Ireland, the Irish neighbourhoods of major British cities, and (unofficially) the Republic of Ireland. (The latter permits its citizens to enlist in the British forces, but forbids active recruiting.) 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.

Irish Guards officers tend to be drawn from the ranks of graduates of elite British public schools, particularly those with a Roman 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. (An example is Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg.)

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 skins.

History

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. C.H. 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.

Unlike the battalion, which moves around the world to various duty stations, the band is stationed permanently in London, providing music in rotation with the other Guards bands at the Changing of the Guard ceremony and other events. It 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.

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

Like the Scots Guards, the Irish Guards also boast a distinctive national feature in their pipe band. Uniquely in the British Army, the Irish Guards ensemble is referred to as the "Drums and Pipes," rather than the "Pipes and Drums." They 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 Parliamentary Party at Westminster, whose son was serving with the regiment as an officer. They were trained by the London Irish and adopted their pattern of uniform, including the practice of wearing the caubeen badge over the right eye. Unlike the regimental band, pipe bands are based at battalion level, and when additional battalions are raised for wartime service, pipe bands are also raised to accompany them. (See list of pipe majors below.)

For several decades, Irish Guards pipers carried the Great Irish Warpipes, essentially a two-drone version of the three-drone Great Highland Bagpipe. In 1968, however, with the amalgamation of the three remaining Irish line infantry regiments into the Royal Irish Rangers, the Highland pipe was standardized throughout the British Army and has been used by the Irish Guards ever since.

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. Two regimental pipers, Lance Corporal Ian Malone and Christopher Muzvuru, were killed during Operation Telic in Iraq.

Uniform, Motto, Nicknames, Mascot and Traditions

Uniform

Like the other 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.

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.

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. Drummers and flautists, in common with the other Guards regiments, wear a distinctive tunic adorned with winged epaulets and white lace.

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 with saffron flashes and heavy black shoes known as brogues with no spats, a rifle green doublet with buttons in fours and a floppy Irish beret known as a caubeen rather than a feather bonnet. The regimental capstar is worn over the piper's right eye and is topped by a blue hackle. A green cloak with four silver buttons is worn over the shoulders and is secured by two green straps that cross over the chest, but is never buttoned except in severely inclement weather. A white tunic is available for wear in the tropics, in which case the cloak is dispensed with. The pipe major, like the pipe major of the Scots Guards, also holds a warrant as personal piper to Her Majesty, the Queen.

Motto

The regiment takes its motto, "Quis Separabit", or "Who shall separate us?" from the Order of St. Patrick, which is currently in abeyance.

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 Club, who hoped the publicity would increase the breed's popularity with the public.

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.

Traditions and Affiliations

St. Patrick's Day is the traditional regimental holiday (although Orangemen's Day, the Twelfth of July, 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 HM 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. On the regiment's 50th anniversary in 1950, King George VI made the presentation in person. In 1989, the Queen Mother was unable to make the journey to Belize, where the battalion was stationed, and the Grand Duke of Luxembourg substituted for her.

The regiment is also associated with HMS Portland, as well as the 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment.

Battle honours

Victoria Cross winners

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:

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. On St. Patrick's Day 1991, the Queen Mother presented the regiment with its first-ever pipe banner. This is carried by the pipe major on the bass drone of his pipes when a member of the Royal Family is present.

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

Alliances

References

External links

  • The Guards MuseumContaining the history of the five regiments of Foot Guards, Wellington Barracks, London.
  • http://www.irish-guards.co.uk/origin-irish-guards.htm



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Last updated on Wednesday March 12, 2008 at 19:25:42 PDT (GMT -0700)
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