The way the Defence Cuts are going we will be left with a number of 'Large' Regiments with the History and traditions being consigned to the dustbin of expediency.
Its not based on traditions or History theres few in power who served with the regiments so theres an indifference,no one to speak up for their `Old Mob` anymore.Fact is those at the top don`t give a jot about anything but the cost! Jim
Yes it will happen along with probably another 6 line infantry battalions and between 60 and 70% of our main battle tanks. It is a surprise to me, I had predicted a Guards regiment similar to the Rifles, In a standard uniform.
I guess the Coldstream were the most ambiguous and thus the easiest to pick. With the Grenadiers being the 1st regiment it was never going to be them, and with the others having a specific country, It makes them less likely to be picked, Still I cant begrudge the other Guards the fact that it wasn't them... its just incredibly sad to see so much go to ruin. It may just be me being gloomy given the news but I can see a time coming when the Guards Brigade is a single regiment with individual companies representing the 'old' ones, its already happened to an extent with No.7 company and the 2nd Bn CG.
It all sounds horribly imminent - even HMQ seems to have given reluctant permission from that article. BUT surely they can't just do away with a Guards Regiment? I know other regiments have been amalgamated etc but the Coldstream Guards? Could they be amalgamated? I don't think so, perhaps it seems easier to disband them than amalgamate. I hope to God it does not happen - I can see press and public outrage and campaigns.
Yes the three incremental companies GG, CG and SG the 2nd Battalions, I wonder if they will survive. It was, I believe a case of table thumping last time to save the guards division as it was . I could not see Jackson's argument with airborne forces. expensive in comparison, we have not got the lift capability and frankly there is never going to be a mass drop anywhere on any battlefield. Yet he was happy to sacrifice armour using the argument of obsolescence. Amalgamation, no, the Coldstream colonels should ask Her Majesty for permission to march out of the army list. The regiment remains on the list as suspended for a fixed period before the final closure. It can proudly remain a regiment. we have seen so many wonderful regiments amalgamate and disappear as the new regiment is axed. I admired the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) when in 1968 they were offered amalgamation, but chose to disband.
I have no comment on this specific story, which is based on a leak from a 'senior army source' - in other words, it's presumably someone trying to preempt any changes by drumming up a media controversy beforehand. But it's worth noting that when the Cardwell-Childers reforms of the 1870s and 1880s were introduced, creating the modern regimental system, exactly the same arguments were made - that 'they' were ignoring centuries of history, wantonly destroying the British Army through cheeseparing cuts, etc., etc. Plus ca change. Best, Alan
Perhaps they will have a TA Guards Regt - though this would be heresy to many traditionalists. The cuts in all the services are far too deep and make sense only in a narrow fiscal sense - what is cut will be hard to replace. I note that part of the logic of the cuts has been to say that units being redeployed to UK from Germany are to housed in former RAF Bases (RAFSqns having been cut, scrapped and disbanded) - the profits already having been taken from all the MOD Barracks sold off for housing sitesfrom the 1980s onwards mainly in the south of England.
With cuts of upto or around 20,000 personnel in the Army over the next few years, which is about a good sized Division with three Bdes by my maths, it won't be just the Coldstreamers (if they are chosen) to disappear.
To be honest I'd merge all 5 Guards regiments into one super regiment called The Guards in the same way lots of regiments where merged to create The Rifles. As already said mergers & changes in the army are nothing new so why should we all be up in arms now?
To be honest I'd merge all 5 Guards regiments into one super regiment called The Guards in the same way lots of regiments where merged to create The Rifles. As already said mergers & changes in the army are nothing new so why should we all be up in arms now? Owen you do love to stir the pot dont you mate For me the Grenadiers are not to busy as three of them spent the last week collecting for the ABF in my local Tescos its a long way from Aldershot, and all had been to either Iraq or Afghanistan with one saying he had been in the recent programme on BBC.
I heard the Welsh Guards will go first as they're the junior regiment. Obviously, this is not official, it's just a leek...
I heard the Welsh Guards will go first as they're the junior regiment. Obviously, this is not official, it's just a leek... Idler thats awful! :p WELSH TILL I DIE!
As much as I hate to say it (not because it's Owen!) I suspect that might be the long-term outlook: a Guards 'super Regiment' with Companies carrying the former Regiment names. I wasn't aware of the current strengths but it is given here: The Guards Division and The London Regiment - UK's #1 Community: Navy, Marines, Army, RAF
Historic battalions could be lost in cuts, warns general Up to a fifth of Britain’s infantry battalions, including some of Army’s most historic names, will be abolished under Government defence cuts, commanders fear. The Prince of Wales presents campaign medals to members of the Black Watch - a battalion at risk By James Kirkup, Political Correspondent9:54PM BST 21 Aug 2011 They believe that as many as eight of the existing 36 battalions could cease to exist as the Army loses 12,000 posts in the next four years. The cuts have raised fears that historic regimental names such as the Black Watch and the Green Howards could be at risk. Gen Sir Peter Wall, the Chief of General Staff, is understood to have warned David Cameron about the impact of the cuts at a meeting in Downing Street last month. The general is said to have told Mr Cameron that some units’ historic names and “cap badges” – unique identifying symbols – could be lost because of the cuts. Fearful of public protests, the Prime Minister is understood to have responded by asking the general to try to make the cuts without disbanding any “cap badge” battalions. RELATED ARTICLES Army warns David Cameron on cuts to service school fees 19 Aug 2011 But Army chiefs have warned that could force them to “salami slice” all regiments, leading to much smaller units that would be of limited military value. One officer told The Daily Telegraph that Mr Cameron’s request was “pretty naïve really – it’s as if he thinks he can order cuts of this size without any real consequences”. The Daily Telegraph disclosed last month that Gen Wall has written to commanding officers warning them of the “removal of formed battalions and regiments”. The Army is in the process of shedding 7,000 of its 102,000 posts, under cuts announced in last year’s Strategic Defence and Security Review. The first personnel to be sacked under the SDSR will be notified on Sept 1, when about 1,000 will be laid off. In addition, ministers last month ordered a further 5,000 cuts by 2015 and the Army will be reduced to 80,000 members by 2020. Army planners are understood to be looking at cutting between five and eight battalions from the infantry. A battalion typically has around 600 men. Early indications are that at least one Scottish battalion will be lost, and one from the north of England. The last attempt to scrap historic infantry units, in 2004, left the Labour government facing angry protests from local MPs and military campaigners. Some Government insiders suspect the generals are trying to use the emotive appeal of the historic regimental names to put pressure on Mr Cameron to back down on the cuts. Some of the historic cap badges only survived the 2004 restructuring thanks to a compromise deal that means some units effectively have two official names. So the Green Howards, whose history reaches back to the Glorious Revolution, are officially designated “the 2nd Bn, The Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards). Likewise the Scottish battalions: the Black Watch is formally titled “3rd Bn, The Royal Regiment of Scotland”. Both regiments could be vulnerable because they are short of their full complement of soldiers, partly because of poor recruiting in recent years. Reports have also suggested that a Guards regiment could be disbanded, perhaps the Coldstream Guards. However, the Prime Minister is said to have insisted that the Guards and other units directly associated with the Royal family must be kept intact. The Ministry of Defence said that the detail of the Army cuts was still being considered. A spokesman said: “These additional manpower cuts are being scoped and detailed planning is under way to identify a range of options to meet the target of 90,000 by 2015. “Whilst this planning is ongoing it would be wrong to speculate on the possible outcomes.” Historic battalions could be lost in cuts, warns general - Telegraph
Perhaps someone on the forum could oblige us with a list of famous regiments that have already bit the dust ? May I start you off ? 4th Queen's Own Hussars Ron
