1st London Guards

[diehard57]

From Wiki:

In 2021, as part of the Future Soldier plan as part of the Integrated Review published on 16 March 2021, it was announced that the London Regiment would be re-designated as 1st Battalion, London Guards by February 2022.

The London Regiment will be re-designated 1st Battalion, London Guards and cease to be a regiment in its own right, the former companies of the London Regiment becoming reserve companies of the four senior foot guard regiments on 1 April 2022. Although the companies will not form a regiment as such, there will be certain special appointments that could be misconstrued as indicators of regimental status: colonel, lieutenant colonel, adjutant and council. Deputy honorary colonels for the existing companies will continue in post to provide continuity for one year. Thereafter, they will be replaced by senior representatives of their respective foot guard regiments.

Regimental Headquarters at 27 St John's Hill, Battersea, London

HQ (London Irish Rifles) Company at Connaught House, 4 Flodden Road, London, to become No 15 (Loos) Company, Irish Guards.

A (London Scottish) Company at Army Reserve Centre, 76D Rochester Row, Westminster and Mortar Platoon at Hudson House, Catford, to become G (Messines) Company, Scots Guards.

F (Rifles) Company at Army Reserve Centre, 190 Hammersmith Road, Hammersmith, to become No 17 Company, Coldstream Guards.

G (Guards) Company at 19 Portsmouth Road, Kingston upon Thames to become Ypres Company, Grenadier Guards.

As a former member of the Londons on it's creation in 1993, I am curious as to how these severe changes to the character of the companies, particularly A, D and F Companies are being felt by the current members of the regiment.

 

[martin7606]

Seems like a huge identity crisis - in one sense "London Regiment" whilst concurrently being London Irish / London Scottish / London Rifles and in the third sense now being Guards but not a guards regiment (with a structure resembling a regiment whilst not actually being one).

 

[paddyplanty]

April 1st y'say?

 

[Mr_Fingerz]

April 1st y'say?

Give it a day or two.

 

[paddyplanty]

Give it a day or two.

I'm suspicious of troop gatherings in advance lately

 

[tiger stacker]

I'm suspicious of troop gatherings in advance lately

Col Casey USMC can assuage any suspicions

 

[Bubbles_Barker]

******* disgraceful.

London Jocks being effectively erased as a Regiment, losing all Scottish accoutrements whilst being told by their CoC that being 'Scots Guards' will 'protect their heritage'.

Utter balls which the Army, Household Division and any other of the apologists should be ashamed of.

 

[tiger stacker]

******* disgraceful.

London Jocks being effectively erased as a Regiment, losing all Scottish accoutrements whilst being told by their CoC that being 'Scots Guards' will 'protect their heritage'.

Utter balls which the Army, Household Division and any other of the apologists should be ashamed of.

Assuming the London Irish adopt new dress to mimic the Micks.

 

[Bubbles_Barker]

Assuming the London Irish adopt new dress to mimic the Micks.

They will.

 

[tiger stacker]

They will.

It’s a reflection on power patronage and petty minded cap badge empire building
The whole ethos of the reserves has used symbolism be it cap badge local drill hall and of course family service.

 

[Bubbles_Barker]

It’s a reflection on power patronage and petty minded cap badge empire building
The whole ethos of the reserves has used symbolism be it cap badge local drill hall and of course family service.

But @QRK2 thinks otherwise so that's OK, I can't imagine how he'd feel if it was the HAC.

 

[diehard57]

It’s a reflection on power patronage and petty minded cap badge empire building
The whole ethos of the reserves has used symbolism be it cap badge local drill hall and of course family service.

I always thought that one of the strengths of the Territorial Army was contained in the word ‘Territorial’. In the early 1990’s ‘D‘ Company 6/7 QUEEN‘S at Sutton was rebadged to become an RLC squadron and the vast majority of blokes elected to stay at their Drill Hall rather than transfer to the Queen’s badged ‘A‘ Company of 8 Queen’s Fusiliers at Camberwell or the Kingston-on-Thames based platoon in 5 QUEEN’S. A similar thing occurred when 5 Royal Anglian were also re-roled as RLC.

 

[velcrostripes]

The real question ought to be " Why is it always London that gets all the goodies ? "

London's demographic is not ideal for raising and retaining Reserve units
We have a government that are always banging on about levelling up , well , it's a proven fact that Reserve units outside London have far better attendance and retention rates , yet we have this bizarre rebadging of the London Regiment , when they could have created a whole new Guards Reserve Regiment with the incremental companies based in their cap badges traditional recruitment areas .
This would have given credence to the levelling up narrative , put investment where it was required , recruited motivated soldiers , helped the recruitment of the Regular battalions , retained former regular soldiers and added a Reserve Infantry battalion to the ORBAT at minimal cost

I know it's all political , and that it's difficult to get to the fleshpots of Mayfair from Cardiff or Coldstream , but needs must sometimes .

 

[tiger stacker]

I always thought that one of the strengths of the Territorial Army was contained in the word ‘Territorial’. In the early 1990’s ‘D‘ Company 6/7 QUEEN‘S at Sutton was rebadged to become an RLC squadron and the vast majority of blokes elected to stay at their Drill Hall rather than transfer to the Queen’s badged ‘A‘ Company of 8 Queen’s Fusiliers at Camberwell or the Kingston-on-Thames based platoon in 5 QUEEN’S. A similar thing occurred when 5 Royal Anglian were also re-roled as RLC.

Without the reserves the BEF would have been wiped out
The London Scottish were the first to enter the line while K1 K2 & K3 got ready the following year

That’s the golden thread cast aside for empire building

 

[par avion]

******* disgraceful.

London Jocks being effectively erased as a Regiment, losing all Scottish accoutrements whilst being told by their CoC that being 'Scots Guards' will 'protect their heritage'.

Utter balls which the Army, Household Division and any other of the apologists should be ashamed of.

It does seem sad that units that have kept the battle honours and heritiage going from the Boer war and two world wars just disappear in a fit of Empire building to make it look like the Guards are up to strengh.

 

[CC_TA]

******* disgraceful.

London Jocks being effectively erased as a Regiment, losing all Scottish accoutrements whilst being told by their CoC that being 'Scots Guards' will 'protect their heritage'.

Utter balls which the Army, Household Division and any other of the apologists should be ashamed of.

It's only about 30 years since the last re-branding isn't it?

With a defence force this size it's surprising all regular and reserve infantry units haven't all been amalgamated into the Guards and Rifles, CSS isn't all lumped into one and Sigs & Int are glooped together.

 

[QRK2]

Without the reserves the BEF would have been wiped out
The London Scottish were the first to enter the line while K1 K2 & K3 got ready the following year

That’s the golden thread cast aside for empire building

For clarity K1, K2 and K3 were New Army not TF/Reserve units.

Whilst the idea that the score of TF Battalions that got to France in 1914 saved the BEF is pretty fanciful.

As for the next year, if you are willing to remove the rose tinted spectacles:

Territorials in 1915 by Dr Bill Mitchinson | The Western Front Association

www.westernfrontassociation.com

 

[tiger stacker]

For clarity K1, K2 and K3 were New Army not TF/Reserve units.

Whilst the idea that the score of TF Battalions that got to France in 1914 saved the BEF is pretty fanciful.

As for the next year, if you are willing to remove the rose tinted spectacles:

Territorials in 1915 by Dr Bill Mitchinson | The Western Front Association

www.westernfrontassociation.com

i never fecking said they were

The score that manned the line gave decimated btns a breather alongside those arriving from all over the Empire

Am a pretty cynical prick, it’s called experience of working with others.

In saying that you’re more than welcome to suck it up

 

[QRK2]

i never fecking said they were

The score that manned the line gave decimated btns a breather alongside those arriving from all over the Empire

Am a pretty cynical prick, it’s called experience of working with others.

In saying that you’re more than welcome to suck it up

It would probably be better for you not to post on serious threads after an evening on the bottle.

 

[tiger stacker]

It would probably better for you not to post on serious threads after an evening on the bottle.

Funnily enough I rarely drink, as others on arrse can confirm with much amusement

However since we seem to have a difference of opinion you’re welcome to cast aspersions when it comes to alcohol induced posting styles