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The Household Division contains some of the oldest regiments in the British Army, with all three of the regiments that were merged into the Household Cavalry Regiment dating to the seventeenth century, as do three of the five Foot Guard regiments. This photographic history covers both the current units and their precursors, as well as looking at some of the short-lived Guards units created during the World Wars. Although titled a photographic history, I’d say the balance is about 2-1 in favour of text over photos, so there is plenty of space to give histories of each of these units.
We start with a look at some of the key posts within the Household Division, starting with the Major-General Commanding the Household Division (who is also General Officer Commanding London District), and moving down through the ranks of those posts involved in the division’s ceremonial roles.
The two largest chapters cover the regiments of the Household Cavalry and of the Guards Division. The Household Cavalry chapter covers the current Household Cavalry Regiment and Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, as well as their precursors – the Life Guards, the Royal Horse Guards and the Royal Dragoon Guards, giving battle honours for each variant of these units. There are also short sections on the major wartime mergers of these precursor units – the Household Cavalry Composite Regiment, which saw service in the Anglo-Egyptian War of 1882, the Second Boer War, and both World Wars, The Household Cavalry Infantry Battalion of the First World War and the short-lived No.8 (Guards) Commando of 1940-41. For each unit we get a history and a list of battle honours, which help prove the often repeated point that these are all combat units first and ceremonial units second.
For the Guards Division we get sections on the Grenadier, Coldstream, Scots, Irish and Welsh Guards, the five regiments that now form the Foot Guards. Some might be surprised to learn that the Irish and Welsh Guards weren’t created until the twentieth century, making them much younger than the older three, all formed in the seventeenth century. We also get sections on the London Guards, a purely administrative unit, the Machine Gun Regiment of Foot Guards of 1918-1920, the Guards Divisions formed in each World War
The text is supported by a good choice of pictures, with an emphasis on modern colour photographs of the units on parade, but also including plenty of paintings from their earlier histories and photographs from the World Wars, to give a good visual impression of these units in both of their main roles.
Chapters
Key Household Division Personalities: The Sovereign’s Right Hand
The Household Division: A Tradition of Excellence
The Regiments of the Household Cavalry: Trusted Guardians
The Regiments of the Guards Division: First Amongst Equals
Supporting State Ceremonial: A Noble Tradition
Conclusion: The Future
Author: Ben Skipper
Edition: Hardcover
Pages:
Publisher: Pen & Sword
Year: