Scots Guards

For the historic Scots Guards who served the monarchs of France, see Garde Écossaise. For the fabric protectant, see Scotchgard.

Scots Guards
File:ScotsGuard Cap Badge.png Cap Star of the Scots Guards
Active	1642-1651, 1661-present
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Army
Type	Foot Guards
Role	1st Battalion - Strike Mechanized Infantry F Company - Public Duties
Size	One battalion One Indepdentnt company
Part of	Guards Division - Overall 1st Battalion under 1st Strike Brigade F Company under London District
Garrison/HQ	RHQ - London 1st Battalion - Catterick F Company - London
Nickname(s)	The Kiddies; Jock Guards "The Jocks"
Motto(s)	"Nemo Me Impune Lacessit" (Latin) "No one touches me with impunity"
March	Quick - Hielan' Laddie Slow - The Garb of Old Gaul
Anniversaries	St Andrew's Day Nov 30
Commanders
Current commander	James Leak
Colonel-in-Chief	HM The Queen
Colonel of the Regiment	HRH The Duke of Kent KG, GCMG, GCVO
Insignia
Tactical Recognition Flash
Tartan	Royal Stewart (pipers kilts and plaids)
Plume	none
Abbreviation	SG

Recruits practicing drill on catterick parade square

File:ScotsGuards1891.jpg

Scots Guards drummer, piper, bugler and bandsman, about 1891

History

The Scots Guards (SG), part of the Guards Division, is one of the Foot Guards regiments of the British Army. Their origins lie in the personal bodyguard of King Charles I of England and Scotland. Its lineage can be traced as far back as 1642, although it was only placed on the English Establishment (thus becoming part of what is now the British Army) in 1686.

The Scots Guards is ranked as the third regiment in the Guards Division; as such, Scots Guardsmen can be recognised by having the buttons on their tunics spaced in threes. The regiment consists of a single operational battalion, which has been based in Catterick since 2008, in the armoured infantry role. However, since 1993, the regiment has also maintained an independent company, F Company, permanently based in Wellington Barracks, London on public duties. It is the custodian of the colours and traditions of the 2nd Battalion, which was placed in permanent suspended animation in 1993 as a result of Options for Change. 1st Battalion will be equipped with Mastiff Vehicles under Army 2020 and be under 12th Armoured Infantry Brigade.

Under the Army 2020 reforms the battalion moves from the 12th Armoured Infantry Brigade to the new formed 1st Strike Brigade and moved from Aldershot to Catterick. The regiment will be one of the 4 new "Strike Mechanized Battalions" using the new Boxer mechanized infantry vehicle. Also as a result of the changes the battalion will not do Ceremonial Duties until 2025 when it will swap with the Welsh Guards. F Company will continue with their ceremonial duties. In Early 2019 the 1st Battalion returned from Cyprus on Operation Tosca where they received their medals upon returning. At the moment, in Mid April 2019, the entire regiment are barely at 50% manning. During the later stages of 2019 the battalion is due to move to Catterick and be part of the new 1st Strike Brigade. In late April 2019 the regimental Pipes and Drums took part in the Virginia Tattoo in Newport, Virginia in the Federal Republic of the United States of America. Since 2018 although consisting of 707 men, the 1st battalion are still well below their 731 goal for regimental members.

Training

Recruits to the Guards Division go through a thirty-week Gruelling training programme at the Infantry Training Centre (ITC) and is one of the hardest basic training courses in the world and produces some of the best soldiers in the world. The training is two weeks more than the training for the Regular line infantry regiments of the British Army; the extra training, carried out throughout the course, is devoted to drill and ceremonies.

History of the Scots Guards

• History of the Scots Guards (1642–1804)
• History of the Scots Guards (1805–1913)
• History of the Scots Guards (1914–1945)
• History of the Scots Guards (from 1946)

Organization

The Full Organization of the entire regiment:

1st Battalion

• Battalion Headquarters and No.4 (IV) Headquarters Company
  • Battalion Headquarters
  • Headquarters Company HQ
  • Signals Platoon
  • Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Detachment
  • Mechanical Transport Platoon
  • Quartermaster's Department
  • Catering Platoon
  • Regimental Administration Office
  • Regimental Aid Post
  • Regimental Recruiting Team
  • Military Provost Team
  • Welfare Office
  • Regimental Padre
  • Assault Pioneer Platoon - (Provided by the Pipes and Drums)
• Right Flank (No.1) Company - Rifle Company
  • Company Headquarters
  • 1 Platoon
  • 2 Platoon
  • 3 Platoon
• C (No.3) Company - Rifle Company
  • Company Headquarters
  • 4 Platoon
  • 5 Platoon
  • 6 Platoon
• Left Flank (No.8) Company - Rifle Company
  • Company Headquarters
  • 7 Platoon
  • 8 Platoon
  • 9 Platoon
• B (No.2) Company - Support Fires Company
  • Company Headquarters Platoon
  • 10 (Anti-Tank) Platoon
  • 11 (Mortars) Platoon
  • 12 (Reconnaissance) Platoon
  • 13 (Combat Information System and Information Systems Aerial Reconnaissance) Platoon (New Under Army 2020)

F (No.7) Company

• Company Headquarters
• 1 Platoon
• 2 Platoon
• 3 Platoon

Bases

1st Battalion

• 1945—1947 Rossetti Barracks
• 1947—1951 Pirbright
• 1951—1951 Colchester
• 1951—1952 Cyprus
• 1952—1954 Golf Course Camp
• 1954—1956 Wellington Barracks
• 1956—1957 Lee-Metford Camp
• 1957—1958 Victoria Barracks
• 1958—1960 Gort Barracks
• 1960—1962 Milton Barracks
• 1962—1964 Elizabeth Barracks
• 1964—1967 Terendak Camp
• 1967—1969 Redford Cavalry Barracks
• 1969—1971 Chelsea Barracks
• 1971—1972 Elizabeth Barracks
• 1972—1976 Waterloo Barracks
• 1976—1980 Chelsea Barracks
• 1980—1981 Alexander Barracks
• 1981—1984 Stanley Fort
• 1984—1988 Elizabeth Barracks
• 1988—1993 Campbell Barracks
• 1993—1998 Victoria Barracks
• 1998—2000 Abercorn Barracks
• 2000—2003 Wellington Barracks
• 2003—2008 Oxford Barracks
• 2008—2015 Bourlon Barracks
• 2015—2020 Mons Barracks
• 2020—2025 Catterick
• 2025—???? Unknown barracks part of London District

2nd Battalion

• 1946—1947 Victoria Barracks
• 1947—1948 Chelsea Barracks
• 1948—1951 Malaya
• 1951—1951 Glencorse Barracks
• 1951—1952 Chelsea Barracks
• 1952—1953 Victoria Barracks
• 1953—1957 Llanelli Barracks
• 1957—1958 Chelsea Barracks
• 1958—1959 Moore Barracks
• 1959—1961 Assaye Barracks
• 1961—1962 Wellington Barracks
• 1962—1964 Kenya
• 1964—1966 Caterham Barracks
• 1966—1967 Chelsea Barracks
• 1967—1968 Aldershot Barracks
• 1968—1970 Waterloo Barracks
• 1970—1971 Victoria Barracks (2nd Battalion Reduced to S and F Companies)
• 1972—1973 Redford Barracks (2nd Battalion reformed)
• 1973—1976 Elizabeth Barracks
• 1976—1979 Waterloo Barracks
• 1979—1984 Chelsea Barracks
• 1984—1986 Salamanca Barracks
• 1986—1992 Cavalry Barracks
• 1992—1992 Redford Barracks
• 1992—1993 Dreghorn Barracks (2nd Battalion placed in Suspended Animation, continued as F Company)

Traditions and Affiliations

The Scots Guards and other Guards Regiments have a long-standing connection to The Parachute Regiment. Guardsman who have Completed P company are Transferred into the Guards Parachute Platoon who are currently attached to 3 PARA still keeping the tradition of the No 1 (Guards) Independent Parachute Company who were the original Pathfinder Group of 16th Parachute Brigade now renamed 16th Air Assault Brigade.

Former Members

• Leo Docherty (Conservative Member for Parliament for Aldershot) - Served as Captain from 2001-2007 participating in both the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars.

Battle honours

• Pre-First World War: Namur 1695, Dettingen, Lincelles, Egypt, Talavera, Barrosa, Fuentes d'Onoro, Salamanca, Nive, Peninsula, Waterloo, Alma, Inkerman, Sevastopol, Tel-er-Kebir, Egypt 1882, Suakin 1885, Modder River, South Africa 1899–1902
• First World War:
  • Western Front: Retreat from Mons, Marne 1914, Aisne 1914, Ypres 1914 1917, Langemarck 1914, Gheluvelt, Nonne Bosschen, Givenchy 1914, Neuve Chapelle, Aubers, Festubert 1915, Loos, Somme 1916 1918, Flers Courcelette, Morval, Pilckem, Poelcapelle, Cambrai 1917 1918, St. Quentin, Albert 1918, Bapaume 1918disambiguation needed, Arras 1918, Drocourt-Quéant, Hindenburg Line, Havrincourt, Canal du Nord, Selle, Sambre, France and Flanders 1914–18
• Second World War:
  • North-West Europe: Stien, Norway 1940, Quarry Hill, Estry, Venlo Pocket, Rhineland, Reichswald, Kleve, Moyland, Hochwalddisambiguation needed, Rhine, Lingen, Uelzen, North-West Europe 1944–45
  • North Africa: Halfaya 1941, Sidi Suleiman, Tobruk 1941, Gazala, Knightsbridge, Defence of Alamein Line, Medenine, Tadjera Khir, Medjez Plain, Grich el Oued, Djebel Bou Aoukaz 1943 I, North Africa 1941–43
  • Italy: Salerno, Battipaglia, Volturno Crossing, Rocchetta e Croce, Monte Camino, Campoleone, Carroceto, Trasimene Line, Advance to Florence, Monte San Michele, Catarelto Ridge, Argenta Gap, Italy 1943–45
• Post WWII: Tumbledown Mountain (Falkland Islands 1982), Gulf 1991

Warrior Infantry Fighting Vehicles of the Scots Guards patrolling in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, in 2008

References

• Scots Guards Homepage
• Scots Guards Association Homepage

Alliances

• Australia - 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
• Royal Navy - HMS Duncan

External links

• The Guards Museum - Containing the history of the five regiments of Foot Guards, Wellington Barracks, London.