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  • Once a Grenadier, always a Grenadier

The Grenadier Guards

The Grenadier Guards is one of the oldest and most iconic regiments in the British Army. Whether they are fighting on the front line or guarding a Royal Palace, members of the Regiment are renowned for their determination, loyalty and grit.

The Grenadier Guards is the most senior infantry regiment in the British Army. As Light Role Infantry, we are a mobile and robust fighting force, trained to operate across all terrains and ready to deploy worldwide at short notice.

As a dual role regiment, we are renowned for delivering ceremonial excellence in the UK and overseas alongside our frontline duties. This unique responsibility distinguishes the Grenadier Guards: our professionalism, discipline and iconic scarlet tunics and bearskins are recognised across the globe.

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Active from

1656

Role

Infantry

Specialism

Light Role Infantry

As infantry soldiers, the Grenadier Guards are trained to be versatile and adaptable across a wide range of Light Role tasks. All Guardsmen build a strong foundation in core infantry skills, including urban operations, patrolling, defensive tasks and fieldcraft in demanding conditions.

As they progress, Grenadiers can specialise in roles such as:

  • Reconnaissance operations
  • Heavy weapons and machine gunning
  • Precision sniping
  • Mortar fire support
  • Tactical communications
  • Military vehicle driving
  • Logistical support
  • Ceremonial duties

 

Recent Deployments:

  • Operation Shader - Iraq
  • Operation Firic - The Falkland Islands
  • Exercise Haraka Storm - Kenya
  • Exercise Ulu Warrior - Brunei
  • Exercise Red Stripe - Jamaica

The Grenadier Guards are finishing a commitment to Ceremonial Duties in early-2027 and look forward to a number of overseas deployments later that year.

United as a regimental family with a long and distinguished history, the Grenadier Guards are defined by our camaraderie, resilience and sense of humour.

It doesn’t matter who you are or where you’re from: once a Grenadier, always a Grenadier.

Lille Barracks, Aldershot

The Grenadier Guards is based at Lille Barracks in Aldershot, Hampshire.

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To find out more about joining the Grenadier Guards, click the link below.

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Past to Present

The history of the Grenadier Guards stretches back 370 years to 1656, when a Royal Regiment of Guards was formed for the exiled King Charles II at Bruges in Flanders.

Since its formation, the Regiment has fought in all the major wars in which our country has been involved, including Waterloo, the Crimean War, the 1st and 2nd World Wars, and most recently in Afghanistan.

Having defeated the French Imperial Guard at the Battle of Waterloo, the regiment was awarded the title of Grenadiers, becoming ‘The First or Grenadier Regiment of Footguards’. We also gained the iconic bearskin cap following the same battle. 

The Battle of Inkerman, Crimean War. The Regiment’s first Victoria Crosses were won on the same day, in the same action, by Major Sir Charles Russell and Private Anthony Palmer.

Four battalions of the Regiment fought with distinction on the Western Front. They played a prominent role in some of the war’s fiercest fighting, including the Somme, Ypres and Cambrai.
Six battalions of the Regiment fought across Northwest Europe, North Africa and Italy. From El Alamein to Normandy, they played a key role in some of the decisive campaigns of the war.

The Regiment has taken part in every major campaign since the 2nd World War (with the exception of the Falklands Campaign) including Malaya, Northern Ireland, Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Regiment’s most recent Victoria Cross was won by Lance Corporal James Ashworth in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

Read the citation for this award at the link below. 

LCpl Ashworth VC Citation

We are extremely proud of our long and hard-earnt heritage. To read more, click the link below. 

Regimental History

Locations

1st Battalion Grenadier Guards

Lille Barracks, Aldershot, GU11 2NQ

Nijmegen Company

Wellington Barracks, London SW1E 6HQ

Find Out More

If you want to keep up with our day-to-day activities or have any questions about the Regiment, find us on Instagram at the link below. 

Grenadier Guards Instagram

Grenadier Guards Website: https://www.grengds.com/

The Guards Museum at Wellington Barracks, London: https://theguardsmuseum.com/