Foot guards: Welsh guards marked the centenary.

TO COMMEMORATE the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Welsh Guards, VIPs, veterans and serving soldiers gathered

last week at the Royal Hospital Chelsea for a very special book launch.

‘Bearskins, Bayonets and Bodyarmour’ by Trevor Royle, which charts the history and achievements of the Regiment, had its official launch in the 17th Century state apartments of the Royal Hospital, 100 years to the day that the final and fifth Regiment of Foot Guards was founded.

Welsh Guards Regimental Lieutenant Colonel Major General Robert Talbot Rice said: “This is a very special day for us. On this day 100 years ago King George V signed the Royal Warrant to form the Welsh Guards. When tested the Welsh Guards from their first battle at Loos to their last tour in Helmand. The Regiment has excelled. It is of enormous pride to be following in their footsteps, although with that comes huge responsibility. We that serve now are standing on the shoulders of giants. In this special year we will be celebrating and remembering and on St David’’s Day we will look forward to more than 2,000 members of the Welsh guards, serving and retired, taking part, in this our centenary year. Trevor’s book is a cracking good read and captures perfectly the essence of our regiment – the reality, the humour, the bravery of those who have gone before us.”

Joining the Welsh Guards at the event was World War 2 Veteran and Chelsea Pensioner Cpl Cass Butler from the 2nd Battalion Welsh Guards.

Lance Sergeant Garry Clowes, 37, from Ryll, North Wales, works in the archives at the Regimental Head Quarters of the Welsh Guards. He said: “It is a great honour to be a part of this regiment. Working in the archives I am more aware than most of the rich history of the Welsh Guards and what we have achieved. We have always mafde a difference wherever we have served. We brought democracy to Afghanistan; we’ve done so much to improve the lives of others, that’s something to be really proud of.”

Lance Corporal James Pickersgill- Jones, 24, from Swansea said: “I feel so privileged to be serving in the Welsh Guards while the centenary is happening.”

As British Forces faced ever mounting pressures on the Western Front in the First World War, on the advice of the then Chancellor of the Exchequer and Welshman, David Lloyd George, The Welsh Guards were brought into existence on February 26 1915, in order to include Wales in the national component of the Foot Guards, which already included England, Scotland and Ireland.

Many of those first Welsh Guardsman who formed the Regiment were Welshmen who had transferred from The Grenadier Guards, and were eager to represent their nation at home and abroad. The Welsh Guards of the 21st century is still a Regiment with proud national links and 90% of its personnel are Welsh.

Since their founding the Welsh Guards have fought in some of the most challenging conflicts of the modern age. From the First and Second World Wars to Egypt, Palestine, Aden, Cyprus, Northern Ireland, the Falkland Islands, Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan they have served with distinction, their guardsmen awarded numerous honours including 2 VCs.

As part of the celebrations for the Welsh Guards Centenary, Wellington Barracks in London, the home of the Foot Guards, was flood lit in Welsh Guards Colours every night until March 2. The Welsh Guards celebrated their annual St David’s Day Parade in Cardiff this year. Every officer and soldier was presented with a leek. The unit formed the Guard of Honour for the Mexican State Visit on March 3, and will receive new Colours from Her Majesty The Queen at Windsor Castle in April, which they will troop at The Queen’s Birthday Parade on Horse Guards in June.

One way to distinguish between the regiments of Foot Guards is the spacing of buttons on the tunic. The Welsh Guards have buttons arranged in groups of five, wear the symbol of the Welsh leek on their buttons and capbadge, and their bearskin has a plume coloured to resemble the sulphurous vegetable.