The Grenadier Guards in the Great War of 1914-1918, Vol. 1 of 3Ponsonby, Frederick
History
The Grenadier Guards in the Great War of 1914-1918, Vol. 1 of 3
Ponsonby, Frederick
Great Britain. Army. Grenadier Guards; World War, 1914-1918 -- Regimental histories -- Great Britain
Whether it was part of that mysterious thing called the British
Constitution, or whether the idea of keeping one regular battalion in
London emanated from the brain of some timid member of the Cabinet, is
not clear, but the 3rd Battalion remained at home after all the rest of
the regular army had gone. At first it was said that two regular
battalions would have to remain behind in London, one for the King, the
other for the Houses of Parliament, but His Majesty, having at once
disposed of the idea that he needed the services of any regular
battalion, Lord Kitchener decided to retain only one battalion, and that
happened to be the 3rd Battalion Grenadiers.
The only exceptional event during the time it remained at home that
deserves to be chronicled is the fact that for the first time in history
this Battalion found the duties in London in service dress. On the 27th
of August 1914 the King's Guard, under Captain de Crespigny, mounted for
the first time in khaki.
Although the 3rd Battalion was unable to go as a unit, the terrible
casualties the 1st and 2nd Battalions had suffered during the first
months of the war made it very difficult to find the large draft
required, and so it happened that most of the officers and
non-commissioned officers made their way to the front in the other
battalions.
When the Guards Division was formed it was decided to send out not only
the 3rd Battalion but also the 4th Battalion, and to form another
reserve battalion. On July 26 the Battalion paraded at Chelsea Barracks,
and Colonel Streatfeild read to them a message from Field-Marshal His
Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught, who was still Governor-General of
Canada:
On hearing our 3rd Battalion has been placed under Orders to leave
for the front, I ask you to give them a personal message from
myself, wishing them God-speed and success, and assuring them of the
great confidence I repose in them nobly to continue their splendid
record of the past, and to assist our brave battalions at the front,
who have so gloriously maintained the traditions of the First
Regiment of Guards. May every blessing rest upon the Regiment, of
which I am so proud to be the Colonel.
ARTHUR,
Colonel, Grenadier Guards.
The Battalion crossed over _via_ Southampton to Havre in the steamboat
_Queen Alexandra_, accompanied by a destroyer, and curiously enough was
disembarked by one old Grenadier, Captain Sir F. E. W. Harvey-Bathurst,
Bt., and entrained by another, Major G. C. W. Heneage. It proceeded by
train to Wizernes, where it detrained, and marched into billets at
Esquerdes. On July 31 the Battalion was inspected by General Stopford,
who said it was the finest Battalion he had seen. On August 18 it took
part in a review held on the aviation ground at St. Omer, when M.
Millerand, the French War Minister, Lord Kitchener, and Sir John French
inspected those battalions of the Guards Division which had arrived.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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