78-935: The 23rd Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade of the British Army that saw active service in the First World War , mainly on the Western Front During the Second World War , the brigade saw active service in the Syria-Lebanon Campaign , the Western Desert Campaign , and the Burma Campaign . The commanders of the 23rd Infantry Brigade during the First World War were: During
156-748: A sidearm or ancillary weapons . Infantry with ranged or polearms often carried a sword or dagger for possible hand-to-hand combat. The pilum was a javelin the Roman legionaries threw just before drawing their primary weapon, the gladius (short sword), and closing with the enemy line. Modern infantrymen now treat the bayonet as a backup weapon, but may also have handguns as sidearms . They may also deploy anti-personnel mines, booby traps, incendiary, or explosive devices defensively before combat. Infantry have employed many different methods of protection from enemy attacks, including various kinds of armour and other gear, and tactical procedures. The most basic
234-628: A few exceptions like the Mongol Empire , infantry has been the largest component of most armies in history. In the Western world , from Classical Antiquity through the Middle Ages ( c. 8th century BC to 15th century AD), infantry are categorised as either heavy infantry or light infantry . Heavy infantry, such as Greek hoplites , Macedonian phalangites , and Roman legionaries , specialised in dense, solid formations driving into
312-512: A full suit of attack-proof armour would be too heavy to wear in combat. As firearms improved, armour for ranged defence had to be made thicker and heavier, which hindered mobility. With the introduction of the heavy arquebus designed to pierce standard steel armour, it was proven easier to make heavier firearms than heavier armour; armour transitioned to be only for close combat purposes. Pikemen armour tended to be just steel helmets and breastplates, and gunners had very little or no armour at all. By
390-417: A hundred meters wide and a dozen rows deep. Maintaining the advantages of heavy infantry meant maintaining formation; this became even more important when two forces with heavy infantry met in battle; the solidity of the formation became the deciding factor. Intense discipline and training became paramount. Empires formed around their military. The organization of military forces into regular military units
468-467: A new Royal standard bearing his cypher and crown to the King's Company. King Edward VII assumed the colonelcy-in-chief of the regiment on his accession, and subsequent monarchs have also been colonel-in-chief. The following is a list of individuals who have served in the role of colonel of the regiment: For many years each Foot Guards regiment was commanded by a Colonel (called, for historical reasons,
546-467: A possible German invasion . Between October 1940 and October 1941, the regiment raised the 4th, 5th, and 6th Battalions. Later, in the summer of 1941, there was a need to increase the number of armoured and motorised units in the British Army and as a result many infantry battalions were converted into armoured regiments; the 2nd and 4th Battalions were re-equipped with tanks, while the 1st Battalion
624-399: A problem. This can be avoided by having shield-armed soldiers stand close together, side-by-side, each protecting both themselves and their immediate comrades, presenting a solid shield wall to the enemy. The opponents for these first formations, the close-combat infantry of more tribal societies , or any military without regular infantry (so called " barbarians ") used arms that focused on
702-440: A return to body armour for infantry, though the extra weight is a notable burden. In modern times, infantrymen must also often carry protective measures against chemical and biological attack, including military gas masks , counter-agents, and protective suits. All of these protective measures add to the weight an infantryman must carry, and may decrease combat efficiency. Early crew-served weapons were siege weapons , like
780-671: A service battalion, the 4th Battalion, and a reserve battalion, known as the 5th (Reserve) Battalion, which was used to carry out ceremonial duties in London and Windsor during the war. The 2nd Battalion of the regiment was sent to France in August, and the 1st Battalion followed to Belgium in October. They took part in the early stages of the fighting during the period known as " Race to the Sea ", during which time they were involved significantly at
858-588: A similar regiment known as John Russell's Regiment of Guards was formed. In 1665, these two regiments were combined to form the 1st Regiment of Foot Guards, consisting of 24 companies of men. Throughout the 18th century, the regiment took part in a number of campaigns including the War of Spanish Succession , the War of Austrian Succession and the Seven Years' War . At the end of the Napoleonic Wars ,
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#1732800938563936-500: A support company and a headquarters company, and one independent company, Nijmegen Company, based at Wellington Barracks , London. The Queen , as Colonel-in-Chief, presented new colours to Nijmegen Company in 2013. Following the Integrated Review , G (Guards) Company, London Regiment based at Kingston upon Thames , re-badged and became Ypres Company, Grenadier Guards. The King's Company (or Queen's Company when
1014-463: Is personal armour . This includes shields , helmets and many types of armour – padded linen , leather, lamellar , mail , plate , and kevlar . Initially, armour was used to defend both from ranged and close combat; even a fairly light shield could help defend against most slings and javelins, though high-strength bows and crossbows might penetrate common armour at very close range. Infantry armour had to compromise between protection and coverage, as
1092-744: Is first noted in Egyptian records of the Battle of Kadesh ( c. 1274 BC ). Soldiers were grouped into units of 50, which were in turn grouped into larger units of 250, then 1,000, and finally into units of up to 5,000 – the largest independent command. Several of these Egyptian "divisions" made up an army, but operated independently, both on the march and tactically, demonstrating sufficient military command and control organisation for basic battlefield manoeuvres. Similar hierarchical organizations have been noted in other ancient armies, typically with approximately 10 to 100 to 1,000 ratios (even where base 10
1170-529: Is now paraded only in the Sovereign's presence. In 1656, King Charles II issued the first Colour to the company and every Monarch since has presented their Company with their own Royal Standard just once in their reign, with the exception of King George II, whose color was in 1709, was shot to pieces at the Battle of Malplaquet, and subsequently replaced the following year. In April 2023, King Charles III presented
1248-525: Is the most senior infantry regiment of the British Army , being at the top of the Infantry Order of Precedence. It can trace its lineage back to 1656 when Lord Wentworth's Regiment was raised in Bruges to protect the exiled Charles II . In 1665, this regiment was combined with John Russell's Regiment of Guards to form the current regiment, known as the 1st Regiment of Foot Guards. Since then,
1326-597: The Options for Change reforms, the Grenadier Guards was reduced to a single battalion. The 2nd Battalion was put into 'suspended animation', and its colours passed for safekeeping to a newly formed independent company , which was named "Nijmegen Company" . As a result of this, the regiment was reduced to its current composition: one full battalion, the 1st Battalion, consisting of three rifle companies (The King's Company, No. 2 Company and The Inkerman Company),
1404-630: The 1st Infantry Division , commanded by Major General Harold Alexander . As the BEF was pushed back by the German blitzkrieg during the battles of France and Dunkirk , these battalions played a considerable role in maintaining the British Army's reputation during the withdrawal phase of the campaign before being themselves evacuated from Dunkirk . After this, they returned to the United Kingdom, where they undertook defensive duties in anticipation of
1482-729: The Anglo-Egyptian War in 1882, and then the Mahdist War in Sudan , both during the 1885 Suakin Expedition and in 1898, at the Battle of Omdurman . During the Second Boer War , the 2nd and 3rd Battalions were deployed to South Africa, where they took part in a number of battles including the Battle of Modder River and the Battle of Belmont , as well as a number of smaller actions. In 1900, seventy-five men from
1560-874: The Battle of the Bulge and Operation Veritable . The 3rd, 5th and 6th Battalions served in the North African Campaign and in the final stages of the Tunisia Campaign , under command of the British First Army , where they fought significant battles in the Medjez-el-Bab and along the Mareth Line . The battalions took part in the Italian Campaign at Salerno , Monte Camino , Anzio , Monte Cassino , and along
1638-620: The First Battle of Ypres . In February 1915, a fifth Guards regiment was raised, known as the Welsh Guards . In recognition of the significant contribution Welshmen had made to the Grenadier Guards, the regiment transferred five officers and 634 other ranks to the newly formed unit. A short time later, permission was received for the formation of the Guards Division , the brainchild of Lord Kitchener , and on 18 August 1915,
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#17328009385631716-513: The Gothic Line . The 3rd Battalion, still with the 1st Guards Brigade, was attached to the 78th Battleaxe Infantry Division for two months in Tunisia until it was exchanged for the 38th (Irish) Brigade and became part of the 6th Armoured Division , where it would remain for the rest of the war. The 5th Battalion was part of 24th Guards Brigade and served with the 1st Division during
1794-532: The Guards Division go through a gruelling thirty-week training programme at the Infantry Training Centre (ITC). The training is two weeks longer 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. In 2012, Lance Corporal James Ashworth of the Grenadier Guards was awarded
1872-617: The Gulf War , Afghanistan and Iraq . The Grenadier Guards trace their lineage back to 1656, when Lord Wentworth's Regiment was raised from gentlemen of the Honourable Artillery Company by the then heir to the throne, Prince Charles (later King Charles II ), in Bruges , in the Spanish Netherlands (present-day Belgium), where it formed a part of the exiled King's bodyguard. A few years later,
1950-943: The NATO force stationed in Germany during the Cold War . In 1991, the 1st Battalion, which had been serving in Germany, was deployed to the Middle East, where it took part in the Persian Gulf War mounted in Warrior armoured personnel carriers , before returning for a six-month tour of Northern Ireland. In 2002, the 1st Battalion deployed as part of as Operation Herrick in Afghanistan , and in 2003, it deployed as part of Operation Telic in Iraq . As of 2014, recruits to
2028-1142: The Royal Dragoon Guards , Royal Lancers , and King's Royal Hussars . Similarly, motorised infantry have trucks and other unarmed vehicles for non-combat movement, but are still infantry since they leave their vehicles for any combat. Most modern infantry have vehicle transport, to the point where infantry being motorised is generally assumed, and the few exceptions might be identified as modern light infantry . Mechanised infantry go beyond motorised, having transport vehicles with combat abilities, armoured personnel carriers (APCs), providing at least some options for combat without leaving their vehicles. In modern infantry, some APCs have evolved to be infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs), which are transport vehicles with more substantial combat abilities, approaching those of light tanks . Some well-equipped mechanised infantry can be designated as armoured infantry . Given that infantry forces typically also have some tanks, and given that most armoured forces have more mechanised infantry units than tank units in their organisation,
2106-537: The Seven Years' War , and the Napoleonic Wars ; at the end of this period the regiment was granted the "Grenadier" designation by a Royal Proclamation. During the Victorian era , the regiment took part in the Crimean War , the Anglo-Egyptian War , the Mahdist War , and the Second Boer War . During the First World War , the Grenadier Guards was expanded from three battalions to five, of which four served on
2184-748: The Victoria Cross posthumously for bravery in Helmand Province , Afghanistan . In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic , members of the regiment helped assist the NHS for testing of COVID-19 patients, and provided checkpoints throughout London in collaboration with the Royal Anglian Regiment . The 1st Foot Guards has received 78 battle honours , gained for its involvement in a number of conflicts including: In 1994, under
2262-832: The Western Front , while later during the Second World War , six battalions were raised, and several were converted to an armoured role as part of the Guards Armoured Division . These units fought in France , North-West Europe , North Africa and Italy . After the Second World War the regiment was reduced first to three battalions, then to two, and finally to one battalion in the mid-1990s. Major deployments during this time have included operations in Palestine , Malaya , Cyprus , Northern Ireland ,
2340-442: The ballista , trebuchet , and battering ram . Modern versions include machine guns , anti-tank missiles , and infantry mortars . Beginning with the development the first regular military forces, close-combat regular infantry fought less as unorganised groups of individuals and more in coordinated units, maintaining a defined tactical formation during combat, for increased battlefield effectiveness; such infantry formations and
2418-469: The 1800s with the invention of more accurate and powerful weapons. In English, use of the term infantry began about the 1570s, describing soldiers who march and fight on foot. The word derives from Middle French infanterie , from older Italian (also Spanish) infanteria (foot soldiers too inexperienced for cavalry), from Latin īnfāns (without speech, newborn, foolish), from which English also gets infant . The individual-soldier term infantryman
23rd Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom) - Misplaced Pages Continue
2496-903: The 23rd Infantry Brigade, were assigned to the Chindits . The brigade was retrained as a long range penetration unit. The brigade did not take part in the Second Chindit Expedition. Instead, it was deployed during the Battle of Kohima behind Japanese lines, and interdicted Japanese communication and supplies. Infantry Infantry is a specialization of military personnel who engage in warfare combat . Infantry generally consists of light infantry , irregular infantry , heavy infantry , mountain infantry , motorized infantry , mechanized infantry , airborne infantry , air assault infantry , and naval infantry . Other types of infantry, such as line infantry and mounted infantry , were once commonplace but fell out of favor in
2574-444: The 3rd Battalion paraded for the last time and was subsequently placed in suspended animation. In order to maintain the battalion's customs and traditions, one of its companies, The Inkerman Company, was incorporated into the 1st Battalion. Since the mid-1960s, the 1st and 2nd Battalions have been deployed to Africa , South America and Northern Ireland where they undertook peacekeeping duties. They also undertook duties as part of
2652-480: The 3rd Battalion, during the Battle of Dunkirk , and Major William Sidney of the 5th Battalion during the Battle of Anzio in March 1944. In June 1945, following the end of hostilities, the 2nd and 4th Battalions gave up their tanks and returned to an infantry role. The regiment returned to three battalions at this time, with the 4th and 5th Battalions being disbanded along with the 6th, which had been removed from
2730-550: The 6th Infantry Division was re-designated as the 70th Infantry Division . The division, including the brigade, was transported to Tobruk to relieve the 9th Australian Infantry Division . As part of the Tobruk garrison, the brigade helped to fend off Rommel's Axis forces until the siege was relieved at the end of the year during Operation Crusader . In March 1942, the 70th Infantry Division arrived in India. Its brigades, including
2808-527: The American all-purpose lightweight individual carrying equipment (ALICE). Infantrymen are defined by their primary arms – the personal weapons and body armour for their own individual use. The available technology, resources, history, and society can produce quite different weapons for each military and era, but common infantry weapons can be distinguished in a few basic categories. Infantrymen often carry secondary or back-up weapons, sometimes called
2886-446: The Battle of Anzio. After suffering devastating casualties, the brigade was relieved in March 1944 . The 6th Battalion served with the 22nd Guards Brigade , later redesignated 201st Guards Motor Brigade, until late 1944 when the battalion was disbanded due to an acute shortage of Guards replacements. During the course of the conflict, two men of the regiment were awarded the Victoria Cross . They were Lance Corporal Harry Nicholls of
2964-484: The Lieutenant Colonel). In the 1980s, the army having reduced in size, the role was judged no longer to justify the appointment of a full colonel, so in 1986 a Lieutenant Colonel was appointed; but in 1989 the appointment of full-time officers to command each regiment ceased. Instead, a senior serving or recently retired officer (of at least the rank of colonel) is appointed as Regimental Lieutenant Colonel ;
3042-579: The Regimental Lieutenant Colonel oversees the 'regimental affairs' of the regiment. The Regimental Lieutenant Colonels have included: The Grenadier Guards Regimental Slow March is the march "Scipio", from the opera Scipione by George Frideric Handel , inspired by the exploits of the Roman General Scipio Africanus . The first performance of Scipione was in 1726. Handel actually composed
3120-507: The Swiss, English, Aragonese and German, to men-at-arms who went into battle as well-armoured as knights, the latter of which at times also fought on foot. The creation of standing armies —permanently assembled for war or defence—saw increase in training and experience. The increased use of firearms and the need for drill to handle them efficiently. The introduction of national and mass armies saw an establishment of minimum requirements and
3198-443: The arms they used developed together, starting with the spear and the shield. A spear has decent attack abilities with the additional advantage keeping opponents at distance; this advantage can be increased by using longer spears, but this could allow the opponent to side-step the point of the spear and close for hand-to-hand combat where the longer spear is near useless. This can be avoided when each spearman stays side by side with
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3276-411: The carrying burden is spread across several infantrymen. In all, this can reach 25–45 kg (60–100 lb) for each soldier on the march. Such heavy infantry burdens have changed little over centuries of warfare; in the late Roman Republic, legionaries were nicknamed " Marius' mules " as their main activity seemed to be carrying the weight of their legion around on their backs, a practice that predates
3354-588: The company are over the height of six feet. The King serves as the Company Commander of the King's Company, with executive authority for the daily administration of the company being designated to the "Captain-Lieutenant" (or simply "The Captain"), with there being with 100 Captains over time leading the Company on the Sovereigns' behalf. The company Royal Standard is gifted by the monarch and
3432-463: The distinction between mechanised infantry and armour forces has blurred. The first military forces in history were infantry. In antiquity , infantry were armed with early melee weapons such as a spear , axe , or sword , or an early ranged weapon like a javelin , sling , or bow , with a few infantrymen being expected to use both a melee and a ranged weapon. With the development of gunpowder , infantry began converting to primarily firearms . By
3510-697: The division came into existence, consisting of three brigades, each with four battalions. Following this the four service battalions of the regiment fought in a number of significant battles including Loos , the Somme , Cambrai , Arras and the Hindenburg Line . Seven members of the regiment received the Victoria Cross during the war. Following the Armistice with Germany in November 1918,
3588-514: The early stages of the fighting when all three regular battalions were sent to France in late 1939 as part of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). The 1st and 2nd Battalions were serving in the 7th Guards Brigade , which also included the 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards , and were part of the 3rd Infantry Division , led by Major General Bernard Montgomery . The 3rd Battalion was in the 1st Guards Brigade attached to
3666-455: The enemy to prepare for the main forces' battlefield attack, protecting them from flanking manoeuvers , and then afterwards either pursuing the fleeing enemy or covering their army's retreat. After the fall of Rome, the quality of heavy infantry declined, and warfare was dominated by heavy cavalry , such as knights , forming small elite units for decisive shock combat , supported by peasant infantry militias and assorted light infantry from
3744-442: The eponymous Gaius Marius . When combat is expected, infantry typically switch to "packing light", meaning reducing their equipment to weapons, ammunition, and other basic essentials, and leaving other items deemed unnecessary with their transport or baggage train , at camp or rally point, in temporary hidden caches, or even (in emergencies) simply discarding the items. Additional specialised equipment may be required, depending on
3822-538: The eponymous slow march for the First Guards, presenting it to the regiment before he added it to the score of the opera. The Quick March is " The British Grenadiers ". Full dress uniform of the Grenadier Guards worn on ceremonial occasions as in the Household Division includes a tall and heavy fur cap, called bearskin with a white plume worn on the left side of the bearskin, properly called
3900-400: The existence of any organised military, likely started essentially as loose groups without any organisation or formation. But this changed sometime before recorded history ; the first ancient empires (2500–1500 BC) are shown to have some soldiers with standardised military equipment, and the training and discipline required for battlefield formations and manoeuvres: regular infantry . Though
3978-434: The expected duration of time operating away from their unit's base, plus any special mission-specific equipment. One of the most valuable pieces of gear is the entrenching tool —basically a folding spade —which can be employed not only to dig important defences, but also in a variety of other daily tasks, and even sometimes as a weapon. Infantry typically have shared equipment on top of this, like tents or heavy weapons, where
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#17328009385634056-889: The individual – weapons using personal strength and force, such as larger swinging swords, axes, and clubs. These take more room and individual freedom to swing and wield, necessitating a more loose organisation. While this may allow for a fierce running attack (an initial shock advantage) the tighter formation of the heavy spear and shield infantry gave them a local manpower advantage where several might be able to fight each opponent. Thus tight formations heightened advantages of heavy arms, and gave greater local numbers in melee. To also increase their staying power, multiple rows of heavy infantrymen were added. This also increased their shock combat effect; individual opponents saw themselves literally lined-up against several heavy infantryman each, with seemingly no chance of defeating all of them. Heavy infantry developed into huge solid block formations, up to
4134-577: The inter-war period, the Canal Brigade had been formed to defend the Suez Canal . After the outbreak of the Second World War , the brigade was redesignated as the 23rd Infantry Brigade on 20 September 1939. It was dispersed in the canal area, and became part of HQ Canal sub-Area troops. In May 1941, the brigade was re-formed to take part in the Syria-Lebanon Campaign , during June and July 1941, as part of 6th Infantry Division . In October 1941,
4212-422: The introduction of special troops (first of them the engineers going back to medieval times, but also different kinds of infantry adopted to specific terrain, bicycle, motorcycle, motorised and mechanised troops) culminating with the introduction of highly trained special forces during the first and second World War. Naval infantry, commonly known as marines , are primarily a category of infantry that form part of
4290-725: The lower classes. Towards the end of Middle Ages, this began to change, where more professional and better trained light infantry could be effective against knights, such as the English longbowmen in the Hundred Years' War . By the start of the Renaissance , the infantry began to return to a larger role, with Swiss pikemen and German Landsknechts filling the role of heavy infantry again, using dense formations of pikes to drive off any cavalry. Dense formations are vulnerable to ranged weapons. Technological developments allowed
4368-417: The main enemy lines, using weight of numbers to achieve a decisive victory , and were usually equipped with heavier weapons and armour to fit their role. Light infantry, such as Greek peltasts , Balearic slingers , and Roman velites , using open formations and greater manoeuvrability, took on most other combat roles: scouting , screening the army on the march, skirmishing to delay, disrupt, or weaken
4446-447: The main force of the army, these forces were usually kept small due to their cost of training and upkeep, and might be supplemented by local short-term mass-conscript forces using the older irregular infantry weapons and tactics; this remained a common practice almost up to modern times. Before the adoption of the chariot to create the first mobile fighting forces c. 2000 BC , all armies were pure infantry. Even after, with
4524-487: The mid 17th century began replacement of the pike with the infantry square replacing the pike square. To maximise their firepower, musketeer infantry were trained to fight in wide lines facing the enemy, creating line infantry . These fulfilled the central battlefield role of earlier heavy infantry, using ranged weapons instead of melee weapons. To support these lines, smaller infantry formations using dispersed skirmish lines were created, called light infantry, fulfilling
4602-595: The mission or to the particular terrain or environment, including satchel charges , demolition tools, mines , or barbed wire , carried by the infantry or attached specialists. Historically, infantry have suffered high casualty rates from disease , exposure, exhaustion and privation — often in excess of the casualties suffered from enemy attacks. Better infantry equipment to support their health, energy, and protect from environmental factors greatly reduces these rates of loss, and increase their level of effective action. Health, energy, and morale are greatly influenced by how
4680-462: The monarch is female, or Sovereign's Company in general) of the Grenadier Guards is the premier ceremonial unit of the regiment and one of the oldest bodies of troops in the Army. It traditionally provides the pallbearers for all deceased monarchs, most recently at the State funeral of Elizabeth II in 2022. They played a role in the Coronation of Charles III and Camilla , with a colour party being present in Westminster Abbey . All soldiers within
4758-636: The naval forces of states and perform roles on land and at sea, including amphibious operations , as well as other, naval roles. They also perform other tasks, including land warfare, separate from naval operations. Air force infantry and base defense forces are used primarily for ground-based defense of air bases and other air force facilities. They also have a number of other, specialist roles. These include, among others, Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) defence and training other airmen in basic ground defense tactics. Infentory Grenadier Guards The Grenadier Guards (GREN GDS)
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#17328009385634836-422: The order of battle before the end of the war. Initially, the regiment was employed on occupation duties in Germany; however, the 3rd Battalion was deployed shortly afterwards to Palestine , where it attempted to keep the peace until May 1948, when it was replaced by the 1st Battalion. Further deployments came to Malaya in 1948, Tripoli in 1951 and Cyprus in 1956. In 1960, shortly after returning from Cyprus,
4914-400: The others in close formation, each covering the ones next to him, presenting a solid wall of spears to the enemy that they cannot get around. Similarly, a shield has decent defence abilities, but is literally hit-or-miss; an attack from an unexpected angle can bypass it completely. Larger shields can cover more, but are also heavier and less manoeuvrable, making unexpected attacks even more of
4992-458: The raising of large numbers of light infantry units armed with ranged weapons, without the years of training expected for traditional high-skilled archers and slingers. This started slowly, first with crossbowmen , then hand cannoneers and arquebusiers , each with increasing effectiveness, marking the beginning of early modern warfare , when firearms rendered the use of heavy infantry obsolete. The introduction of musketeers using bayonets in
5070-410: The regiment gained the name "Grenadier" in July 1815 following a Royal Proclamation. During the Victorian era, the regiment took part in the Crimean War , participating in the fighting at the Alma river , Inkerman , and Sevastopol . For their involvement in the Crimean War, four members of the 3rd Battalion received the Victoria Cross . Later the regiment fought at Battle of Tel el-Kebir during
5148-421: The regiment has filled both a ceremonial and protective role as well as an operational one. In 1900, the regiment provided a cadre of personnel to form the Irish Guards ; while later, in 1915 it also provided the basis of the Welsh Guards upon their formation. The regiment's early history saw it take part in numerous conflicts including the War of the Spanish Succession , the War of the Austrian Succession ,
5226-407: The regiment returned to just three battalions, which were used in a variety of roles, serving at home in the United Kingdom, as well as in France, Turkey and Egypt. During the Second World War , the regiment was expanded to six service battalions, with the re-raising of the 4th Battalion, and the establishment of the 5th and 6th Battalions. The Grenadier Guards' first involvement in the war came in
5304-406: The regiment were used to raise a fourth Guards regiment, known as the Irish Guards in honour of the role that Irish regiments had played in the fighting in South Africa. At the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914, the regiment consisted of three battalions and the regiment's commanding officer was Colonel Henry Streatfeild . With the commencement of hostilities, the regiment raised
5382-1041: The same multiple roles as earlier light infantry. Their arms were no lighter than line infantry; they were distinguished by their skirmish formation and flexible tactics. The modern rifleman infantry became the primary force for taking and holding ground on battlefields as an element of combined arms . As firepower continued to increase, use of infantry lines diminished, until all infantry became light infantry in practice. Modern classifications of infantry have since expanded to reflect modern equipment and tactics, such as motorised infantry , mechanised or armoured infantry , mountain infantry , marine infantry , and airborne infantry . Beyond main arms and armour, an infantryman's "military kit" generally includes combat boots , battledress or combat uniform , camping gear , heavy weather gear, survival gear , secondary weapons and ammunition , weapon service and repair kits, health and hygiene items, mess kit , rations , filled water canteen , and all other consumables each infantryman needs for
5460-723: The soldier is fed, so militaries issue standardised field rations that provide palatable meals and enough calories to keep a soldier well-fed and combat-ready. Communications gear has become a necessity, as it allows effective command of infantry units over greater distances, and communication with artillery and other support units. Modern infantry can have GPS , encrypted individual communications equipment, surveillance and night vision equipment, advanced intelligence and other high-tech mission-unique aids. Armies have sought to improve and standardise infantry gear to reduce fatigue for extended carrying, increase freedom of movement, accessibility, and compatibility with other carried gear, such as
5538-464: The time of Napoleonic warfare , infantry, cavalry and artillery formed a basic triad of ground forces, though infantry usually remained the most numerous. With armoured warfare , armoured fighting vehicles have replaced the horses of cavalry, and airpower has added a new dimension to ground combat, but infantry remains pivotal to all modern combined arms operations. The first warriors, adopting hunting weapons or improvised melee weapons, before
5616-445: The time of the musket, the dominance of firepower shifted militaries away from any close combat, and use of armour decreased, until infantry typically went without wearing any armour. Helmets were added back during World War I as artillery began to dominate the battlefield, to protect against their fragmentation and other blast effects beyond a direct hit. Modern developments in bullet-proof composite materials like kevlar have started
5694-531: The tribal host assembled from farmers and hunters with only passing acquaintance with warfare and masses of lightly armed and ill-trained militia put up as a last ditch effort. Kushite king Taharqa enjoyed military success in the Near East as a result of his efforts to strengthen the army through daily training in long-distance running. In medieval times the foot soldiers varied from peasant levies to semi-permanent companies of mercenaries, foremost among them
5772-613: The weapon speciality; examples of infantry units that retained such names are the Royal Irish Fusiliers and the Grenadier Guards . Dragoons were created as mounted infantry , with horses for travel between battles; they were still considered infantry since they dismounted before combat. However, if light cavalry was lacking in an army, any available dragoons might be assigned their duties; this practice increased over time, and dragoons eventually received all
5850-452: The weapons and training as both infantry and cavalry, and could be classified as both. Conversely, starting about the mid-19th century, regular cavalry have been forced to spend more of their time dismounted in combat due to the ever-increasing effectiveness of enemy infantry firearms. Thus most cavalry transitioned to mounted infantry. As with grenadiers, the dragoon and cavalry designations can be retained long after their horses, such as in
5928-578: Was motorised. The 1st and 2nd (Armoured) Battalions were part of the 5th Guards Armoured Brigade , attached to the Guards Armoured Division , and the 4th Battalion was part of the 6th Guards Tank Brigade Group . They subsequently served in the North West Europe Campaign of 1944–45, taking part in several actions, including the Battle for Caen , particularly in Operation Goodwood , as well as Operation Market Garden ,
6006-510: Was not coined until 1837. In modern usage, foot soldiers of any era are now considered infantry and infantrymen. From the mid-18th century until 1881, the British Army named its infantry as numbered regiments "of Foot" to distinguish them from cavalry and dragoon regiments (see List of Regiments of Foot ). Infantry equipped with special weapons were often named after that weapon, such as grenadiers for their grenades , or fusiliers for their fusils . These names can persist long after
6084-399: Was not common), similar to modern sections (squads) , companies , and regiments . The training of the infantry has differed drastically over time and from place to place. The cost of maintaining an army in fighting order and the seasonal nature of warfare precluded large permanent armies. The antiquity saw everything from the well-trained and motivated citizen armies of Greece and Rome,
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