GRENADIER GUARDS BAND

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 58, 1 December 1934, Page 14

GRENADIER GUARDS BAND

Soon, for the first time in their lives, thousands of New Zealanders will set eyes upon the famous uniforip of the ■Grenadier Guards and will experience that thrill of emotion which military music, uniforms and marching men always provide, and will too feel a sense of pride in the regiment and itd deeds. For the Grenadier Guards go back a long waya. Right back to King Charles 11, for when that Merry Monarch was in exile the Guards first came into existence and served in the Spanish Army—not as the Grenadiers, certainly. Nevertheless, when the monarch was restored in 1660 the regiment came back from foreign lands and were given the title of “The King’s Royal Regiment of Guards.” It is probable that they were previously a royalist infantry who, after the Common-, wealth was established, preferred exile 1 to the admission of defeat; At all events they came back with flying colours, and since only one regiment of the new model army which Cromwell had raised wns retained —namely, the Coldstream Guards —then known as the Lord General’s (MOnk’s) Regiment of Foot Guards.. tp the .Grenadiers must go the distinction of being the oldest unit of the army.