Coldstream Guards facing the axe?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.express.co...ts/view/260752/260752

If we must lose some historic regiments, is it not right that out of the five foot guards, the Coldstream Guards should be the one to go?

Interesting to note however that The Irish, Scottish and Welsh guards are likely to be saved for “reasons of regional sensitivity” and the Coldstream regiment might go because it is less famous than the last of the five, the Grenadier Guards.

Surely the Grenadier Guards should also be saved for “reasons of regional sensitivity” because aren't they also essentially 'ENGLISH'?

Seems to me that when one is talking about 'regional sensitivities' England seems to take a 'back seat' once again.

[sandyRoe]

Hard to believe they'd scrap any of the Guards Regiments. If it has to happen it should be last in, first out. The Irish Guards should go.

[Sqad]

AOG...I agree a bit of history going.

But that is what history is all about....in this life one should never say "never"

[THECORBYLOON]

England will have the Grenadiers still so what's the problem?

[jno]

the five foot guards? Perhaps taller ones are needed in the modern world?

[anotheoldgit]

Steve.5

/// Perhaps its because they serve no purpose other than displays of pagentary to another outdated institution ///

There will be many that may take exception to your remark.

I suggest that you take a look into their military history, before condemning them as just 'Tin Soldiers'.

[tamborine]

those bearskins are daft - time it went.

[DTCwordfan]

Are they in hot water, the Coldstream Guards that is?

[DTCwordfan]

their boots would always be shiny, h-mouse........

[dotty.]

the top brass are blaming ''regional sensitivity', lunatics

[rov1100]

If our regular soldiers are to be partly replaced by the TA allegience to any regiment will decrease sharply. Tou can imagine the future of the Army being composed of civilians to to the administrative work, the TA linked to the infantry and a few soldiers to provide the expertise. I'm surprised there has been no talk of almalgamation for the three forces.

[andy-hughes]

I fully appreciate your passion for the history and tradition of the armed forces AOG - but sadly, such sentiment holds no place in modern ecconomics, or the changing face of the military requirements and capability of this country.

We may finally stop blindly following the right-wing lead of Presidents like Bush and accepot that they neither have the moral right, or the financial power to act as the world's police force, and we can spend that wasted money in areas where it will actually do some long-term good.

[J-DAM10]

Just for you're information SandyRoe, if you're theory of 'first out last in' was going to be the case, it would actually be the Welsh Guards that would go first.

[J-DAM10]

Steve.S, I am appauled at you're ignorence. Firstly, yes the Grenadier Guards were put together in Bruges, but they WERE English. They were formed by Lord Wentworth and it was the colaberation of this regiment and John Russell's regiment that formed the first regiment of foot guards. It wasn't until 1815 that this regiment defeated the grenadiers of the French Imperial Guard, from which they took their name, the Grenadier Guards. Secondly, you say that the Grenadier Guards and other Guards regiments are purely ceremonial soldiers. Let me tell you, I am a Grenadier and since 2004 I have completed a tour of Bosnia, a tour of Iraq, a tour of the Falklands and two tours of Afghanistan. Plus we are due back to Afghanistan in the not to distant future. So please, before you start slagging regiments off, find out their roles first!!!!!

[anotheoldgit]

andy-hughes

We have a police force which is being downsized but they are not capable of protecting our streets now.

Are you suggesting that we should downsize beyond recognition our armed forces also, and then just throw up our hands in defeat, if ever the occasion arose?

Incidentally at your stab at the 'Right-Wing' surely Tony Blair wasn't one of your dreaded 'Right Wingers' was he?

Regarding to your objections at Britain standing as the 'World's Police Force' have you the same objection to Britain standing as the 'World's Aid Force'?

[andy-hughes]

AOG - I am unsure that the police are incapable of protecting our streets.

I do not for a minute suggest that we downsize our military capability to beyond the point of basic defence, I made no such suggestion in my post. The point i did make was the the UK must balance its military capabuility within the constraints of its ecconomic ability to deliver a properly funded and trained militia. This will be much easier to achieve if its resources are concentrated on defence of the UK, and not aggreszssion on three foreign fronts simultaniously, with the attendent drain on finance and resources, to say nothing of the constant loss of life, something I know you find equally abhorent.

Actually - yes, in terms of militarty policy and lining up with the aggressive US foreign policy, I do believe that Bliar followed policies more to be expected of the right of the political landscape.

No, I have absolutewly no objection whatsoever to the UK being a part of the World Aid Force - there is a considerable difference between forcing a political system on another nation by force of arms, and feeding its starving civilian population - there is surely no connection, or at least none that I can perceive.

[anotheoldgit]

It was you who mentioned 'policing the world', there are times whether we agree or not, that Britain's armed forces as well as our police are called upon to police certain areas of the world.

We don't necessary have to force a political system on another nation by force of arms, and at times this can be as much benefit to a country and it's people as other aid is.

That after all is the connection that you obviously failed to perceive.