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regimental marches. After performing for the first time
on Changing of the Guard on St David’s Day 1915, the
Band then performed in the evening at a Welsh Patriotic
Meeting at the London Opera House in the presence of
Lord Harlech.
Training commenced at the White City London and a 2nd
Training Battalion was housed at the Tower of London.
On August 17th 1915 the Battalion, now fully equipped
and battle trained wearing their new uniforms and cap
badge of the emblem of Wales, the leek, marched from
the White City to Waterloo Station to embark for France
where three months later they were to write their names
into the annals of history and win, at Loos, the first of
their twenty-one Battle Honours.
Whilst the Welsh Guards First Battalion sailed for France,
the Second, Reserve Battalion were training at Marlow in
Buckinghamshire. It is maybe surprising to find that in
1914 at Pullingshill Woods near Marlow, a complete set
of trenches was dug. The 1,400m system of trenches were
dug two metres deep and two metres wide and were most
likely constructed by the Grenadier Guards and the local
people of Marlow. The Grenadier Guards, Welsh Guards,
Royal Engineers and Royal Army Medical Corps, who
were all based at the Bovingdon Green camp, are believed
to have used the trenches during a two year period.
In addition to the Regiments of Foot guards, the
Household Cavalry were also mobilised and sent to
France. They arrived complete with horses and all of
the equipment necessary to fight the war with cavalry.
This really was the war where old fighting methods were
pitched against new, mechanical methods of destruction –
with terrible results. At the First Battle of Ypres, the
‘Blues’ set the pace with an exploit known as ‘The Mad
Gallop’. The incident occurred on 26th October 1914,
when they were ordered to make a diversionary attack.
Whilst one dismounted squadron gave covering fire, the
remainder of the Regiment galloped right across the front
of the enemy lines. Fortunately, the Germans were too
astonished for accurate fire and amazingly there were
few casualties.
The cavalry have always had a reputation for doing things
‘their way’ – and during the second Battle of Ypres,
Captain Lord Leveson-Gower (son of Millicent, Duchess
of Sutherland of
The Hospital in the Oatfield
), who was
badly hit in the thigh, was found smoking a huge cigar
whilst sitting on a small, unwounded German soldier to
keep himself dry and out of the mud. He was carried
back, as he still delighted to tell everyone years later,
by two corporals named Coffin and Churchyard.
By August 1915, the bravery and style of the Guards
Regiments was becoming obvious – particularly to Lord
Kitchener, and against a certain amount of opposition,
he decided to form the Guards Brigade. This would
concentrate all the Guards into one elite fighting
formation. This arrangement remains in place today.
So the Guards now fought side by side. As a particular
mark of respect, at the end of the War the King decreed
that in future soldiers in the Guards would no longer be
known as Privates – but as Guardsmen. A tradition,
