Guards Machine Gun Regiment
Encyclopedia
The Guards Machine Gun Regiment was a regiment
of the British Army
. It was initially formed in 1915 when machine gun
companies
were formed in the Guards Division. In April 1917, the four companies were grouped together as a single battalion
of the Machine Gun Guards, before being re-designated by Royal Warrant
in May 1918 as the 6th, or Machine Gun, Regiment of Foot Guards. In June, the regiment was reorganised into battalions:
The first three battalions served with the 1st Army
of the British Expeditionary Force, while the 4th Battalion remained with the Guards Division. In 1918, after the end of the war, the three Household Cavalry
battalions resumed their old role as cavalry
, with the 4th Battalion being disbanded in February 1919.
The regimental establishment of HQ and four machine gun companies was retained until 1920, and the regiment took part in the Trooping the Colour
ceremony in Hyde Park, London
to mark the King's Official Birthday
in June 1919 alongside the other regiments of foot guards.
On 26 February 1920 an army order was issued announcing that the regiment was to be immediately disbanded and the 1918 royal warrant cancelled.
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. It was initially formed in 1915 when machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
companies
Company (military unit)
A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–225 soldiers and usually commanded by a Captain, Major or Commandant. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
were formed in the Guards Division. In April 1917, the four companies were grouped together as a single battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
of the Machine Gun Guards, before being re-designated by Royal Warrant
Royal Warrant
Royal warrants of appointment have been issued for centuries to those who supply goods or services to a royal court or certain royal personages. The warrant enables the supplier to advertise the fact that they supply to the royal family, so lending prestige to the supplier...
in May 1918 as the 6th, or Machine Gun, Regiment of Foot Guards. In June, the regiment was reorganised into battalions:
- 1st Battalion - Conversion of 1st Life Guards1st Regiment of Life GuardsThe 1st Regiment of Life Guards was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, part of the Household Cavalry. It was formed in 1788 by the union of the 1st Troop of Horse Guards and 1st Troop of Horse Grenadier Guards. In 1922, it was amalgamated with the 2nd Regiment of Life Guards to form the Life...
- 2nd Battalion - Conversion of 2nd Life Guards2nd Regiment of Life GuardsThe 2nd Regiment of Life Guards was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, part of the Household Cavalry. It was formed in 1788 by the union of the 2nd Troop of Horse Guards and 2nd Troop of Horse Grenadier Guards. In 1922, it was amalgamated with the 1st Life Guards to form the Life...
- 3rd Battalion - Conversion of Royal Horse GuardsRoyal Horse GuardsThe Royal Horse Guards was a cavalry regiment of the British Army, part of the Household Cavalry.Founded August 1650 in Newcastle Upon Tyne by Sir Arthur Haselrig on the orders of Oliver Cromwell as the Regiment of Cuirassiers, the regiment became the Earl of Oxford's Regiment during the reign of...
("The Blues") - 4th Battalion - Re-designation of the existing Guards Machine Gun battalion
- 5th (Reserve) Battalion - Re-designation of Guards Machine Gun Training Centre
The first three battalions served with the 1st Army
British First Army
The First Army was a field army of the British Army that existed during the First and Second World Wars. Despite being a British command, the First Army also included Indian and Portuguese forces during the First World War and American and French during the Second World War.-First World War:The...
of the British Expeditionary Force, while the 4th Battalion remained with the Guards Division. In 1918, after the end of the war, the three Household Cavalry
Household Cavalry
The term Household Cavalry is used across the Commonwealth to describe the cavalry of the Household Divisions, a country’s most elite or historically senior military groupings or those military groupings that provide functions associated directly with the Head of state.Canada's Governor General's...
battalions resumed their old role as cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
, with the 4th Battalion being disbanded in February 1919.
The regimental establishment of HQ and four machine gun companies was retained until 1920, and the regiment took part in the Trooping the Colour
Trooping the Colour
Trooping the Colour is a ceremony performed by regiments of the British and the Commonwealth armies. It has been a tradition of British infantry regiments since the 17th century, although the roots go back much earlier. On battlefields, a regiment's colours, or flags, were used as rallying points...
ceremony in Hyde Park, London
Hyde Park, London
Hyde Park is one of the largest parks in central London, United Kingdom, and one of the Royal Parks of London, famous for its Speakers' Corner.The park is divided in two by the Serpentine...
to mark the King's Official Birthday
Queen's Official Birthday
The Queen's Official Birthday is the selected day on which the birthday of the monarch of Commonwealth realms is officially celebrated in Commonwealth countries and in Fiji, which is now a republic. It is an invention of the early 20th century...
in June 1919 alongside the other regiments of foot guards.
On 26 February 1920 an army order was issued announcing that the regiment was to be immediately disbanded and the 1918 royal warrant cancelled.