Age is only a number in the Army

Whilst doing some research on the Roman Army, I noticed that a number of the Legions had quite a long existence, the ‘Legio V Macedonia’ – Fifth Macedonian Legion –perhaps being the longest having been raised in 42 BC by Octavian Caesar and is last recorded in 637 AD serving in Egypt on the eve of the Arab conquest of that part of the Eastern, later the Byzantine, Empire. A total of 679 years of regimental history.

Think of the mess silver and battle honours, meaning it survived the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD and continued to serve in the army of the Eastern Empire until its disappearance from their army list.

The Roman Army had a lot in common with the British Army in particular its insistence on record keeping (bureaucracy spans the ages!!) This started a train of thought .about units in the present day Army.

Bodyguard

‘The King’s Body Guard of the Yeoman of the Guard’, formed on the 23rd August 1485 by Henry VII after the battle of Bosworth Field, they are not to be confused with the ‘Yeomen Warders of His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress the Tower of London’ who whilst wearing the same full dress ceremonial uniform are a completely separate organisation, the one difference in their uniform which tells them apart is that the body guard wear a red cross-belt or baldric, worn from the left shoulder this is a relic from the time when the Guard, and not the Warders, carried the harquebus.

The Body Guard last saw action at the Battle of Dettingen in 1743 where they protected George II; this was also the last occasion when a British Monarch personally commanded on a battlefield

Gentlemen

‘His Majesty’s Body Guard of The Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms’ formed in 1509 by Henry VIII as a mounted escort to the monarch in battle and elsewhere, they last saw action in the English Civil War, later becoming a dismounted purely ceremonial unit, their present uniform is that of the 1840 Dragoon Guards officers pattern with their own corps badges and gold lace pattern.

In the British army the history of some of the regiments stretch back to the early 1600s. Two Regiments trace their origins to the reign of Henry VIII – the Honourable Artillery Company was formed in 1537 and The Royal Monmouthshire (Royal Engineers) Militia in 1539.

Due to the Royal Monmouthshire being classed as Militia they are regarded as the senior unit, both these units are active army reserve regiments, the Royal Monmouthshire are now the only British Army Unit with two Royals in their title, technically they have three Royals as one of their sub units, Jersey Field Squadron – Royal Militia of the Island of Jersey – also has a Royal in their title.

Royal Scots

British regular army wise, The Royal Scots – The Royal Regiment – formed by Sir John Hepburn for French service in 1633, after a number of twists and turns in its early history including charges of looting and mutiny, the regiment came on to the English establishment 1679, in 1751 it was granted the ranking of the 1st of Foot.

Pontius Pilate

Whilst in French service the regiment was brigaded with The French 1st Infantry Regiment, who claimed that they where descended from the Roman Legion that guarded Christ’s tomb, to which the Scots replied that they if they had been on duty at the tomb they would not have gone to sleep, plus they were also of ancient descent and on the night in question were guarding the governor of Judea, which is how they got their nickname of ‘Pontius Pilate’s Bodyguard’.

In the 2006 reforms the regiment amalgamated with the Kings Own Scottish Borderers – 25th Foot – to form the Royal Scots Borderers 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, they are now the 1st Battalion The Rangers.

Tangiers

One point of interest, in April 1680 a number of its companies joined the Tangier garrison and in 1908 was granted the battle honour ‘Tangier’ something which has not been granted to the descendants of the 2nd Tangier Regiment.

The 2nd Tangier Regiment formed in July 1680 of course became in the fullness of time the ‘Kings Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) and in 1959 the Kings Own Royal Border Regiment and so the present Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment can claim a history stretching back 344 years.

Mike Rosling