Kirby is proper American gentleman , an very interested in Great Britain and America’s British ancestry/history to his own country . Nothing but respect here,I love his content.
I served in the Danish Royal Life Guards, where we also wear the bearskin cap. An unknown function the bearskin cap facilitates, besides the sabre cheek guard, and taller silhouette was to scare away horses(the cavalry). The horses would act out of instinct and stop before charging into a wall of bearskin since fluffy fur instinctively tells the horse's brain there's a predator and it's in danger of being attacked. - A very primitive but effective piece of equipment for the day on how to deal with the biggest threat on the battlefield, the cavalry.
Good video. One mistake. the Grenadier Guards are not the eldest foot guard regiment. Both the Coldstream and Scots are 6 years older. The Grenadiers are however the longest serving Royal Regiment of foot in the Household Division and this is why they take seniority as the first regiment of foot guards. I am ex Welsh Guards and immensely proud of being so.
Agreed, I was told that the Colstream Guards were the first regiment of the New Model Army but the Grenadier Guards were the first regiment of foot. My dad and grandad were both in the Northumberland Fusiliers which was the 5th regiment of foot.
@@Anonymoususer44569 Marquis of Argyll's Royal Regiment, were formed 1642. Then part of the kingdom of Scotland Disbanded 1651 1660 a commission was received to raise a regiment then called The Scottish Regiment of Footguards and joined the English army in 1662
Tom is correct about the origin of the red uniform. In fact it goes further than that: Oliver Cromwell realised that Parliament would not defeat the King’s armies unless he made a trained, professional army out of his own forces. As part of that, there was a push to provide uniforms for the parliamentarian forces and the cheapest, as well as the most convenient large batch of material was dyed red, held by merchants in City of London warehouses (the merchants were amongst those who most resented paying the King’s taxes, so naturally gravitated towards supporting parliament).
All my familys threads of history are united by their loyal support of Charles I. One was a Personal chaplain by the name of Mainwaring, another Lord Robert Brooke was a commercial ambassador to the Spanish Court he, his wife, children, servants, horses, and pack of hounds sailed from Spain after thenneheading of Charles I directly to the Maryand Colony,,another ancestor was captured at the Battle of Dunbar the younger brother of a Scots laird in support of Charles I he was deported by ship to the Maryland colony. The British Civil War was a defining moment in British history as was the later Restoration and it played a HUGE role in the settlement of what is now America. My familiy's British ties continue to run deep. My American mother married, after my fathers death, a British Grenadier Guard who had served in WWII in the Far East. They met in Hong Kong while it was still a colony and married at the British Embassy there....my mother had had a USState Dept career. When they retired they moved to Surrey and lived for 20 yrs there.
The other point that wasn't mentioned in the video is that the Coldstream Guards are actually OLDER as a regiment than the Grenadier Guards. However the crucial difference is that there was a infinitesimal break in their service history. Why? They were a regiment in the New Model Army: Monck's Regiment of Foot and the break in service history was when they stopped being in the New Model Army and an instant later started being in the English Army in service to the crown. Hence the Coldstream motto of Nulli Secundus and a big aspect of their rivalry with the Grenadier Guards.
Very informative content. I'm a 70 yr old Brit and learned a lot from this. I was fascinated by the umbrella! Shades of John Steed from the Avengers. You need to be old to get the reference. But seriously, I truly enjoyed this.
My HS marching band uniforms were based on these unis. They looked STUNNING on the green grass under the lights. And we were very popular for the Holiday parades. Funny, we never did an Independence Day parade...
Enjoyed this very much. Thanks to Kirby and to Tom for such an interesting explanation and description. Being in Australia, I will be watching the event on television tomorrow night (Australia time).
The oldest regiment in the British army is the Honourable Artillery Company, founded in 1537 and based at Moorgate in the City of London. It is the senior regiment in the territorial army reserve and is second oldest fighting unit in the world (the Vatican Swiss Guard is slightly older). HM the Queen is the Captain General of the unit. The HAC has a dual role as a reconnaissance unit in wartime and for ceremonials such as gun salutes at the Tower of London. It also provides the honour guard for the Lord Mayor of London; the members of that section wear authentic English civil war uniforms.
@@paulmclaughlan3204 sadly they no longer exist, amalgamated into the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The Royal Scots were founded in 1633 for service to the Scottish monarch (remember that, although they had the same king, England and Scotland were still independent of each other in 1633. The Royal Scots were raised to serve France (part of the Auld Alliance). The regiment transferred back to Scottish (later British service) in 1679).
This is a wonderful video! I loved learning about the different regiments and their uniforms.Watching the Trooping The Color this year will be more interesting and meaningful with the information Tom has given us! Thank you to you both. Love from Vermont
Great production! I have received my platinum jubilee medal and whilst not one of the most prestigious to the collection, a very special one all the same.
I was at the Trooping the Colour last weekend for Major General C. Gikah’s rehearsal. I served in the Irish Guards and thoroughly enjoyed myself! I also took part in the troop in 2004.
No you weren't. You were at one of the reviews used as rehearsals. That is NOT Trooping the Colour in the sense meant in ordinary use. The ordinary use of the term means the Queen's Birthday Parade and only that. Trooping of a colour is a specific drill item. Trooping the Colour is a specific thing which you did not attend.
I will be at the trooping tomorrow for the first time - very excited is an understatement. I believe the irish guards have the honour so must of been a proud moment for you to see them at the rehearsal.
@@davidpnewton your so wrong. The trooping of the colour was done before going into battle. So that the soldier knew where to rally in the heat of the fight. Even at the two rehearsals the colour is still trooped. The queen doesn’t have to be present.
@@herbie70philip you didn't read what I wrote properly did you? Trooping a colour is the drill move. It was done at the rehearsals indeed. Trooping the Colour in the ordinary sense of the phrase means the Queen's Birthday Parade and ONLY that event.
Hi Kirby, as a P.O for the Irish Guards I'm very grateful for such an informative video. I've also started reading the Rake after first watching your videos. So cool to have you talk about a subject so close to my heart.
@zuppymac Hi there, its rather controversial for member of the public in the ROI to join a British Regiment, due to the Irish laws surrounding fighting for another country, many people from the republic do enlist into the Battalion.
I was in the Grenadier Guards for 8 years. Whilst in Berlin ,we were on exersize with the American Troops. and one of them was taking the mickey out of our Cap Badge.. the Grenade fired Proper.. he said it looked like a chamber pot on fire... It was pointed out to him the the Cap Badge was infact older than his Country...ha ha..
It appears this American is ignorant about his own military. The US Army Ordnance staff have been wearing a similar device since the early 1800’s. But then again many Americans don’t realize that a large number of American Loyalists fought for the King during the Rebellion.
I DO know about American supporters of the Crown. My sister in law in NC doesn't let us forget about HER families' longstanding ties to the Crown. Bless her heart.
@@sandovalperry2895 they don't teach that I'm school house history in the States. There is the story imbedded in the culture about the British coming down and burning the capitol in Washington but that's because they went up to Lower Canada and burned that capitol first!
The British do have the finest traditions and most elegant military (and other) ceremonies in the world. All the Kingdoms in Western-Europe have their traditions and splendid royal moments, but the British surpass us all. The British classy behaviour, the beautifully spoken English, as seen in this video, the pure style, the remarkable sense of humour, are also beyond comparison. Maybe difficult to grasp or reach for an American, but recognisable for (Northern-) Europeans (not all of them, us, though.....)
You missed out the bit about us having the biggest empire the world had ever seen, the best fish and chips, the most Inbred Royal family in Europe, who are actually more German than English and let's not forget we gave the world the best music: the Wurzuls, Cliff Richard and Terry Woman's " floral dance".
Not this American! I absolutely love all of the traditions of the UK, spent five years living in London, AND love the Queen! Many of us in the US love and respect her Majesty very much.
Yes German like most the English .... We are just a 1500 year old Germanic tribe ...... Although a lot of Scandinavian and Celtic DNA , the Germanic tribes is in our blood
Thank you for the clear explanation of their duties as guardsmen , (twice the men) green job and red job. Everyday soldiers duties and ceremonial duties. From the Fiji islands , God bless Her Majesty the Queen and the United Kingdom.
Just like Britain, Malaysia also conducts Trooping the Colour annually. It is a no-brainer as Malaysia used to be under British rule in addition to being one of the few monarchies during this modern era which makes it relevant to conduct British-style ceremonies. The ceremony is similar from one to another but several differences can be seen such as five royal colours are trooped instead of just a regiment colour by one chosen regiments in addition to the absence of horse guards. It is practically the same in terms of formation execution and the purpose of the ceremony. One thing I would like to point out regarding marching in both slow and quick times is that slow march represents the carefulness of soldiers tactically entering the battlefield whereas quick march explains the close combat engaged by soldiers to attack and weaken or defeat the enemies in order to achieve victory. I gained this information from the Malaysian Trooping the Colour commentary which was broadcasted in 2010. Anyone mind to share your thoughts on this? It will be much appreciated.
Fantastic enjoyed everything. Love the uniforms & you are both smartly dressed. I've never seen anyone draw with an umbrella, put a smile on my face, thank you gentleman. I have now subscribed & looking forward to more. ❤
Thank you! This is a once in a lifetime parade for all of us, as our future monarchs will not achieve this in our life time (if at all.) God bless the Queen
Kirby, will you be in London during the jubilee celebrations? I didn’t get chance to say hello at the international shoe competition but will be in London for the rest of the week! You should also check out the Henley Royal Regatta for some quintessential English fun!
The red uniform was the uniform of the parliamentary New Model Army in the 1640s. The russet dye was the cheapest available so it was used to dye the coats of the soldiers of the parliamentary army. The Coldstream Guards regiment was raised at the village of Coldstream by General Monk and fought for parliament against the King.
This is one of the best videos ever regarding the meaning of Trooping the Colour. O just can't wait for tomorrow, but now I know more about uniforms, regiments, etc. and it makes it more exciting and more admirable. For me , the British regiments are the best. Maybe I don't know that much, but I have always feel a deep respect and admiration to these armed forces. Both gentlemen are amazing and well informed and respectful. Thank you very much for this enlightening video and the informative comments form other viewers. Much respect to Her Majesty the Queen and the British regiments.👑🙂
Don't forget the Lord Mayor's Show, the largest unrehearsed parade throughout the world. All three Armed Services, Regular and Reserve are present along with floats, displays and bands from numerous other organisations.
Trooping the colour, isn't it exciting? Horse guards by the hundreds line the palace grounds. Riding off with spirit, wild exhilaration, what a joyful pageantry of London sights and sounds!
Horse guards don't "line the palace grounds". Infantry line the Mall, which is a public street. The mounted Life Guards and Horse Guards ride behind the regimental colonels on the way to the parade ground and ride past them at the end of the Trooping. Wild exhilaration is frowned upon in the military in favour of discipline . 😉
As I watched the Trooping today, I was awe struck by the size of the mounted Calvary. So incredible. Such a fascinating glimpse into a bygone era where the British army was unmatched in the world. Even today, it is without comparison.
Another big ceremonial occasion they did not mention is Beating Retreat. Like trooping of a colour that's also an ancient military drill which has become a ceremonial occasion. Probably the two biggest events are when the Royal Marines and the Household Division do it. Normally the Royal Marines do Beating Retreat the weekend before Trooping the Colour every other year and the Household Division does it slightly later in the year.
@@kirbyallison No need to thank me, just keep making solid content, and I will keep watching! Ever thought about exploring some fine dining establishments in London?
5:29 slight inaccuracy here. The red was chosen due to being the cheapest available dye at the time. During the creation of the New Model Army under Oliver Cromwell, in the midst of the English Civil War in the early to mid 1640s, the Parliamentarian commanded decided to call for a standardised professional, trained army with the same uniforms regardless of the regiment. With concerns over expenses being the main priority, red was the cheapest colour and was thusly selected. It has remained the same up to this very day.
Thought I might have a picture somewhere, but Henry VIII’s wine cellar in the MOD main building is pretty impressive. And, FWIW, the Horse Guard’s Parade was the site of Beach Volleyball during the 2012 London Olympics.
Although the RCMP is a civilian police force, in 1921, following the service of many of its members during the First World War, King George V awarded the force the status of a regiment of dragoons, entitling it to display the battle honours it had been awarded.
Enjoyed that very much thank you 🙏 In the 1960s I worked in Curzon street , lunch times I would walk down through green park to Buckingham palace to watch the guards band come out from the parade centre , circle Victorias monument passing the palace and make their way up the Mall , they would be dressed in greys on band practice , playing versions of the latest hit parade songs, beetles tunes , you name it , they played it , they were brilliant and still are today .
It's true that the Grenadier Guards is the most Senior Regiment of the Household Division, founded in 1656. But the Coldstream Guards is the most Senior Regiment of the British Army, founded in 1650
Incorrect. The oldest regiment in the British army is the Honourable Artillery Company, whose HQ is at Armoury House, Moorgate in the oldest part of the City of London. Founded in 1537, by Henry VIII, it is now the senior territorial army reserve regiment. It too has a dual role as a special forces combat regiment and in carrying out ceremonial for the City area. HM the Queen is Captain General.
Interestingly, leading up to the restoration of the monarchy with Charles II the Coldstream guards played a key role in demanding the return of the king.
@@suppanutjaroanphan3527 There is only one older fighting unit in the world and that is the Swiss guard in the Vatican, founded 31 years earlier in 1506.
I do appreciate the extra diagrams which illustrate clearly what the guys are talking about. It would be more helpful to have more pictures of what they were looking at in the display more than just "looking at the two of them". Thank you.
The reason the tunic is red Is its the hardest colour to count so in battle our frontage could not be counted as it all just blended into 1 sold red line
The colour of all the regiments shows their battle honours in gold on them hence the guard more so in battles ( if you watch Sharpe that is why he tries to get the french eagle, that is their colour ) think also certain drums have also the battle honours on them .
@@kirbyallison thank you Mr Allison, have a good day, I love your channel, your bespoke shoes are the best, I will buy all the products from your hanger project, I am glad you taught me how to take care of shoes and suits,
Kirby are you in London on the 16/17 June in Savile Row they are holding a 2 day super car display, over 30 cars from the E Type Jag to Ferrari's are going to be shown over the whole length of the Row might be worth a visit. Lots of Taylor displays as well.
hey kirby, a slight bit of misinformation the scots guards are the oldest regiment out of the foot guard regiments being formed in 1642 then the coldstream guards in 1650 and the grenadier guards in 1656. the other 2 were formed much later on.
the Coldstream guards were made directly into the British armed forces but the scots guards were made before Scotland and England were united so in 1707 is when the scots guards join the British armed forces. the Scots guards are the older regiment but the Coldstream guards are the older regiment in the BRITISH army thus the British army calls them them the older and rightfully so. hope that clears things up
While the Scots Guards may be a bit older, as @Paul McGee put it, they weren't originally "British Troops", but were sworn to the Scottish Throne at the time, not the English Throne. As for the Coldstream Guards and Grenadier Guards, while the Coldstreamers are older, literally, the Grenadier Guards have been sworn to the Throne for longer. As a result, the Grenadier Guards are the Senior Regiment, with the Coldstreamers on the far right of formations, second in the British Army order of precedence, but as their motto goes: "second to none". As for the "shooting incident" during the 1980s, one or more of the Foot Guards who were lining the route to Horse Guards "flashed back" to their protecting the Sovereign role, in that they were some of the first to go "hands on" with the shooter, subduing him/taking him down.
@@lwinkydink4774 So you’re saying the Scot’s had their own dedicated army/military before the formal union. ? When would’ve the clans formed themselves into a dedicated army. ?
I like it when he spoke about the Aiguillette and mentioned that the army would charge up and ram it into the barrel of the enemies gun and break it off so that the gun would be 'switched off.' Then the interviewer helped him out by using the correct term, 'Disable.' I was working on the construction project at the MOD when Henry VIII's wine celler was discovered. We would go down there to check it out.
Incorrect they serve with the fighting arm logistics, ambulance drivers, medic if you have a gander many bandservice members have got their gongs pinned on their uniforms.
5:08 Indeed, easiest dye but more importantly in Napoleonic time, Generals commanded their troops overseeing the battlefield from a distance, so bright colors made it easier to make out and to distinguish numbers in order to anticipate further actions. 34:56 what about Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo !
Napoleon’s French Army uniforms were a dark blue, so the red would have stood out. In all the smoke and chaos of battle it would be good to know where you allies were. The Edinburgh Tattoo is held yearly at Edinburgh Castle. I took American friends and we all enjoyed it. Groups from overseas as well as dancers and light-shows but still lots of tradition..
Underneath all the pageantry these are all professional soldiers, many of whom will have served on active deployments. Any soldier visibly 'guarding the Queen' will be armed, and wouldn't hesitate to use their weapons if the need arose. The British police also have a strong role in protecting Her Majesty both at her residences and out on her engagements, and they (unusually for British police) will also be armed. These police officers are themselves often ex-military. The other level of security for HM will be the security services, who will also be monitoring any perceived threat to her. All 3 of these organisations liaise closely with each other.
Great Video Kirby. One question is your friend Tom somehow related to the late Neville Chamberlain, PM of Great Britain or is the last name just the same? I wish you a lovely day.
@@kirbyallison Thank you so much Kirby for putting my inquisitiveness at bay. Really appreciate the effort, hardwork and dedication you are putting in to keeping mens style in it's true sense alive. All the Best to you.
It's Armed forces banter.. and its a fact that's all, this is a marvellous spectacle, I admire all of it, on Sunday when there is a parade through London at the front will be the Royal Navy followed by the Army.... with RAF the junior service quite rightly bringing up the rear.. no doubt somewhere in the UK ex guardsman will be chuntering about the drill of the RN as they bimble casually along. Enjoy the pomp the ceremony and most of all the Band of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, the world's greatest military band. 😃. A Gentleman's Day Out all the was missing was his bowler to go with umbrella, Guards officers or Rupert's somewhat different from those in the RN and I suspect other regiments in the British Army..
for Kirby it is more dress up and ceremonial pomp, countries other than US which are very old and steeped in history see it as tradition. some have very practical historic explanations too, and a lot of the people are also indifferent (for good or worse). As an Indian, i can see the difference in both gents here.
Incorrect to refer to the deployment of the Coldstream Guards in New York as a 'foreign war'. They were deployed in the colonies and territories which at that time were still under the Crown.