The Royal Guards Reserve Regiment was a reserve formation of the

Household Brigade The Household Division forms a part of the British Army's London District and is made up of five regiments of foot guards and two Household Cavalry regiments. The division is responsible for performing public duties and state ceremonies in Londo ...

in existence from 1900 to 1901.

History and strength

Due to the manpower needs of the

Second Boer War The Second Boer War (, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, Transvaal War, Anglo–Boer War, or South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer republics (the South African Republic and ...

, several

Royal Reserve Regiments The Royal Reserve Regiments were reserve infantry and cavalry regiments of the British Army in existence from 1900 to 1901. The Second Boer War broke out in South Africa in October 1899. By December, the British army had seen several defeats in ...

were formed from

veteran A veteran () is a person who has significant experience (and is usually adept and esteemed) and expertise in an job, occupation or Craft, field. A military veteran is a person who is no longer serving in the military, armed forces. A topic o ...

soldiers in the United Kingdom for Home Service. The time expired warrant officers, non commissioned officers and other ranks between the ages of 21 and 45 would enlist for service in the United Kingdom for a period of one year and receive a bounty of £22. Created in 1900, the one Battalion of the Regiment consisted of three officers; a Major (Herbert H. Wigram of the Scots Guards), a Captain (Sir Ralph Barrett MacNaghten Blois of the Scots Guards) and a Lieutenant (

Charles Barrington Balfour Captain Charles Barrington Balfour JP, DL, CB (20 February 1862 – 31 August 1921) was a British Army officer who became a Conservative Party politician. He sat in the House of Commons from 1900 to 1907. He was a first cousin of Arthur Balf ...

of the Scots Guards), a

Corps of Drums A corps of drums, sometimes known as a fife and drum corps or simply field music, is a traditional European military music formation. Historically, a Corps of Drums' primary role was communication. Today, the primary role of a Corps of Dru ...

, three companies of the

Grenadier Guards The Grenadier Guards (GREN GDS) is the most senior infantry regiment of the British Army, being at the top of the Infantry Order of Precedence. It can trace its lineage back to 1656 when Lord Wentworth's Regiment was raised in Bruges to protect ...

, three companies of the

Coldstream Guards The Coldstream Guards is the oldest continuously serving regular regiment in the British Army. As part of the Household Division, one of its principal roles is the protection of the Monarchy of the United Kingdom, monarchy; due to this, it often ...

, and two of the

Scots Guards The Scots Guards (SG) is one of the five Foot guards#United Kingdom, Foot Guards regiments of the British Army. Its origins are as the personal bodyguard of King Charles I of England and Scotland. Its lineage can be traced back to 1642 in the Ki ...

. The Regiment wore the uniforms and hat badges of their previous regiments, but wore a red shoulder strap featuring an embroidered Crown above the word "GUARDS" in an arc with the letters "RR" on the bottom edge. They were brigaded with the 3rd Battalions of the Coldstream and Scots Guards, and were posted at

Wellington Barracks Wellington Barracks is a military barracks in Westminster, central London, for the Foot Guards units on public duties in that area. The building is located about from Buckingham Palace, allowing the guard to be able to reach the palace very q ...

until being transferred to the

Tower of London The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic citadel and castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamle ...

in October 1900. In addition to performing

public duties Public duties are performed by military personnel, and usually have a ceremonial or historic significance rather than an overtly operational role. Armenia Since September 2018, the Honour Guard Battalion (Armenia), Honour Guard Battalion of the Mi ...

, the regiment formed a Guard for the

Trooping of the Colour Trooping the Colour is a ceremonial event performed every year on Horse Guards Parade in London, United Kingdom, by regiments of Household Division, to celebrate the official birthday of the British sovereign, though the event is not necessari ...

in 1900 where it was noted that the three officers had a total service of fifty four years.p.6 Verney, Peter ''The Micks: The Story of the Irish Guards''P. Davies, 1970 The Regiment was disbanded at the end of the Second Boer War along with the other Royal Reserve Regiments.

Notes

{{reflist Military units and formations established in 1900 Former guards regiments Infantry regiments of the British Army Guards Division (United Kingdom)