Did the Irish Guards ever serve in Northern Ireland?
The Irish Guards were one of the few regiments in the British Army initially exempt from service in Northern Ireland during The Troubles. However, a Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) bomb blasted a bus carrying members of the regiment band to Chelsea Barracks in October 1981.
Did the Irish Guards serve in the Falklands?
The Irish Guards returned to the BAOR in February 1982, just missing the Falklands War which was instead participated in by the Scots Guards and Welsh Guards.
Do Garda in Ireland carry guns?
According to An Garda Síochána (the Irish police force, or Garda), the nation maintains a force of 15,355 sworn and trainee police officers. Gardaí are routinely unarmed, with only 20-25 per cent qualified to deploy a firearm. Approximately 3,000 officers are authorised in this way to carry small arms.
Why do guards wear bearskins?
Answer: The origins are that every gunner in the British military and the French military wore bearskin caps to make them taller and more intimidating because they were the ones that did the hand to hand fighting. In Napoleon’s imperial guard everybody wore them, and they were supposed to be his elite troops.
Who are the Irish Guards and when were they formed?
The tradition dates back to 1900, the year the Irish Guards were formed by order of Queen Victoria for bravery displayed by Irish units during the controversial Boer War. The war was fought from 1899 to 1902 and saw colossal Irish casualties.
Where can I find information and friends from Irish Guards?
Welcome to Forces Reunited the place where you can find information and friends from Irish Guards . We are the largest and fastest growing community of UK forces veterans on the web with over 500,000 members!
Why do the Irish Guards wear shamrocks on their berets?
Every year, the Irish regiments mark St Patrick’s Day by wearing shamrocks on their berets. The tradition dates back to 1900, the year the Irish Guards were formed by order of Queen Victoria for bravery displayed by Irish units during the controversial Boer War. The war was fought from 1899 to 1902 and saw colossal Irish casualties.
Where are the Irish Guards currently deployed?
Currently, the Irish regiment is deployed in the Middle East and Africa. In Iraq, the Irish Guards are working alongside Iraqi Security Forces in the ongoing fight against ISIS. The other half of the regiment is deployed in South Sudan as part of a UN peacekeeping mission to the youngest country in the world.