WWI Guards Division Forum

All battalions of the Regiment have the right to march through the City of London with Colours flying, drums beating and bayonets fixed. Battalions invariably exercise this right when marching through the City boundaries, but are required to inform the Lord Mayor of their intention to do so. The right formerly possessed by the 3rd Battalion only, was extended to the remaining Battalions of the Regiment in October 1915.

Customs and traditions concerning dress:

The bearskin cap with white plume was, in the past, the distinctive headdress of the Grenadier and, as such, was worn by all the Grenadier Companies of the Army. On the First Guards becoming a Regiment of Grenadiers in 1815, they were granted the bearskin cap hitherto only worn by the Grenadier Companies of the Army. King William IV, in order to secure uniformity in the Brigade of Guards granted the bearskin to the Coldstream Guards and the Scots Guards who adopted it with a red plume and no plume respectively, in 1832.

At the funeral of Charles II the Arms of England and of France were incorporated on the mourning band. It is to commemorate this that the Fleur-de-Lys is worked in braid on the tunics of Drummers of the Regiment. The practice has been adopted for all Drummers of Regiments of the Guards Division.