Jump to content

Grenadiers' and Rifles Guard Regiment

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Grenadiers' and Rifles Guards Regiment
Garde Grenadiers en Jagers
The two cap badges of the Garderegiment Grenadiers en Jagers
Active1829–present
Country Netherlands
Branch Royal Netherlands Army
TypeFoot Guards
Role11 Battalion - Air assault
11 Staff Company - Headquarters
SizeOne battalion
One company
Part of11 Luchtmobiele (Airmobile) Brigade
Garrison/HQOranjekazerne, Schaarsbergen
Nickname(s)Kingscoy (Kings company)
Motto(s)Grenadiers: Grenadiers vooraan!
Rifles: Allez Chasse!
MarchGrenadiers March
EngagementsTen Days Campaign
Battle of the Netherlands
Ypenburg en Ockenburg 1940
Operatie Product
Operatie Kraai
Bosnian War
Cyprus (1998-1999)
Kosovo War
Republic of Macedonia (2001)
War in Afghanistan (2001–2003, 2006-present)
Iraq conflict (2003–present)
Commanders
Current
commander
Lieutenant colonel Ron Sensen

The Grenadiers and Rifles Guards Regiment (Dutch: Garderegiment Grenadiers en Jagers) is a regiment of the Royal Netherlands Army; along with the Garderegiment Fuseliers Prinses Irene it is one of the two Dutch Guard regiments.

History

[edit]

The two antecedent regiments were formed in 1829 following the withdrawal of the regiments of Swiss mercenaries from Dutch service. Willem I ordered that two regiments would be formed to replace the Swiss, to serve as his guards. Both served with distinction, especially during the Second World War in the defence of The Hague. The regiment was formed in 1995 by the amalgamation of two antecedent regiments, the Garderegiment Grenadiers (Grenadiers Guards Regiment) and the Garderegiment Jagers (Rifles Guards Regiment).

Organization

[edit]

The regiment's single battalion currently serves in the airmobile role as part of 11 Luchtmobiele (Airmobile) Brigade. It is organised with an HQ Company (Stafcompagnie), a heavy weapons company (Zwarewapenscompagnie) and three infantry companies (Infanteriecompagnie). The three infantry companies and the anti-tank company perpetuate the two antecedent regiments, with 'A' (Koningscompagnie) and 'D' (Wolvencompagnie) companies being classed as Grenadiers and 'B' (Stiercompagnie) and 'C' (Tijgercompagnie) Companies being classed as Jagers (Rifles).

The regiment has a museum in Arnhem.[1]

Bands

[edit]

Serving the Guards in musical support, the few numbers of military bands in service, are the Royal Military Band "Johan Willem Friso" and the Traditional Grenadier Bugle Band of the Grenadiers' and Rifles Guard Regiment (Grenadiers) and the Veterans Fanfare band and Bugles and Fanfare orchestra of the Grenadiers and Rifles (Rifles). These are the only bands in service in the Guards units of the RNA as the Band and Corps of Drums of the Garderegiment Fuseliers Prinses Irene remain disbanded. The present day fanfare brass band (known as the Regimentsfanfare) consists of 21 musicians and a permanent conductor. It has existed since 5 September 2005. A brass quintet has existed within the regiment since 2007.[2]

Battle honours

[edit]
  • Honours
    • Tiendaagse Veldtocht 1831
    • Ypenburg en Ockenburg 1940
    • West-Java 1946 - 1949
    • East Java 1947 - 1949
    • Sangin 2007
  • Metalen Kruis
[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Museum garderegiment grenadiers en jagers".
  2. ^ "Regimentsfanfare 'Garde Grenadiers en Jagers' - Militaire muziek - Defensie.nl". November 2017.
[edit]