The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-09-22
HOUSEHOLD TROOPS ARE m
THE THICK. OF EUROPE's WAR
Imperial Guards OF Germany and Russia in the Field as
Trained, Seasoned Soldiers. ~

N'oN :.
Among the numerous news rumors
that drift across the Atlantic from the
seat of war, was a statement. the other
day. that the German Imperial Guard
had been annihilated by British and
French troops at Percy-sur-viSe, about
- miles from Paris. Added interest
was given the dispatch by the an
nouncement that the Crown Prince
was believed to be with the crushed
force. While neither Of these state
mentS has been verified they aroused
curiosity about guard troops gener-
ally. which. in popular estimation. are
believed TO be always on duty in the
vicinity of the sovereign.
Originally the guards. by whatever
name they were known, were in the
personal service of their sovereign.
they formed the nucleus for the stand
ing army in Great Britain, and in Ger
many they now form an entire corps.
Napoleon's Imperial Guards at the
close Of his career was an army. in
itself, comprised of all branches of
service. more than 120. 900 men. In a
few other instances the Guard troops
have remained small and scarcely
large enough for a cOmbatant force.
The Pope's Swiss Guards is an in
stance of this. This is a mere hand
full and of little more service than
guard duty.
No one knows the origin of what
might be called Household troops. In
deed. someone has declared the were
introduced by Saul 1000 years before
Christ, but it may be set down as a
fact that from the beginning of kings
Guards have been in existence. XerXeS
had his lmmortalS when he set out to
invade Greece, five centuries before
Christ. The AnglO-SaXOn kings had
their Huscarles. both of which were
chosen for their high station and for
their training. These were
combatant forces as well as personal
guards, and they figured largely in all
wars carried on by their countries.
England'S Ancient Guards.
Probably the most ancient house }
hold troops now in existence are those
of Great Britain. 1t might be argued
that the Imperial Russian Guards are
more or less a revival Of the famed
Streletzi of Ivan the Terrible; and
that the German Imperial Guards are
descendants of the Traban Guards,
the giants gathered by the father OF
Frederick the Great from every part
of his kingdom, many of them even
kidnapped, to keep up the supply OF
men of giant stature. And these agai
upon investigation would be found to
have been only the descendants OF
other guards until the genealogical
tree runs down to the days of thu
archerS.
Wherever guard regiments or corp!
are found it will be discovered, quite
naturally. that they are regarded a!
the flower Of the army. But in mod
ern warfare. it is doubtful if the flow
er is any more likely to distinguish
itself than the rank and file. TIL
days Of personal heroism of the dra
matte sort seem to have disappeare,
from the battlefield. In the face o
machine guns and quick firerS ever
hnuSQhOt6 fraOnS h va No A6V2nfApe
But they all look we'll on parade
They inspire in their own ~COuntrl
patriotism and respect for the arm
of which they are a part. The feo
men of the Guard is the oldest house
hold troop in England. having bee
formed in the days of Henry VII. ]
was not. however. a combatant fore
in the usual meaning of the term an
was not held for military duty unit
about fifty years ago. 1t is one {
the ornamental features of all coul
functions, together with the Lii
Guardsmen. but in recent years neitf
er have been used for foreign mliltaT
duty. being sustained solely for palac
duty and for guarding the city Of Lor
dor.
Edward Wis Horse Guards.
Edward vi organized the HOrs
Guards. which therefore date back
the middle of the 18th century, b,
the foot guards came into being
the time OF Charles ii, but while +
still was an exile. This famous reg
ment. the Grenadiers. was organize
about 1856. and the COldstreal
Guards. now the Second Regiment
Household Foot, was brought into e;
istence by the great general OF II
Restoration, Lord Monk, and is no
the second regiment OF the TO
guards.
1t was mainly through these tV
regiments that Charles regained n
throne. The G~renadYers was Orgal
lied in Spain and the Coidstrea
Guards in Scotland. and both marc
ed into London with Charles II. Sot
after. about 1886. the Scots Guaro
also formed in Scotland, marched IN
London and became a part or &
Household Brigade. 1t was not a
mitted a part of the British army, u
til after the union with Scotland.