Evening star., 1928-12-30
A HERITAGE of War.

THE Symphonic Band of the Royal
l. Belgian Guards, which will arrive in
this country March II for an American
tour, arranged by special permission or
King Albert of Belgium, owes its exist
ence to war.
It's birth came with the campaigns In
1880 and 81 during the war for Belgian
freedom; its early years conceded with
the military fortunes of Belgium, and in
the World War it won for itself a
glorious place in history.
The father" of the Regiment des
Guides, which has in turn fathered the
symphonic band, was the famous free
company, the "Cossacks of the Meuse, "
formed in Brussels in 1880. The word
"Cossack" calls up picture of daShing
cavalrymen-bold fighters who mount
the fastest of horses and rush to any
scene of danger. Such were the Cos
sacks of the Meuse," made up of petty
officers and soldiers of the CuirasSierS
and the Dragons who had left the
Dutch army. They Immediately took
part in the fighting, especially in the
capture of Venlo and the blockade OF
Maestricht, famous battles in the his
tory Of Belgium.
They were later made a regular unit,
which won it's first citation for attack
ing brilliantly the Dutch infantry In the
battle of Kergypt In 1888 the company
was called the Regiment des Guides and
received it's first flag from the hands OF
King Leopold I.
From that time until the outbreak Of
the World War, the regiment was sta
toned in Brussels as escort and the
guard of honor for the King and foreign
Sovereigns passing through Belgium.
With the World War came another
exciting period in the history of the
regiment. 1t was cited for bravery In
the battle of Haelen, took part in the
violent fighting on the Gette, User, and
in the big Flanders offensive during the
last month of the war, the regiment
pursued the defeated and retreating
enemy, and was cited second time at
Burkel Today the flag of the regiment
bears. in golden letters, the names OF
"Haelen" and "Burkel."
When the armiStice came the regi-
ment spent year with the Army of
Occupation in Germany and again N
the occupation of the Ruhr district.
Later it returned to Brussels to serve as
the special regiment of honor for the
King.
During the early fighting days of the
Regiment DIES Guides, back in the
WILL t1Co, tAIC ACSAillCkl0 IAdO AIOO1AAi6 but
trumpets. Slowly this group grew into
the famous symphonic band of the
Royal Belgian Guards. Individual
members of the band saw service during
the World War, too, when the unit was
reorganized and went into campaign
with the Regiment des Guides. The
regiment also went on errands of mercy
giving concerts in hospitals-and it
journeyed to Paris to play at the
Tuileries together with the world re-
nowned Garde Republicaine, which is
attached as an escort of honor to the
President of the French republic.
The Belgian bands greatest moment
came on Armistice day in Paris at the
Trocadero, when it appeared before vast
throngs to celebrate Belgium delivered,
triumphant. Again on the day of VIC
tory the Guides Band, led by its famous
conductor Capt. Arthur Provost, took
part at Versailles in the guards tourna-
ment with musical organizations of the
allies-the French Garde Republicaine,
the band of the Royal Italian Navy, the
band of the Royal British Regiment
and the band of the Thirty-first Regi-
ment of Infantry of America.