page_title: Royal Horse Guards
section_title: Granby and Seven Years' War
hierarchical_section_title: Royal Horse Guards / Origins and history / Granby and Seven Years' War
caption_attribution_description: English: General Jean Louis Ligonier, in the uniform of Colonel of the Royal Regiment of Horse Guards.
context_page_description: The Royal Regiment of Horse Guards was a cavalry regiment of the British Army, part of the Household Cavalry.
  Raised in August 1650 at Newcastle upon Tyne and County Durham by Sir Arthur Haselrigge on the orders of Oliver Cromwell as a Regiment of Horse, the regiment became the Earl of Oxford's Regiment in 1660 upon the Restoration of King Charles II. As, uniquely, the regiment's coat was blue in colour at the time, it was nicknamed "the Oxford Blues", from which was derived the nickname the "Blues." In 1750 the regiment became the Royal Horse Guards Blue and eventually, in 1877, the Royal Horse Guards.
  The regiment served in the French Revolutionary Wars and in the Peninsular War. Two squadrons fought, with distinction, in the Household Brigade at the Battle of Waterloo. In 1918, the regiment served as the 3rd Battalion, Guards Machine Gun Regiment. During the Second World War the regiment was part of the Household Cavalry Composite Regiment. The Royal Horse Guards was amalgamated with the Royal Dragoons to form the Blues and Royals in 1969.
context_section_description: During the Seven Years' War, the Blues fought alongside Prince Ferdinand.  The largest cavalry regiment, The Blues colonelcy was assumed by the Marquis of Granby.  This great soldier understood the importance of morale.  In the mould of Ligonier, a predecessor, he established a brave and efficient force.  His successor, Henry Seymour Conway was one of the greatest colonels the regiment ever had over a 25-year period.  Granby however, retained a passionate interest in the welfare of The Blues; his generosity and hospitality expressed later in a legion of public houses.  Granby was in charge of the second division at Battle of Minden Heath in August 1759. The Blues posted sentries called Vedettes, who were so close when the French attacked that the regiment was thrown back.  The Blues were eager to charge in after the infantry surge to Minden walls, but owing to Lord George Sackville's orders the reinforcements were delayed. Sackville was court-martialled and found guilty of disobeying orders.
  
  The allies had saved Hanover, and driven Marshall Contades back towards the Rhine.  By December 1759 The Blues were exhausted looking forward to a winter break at Osnabrück. Lieutenant-Colonel Johnston went to recruit in England; and found the Dragoon Guards who wanted to join for the superior conditions in The Blues.  Granby was depressed by his son's death and that of his wife too, and the loss of his stud, so he decided to set up a Widows' Fund, and to provide better regimental medical care.  His cousin, Russell Manners was raised to battalion command; and King George II's interest in The Blues was inherited by George III.  Granby commanded The Blues and The Royals on their march south from Paderborn.  At Warburg on 31 July 1760, The Blues lined up in the centre.  The British force of 8,000 stole a march on the French positions, and charging headlong into the enemy dispersed a force of 24,000.  The famous 'Charge' on trumpet and bugle sent Granby's men into history:
  "For we Rout'd all before us – Down precipices, over hollow ways we went like a torrent as the French general term'd it, which struck such a panick so that they [led] without firing a shot. The Marquis of Granby persued the enemy above 10 miles".
  In February 1761, The Gold Stick, Granby led The Blues and others in a brilliant campaign.  The French were hunkered down when surprised by the allies on the march, driving them back 50 miles over muddy roads.  The regiment was present in the summer at the Villinghausen when they took a force twice their size led by Marshall Soubise, with the flexible use of artillery fire; the cavalry unable to gallop in the terrain. 15th Light Dragoons and The Blues encountered a skirmishing force at Wilhelmsthal on 1 July 1761.  The cavalry realizing the enemy's presence took the initiative, demoralizing the French while the infantry finished.  ADC Henry Townshend wounded at Vellinghausen, was killed with a trooper and three horses. Henry Seymour Conway marched the regiment to a triumphal return to England in March 1763.  On demobilization, the troopers were reduced from 52 to 29 men per troop.
  If Granby's grief at his son's loss was saddening, the crippling reductions to The Blues, according to William Pitt the Elder doomed "the bravest men the world ever saw to be sent to starve in country villages and forget their prowess." The harvest failures of the 1760s were compounded by rioting.  The Blues were depressed to leave ex-comrades in Germany; they were used as militia for policing duties.  Granby died in January 1770, to be replaced by General Seymour Conway as colonel.
caption: General Earl Ligonier, in the uniform of Colonel of the Royal Regiment of Horse Guards, c.1754
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