Household Cavalry in the Borders

[User]

 

[snorri]

maybe even slightly intimidating,

Slightly intimidating :?:

That's not what we pay soldiers to be.

 

[Archie_tect]

...or for them to dress up and invite themselves to weddings!

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

You've never been to London?

 

[Archie_tect]

One day I'm going to go there and make my fortune.... might even become Mayor if I can find a cat that's prepared to travel.

 

[XmisterIS]

Booooooaaaarder between England and Ireland!

 

[Globalti]

They were just out for a ride in the country and didn't want to remove the regalia.

That would be like Cav going on a 4 mile Skyride on his race bike with all the kit.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

One day I'm going to go there and make my fortune.... might even become Mayor if I can find a cat that's prepared to travel.

Either that or you can spend 3 days queing outside the main tourist 'attractions' like all the other mugs, and then pay through the nose for your efforts.

I spent the best part of 2 months on and off in London a few years back, and about the most 'touristy' things I did was visit the London Design Museum, the London Transport Museum when it was temporarily moved to Acton and the 'Lea Valley Experience' (AKA, The Pump House Museum) in Walthamstow.

 

[Keith Oates]

Some years ago I went to the Palace to see the Changing of the Guard. There were a lot of foreigners there climbing over things and generally being a noisey nuisance, then the Guards arrived on their horses and the crowd was completely overawed and it stopped all of their foolish behaviour.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Arch]

Now I have never been to London, and if I had I would most certainly not have watched any of this royalist stuff. But and a very big but, I was impressed, very impressed, they were in no way as chocolate box as I imagined, they commanded respect, maybe even slightly intimidating, they certainly had presence.

Great to see

When I was about 8, we went to London, and went to see the changing of the guard at Horseguards. In those days, things were more relaxed (we went on to pose outside 10 Downing Street), and the crowd just gathered around the square that opens onto Whitehall. As the ceremony was in full swing, a middleaged couple (American I think but I don't know if I heard them speak or what) wandered through from the direction of Horseguards Parade and into the middle of it all.

The officer in charge of the current guard broke ranks on his mount, walked it over to them, drew his sword and demanded they get out of the way, which they did, swiftly.

Forget the shiny costumes and the plumes - under them are real soldiers, on bloody great horses. Warfare may have adopted the tank, but a man on a big horse is still a force to be reckoned with.

It's like when that chap fired a blank at the Queen during Trooping the Colour - he was tackled by a Grenadier Guard in full regalia. Wearing a slightly poncy fur hat doesn't make a soldier any less able to land a decent punch!

 

[graham56]

When I was about 8, we went to London, and went to see the changing of the guard at Horseguards. In those days, things were more relaxed (we went on to pose outside 10 Downing Street), and the crowd just gathered around the square that opens onto Whitehall. As the ceremony was in full swing, a middleaged couple (American I think but I don't know if I heard them speak or what) wandered through from the direction of Horseguards Parade and into the middle of it all.

The officer in charge of the current guard broke ranks on his mount, walked it over to them, drew his sword and demanded they get out of the way, which they did, swiftly.

Forget the shiny costumes and the plumes - under them are real soldiers, on bloody great horses. Warfare may have adopted the tank, but a man on a big horse is still a force to be reckoned with.

It's like when that chap fired a blank at the Queen during Trooping the Colour - he was tackled by a Grenadier Guard in full regalia. Wearing a slightly poncy fur hat doesn't make a soldier any less able to land a decent punch!

Pedant mode on. >Erm, it was a Scots Guard

 

[Arch]

Pedant mode on. >Erm, it was a Scots Guard

Do you know, I just knew I'd get that wrong....

I do know how to tell the difference, although can never remember which is which, so that's not helpful..

 

[Tim Bennet.]

Oh really Arch. One did expect better.

Button spacing
Grenadier Guards: Singly
Coldstream Guards: Pairs
Scots Guards: Threes
Irish Guards: Fours
Welsh Guards: Fives

​

 

[Arch]

Oh really Arch. One did expect better.

Button spacing
Grenadier Guards: Singly
Coldstream Guards: Pairs
Scots Guards: Threes
Irish Guards: Fours
Welsh Guards: Fives

​

Look, I knew about the buttons, ok? I just didn't know the order. I bet that beats most of the population!

 

[Brains]

they approached the local registry office and asked who was getting married, they then approached the bride to be and asked if they could be guard of honor, she accepted;

Now I can see how that one really went.

Sarge: "Aye lads who fancies a bevvy ?"
Squaddie: "Nice idea Sage, but we're skint"
Sarge: "Tell you what, get tarted up in full dress uniform and nip down the local registry office and look for a likely lass, with a Dad with deep pockets"

Ten minuites of full ceremony, 30 minuites of hanging around for the photos, the full troop drinks and eats for free for the rest of the night, and cops off with the bridesmaids.

RESULT!

Military planning at it's best.