Marching into history? The Coldstream Guards 'facing the axe' under defence cuts after 360 years
By Daily Mail
The Coldstream Guards in their famous bearskin hats are a big attraction for tourists:
The British Army's oldest regiment is facing the axe under major defence cuts, it was claimed today.
The Coldstream Guards - loved by tourists for their red tunics and bearskin hats - are the No1 target for the top brass.
Soldiers of the 360-year-old regiment are expected to be sacrificed as part of the Ministry of Defence's plans to reduce the Army from 101,000 to 80,000 troops.
The Irish, Scottish and Welsh guards have been saved for reasons of 'regional sensitivity' and the Grenardier Guards are more famous than their Coldstream counterparts.
The move is said to have been reluctantly agreed by the Queen, who is the regiment's colonel-in-chief, according to the Sunday Express.
A senior army source told the paper that the royal household 'wants to be seen to be doing its part' to share the defence cuts.
But the decision has been branded an act of 'unconscionable vandalism' by one brigadier and came under fire from a Tory MP.
Coldstream Guards, motto Second To None, have served in Iraq and Afghanistan, and returned from the frontline in April last year.
Millions of tourists watch them Trooping the Colour, marching on Remembrance Sunday and providing a guard for the Queen's Birthday Parade and the State Opening of Parliament.
Brigadier Allan Mallinson told the paper: 'It was by the epic march of the Coldstreamers from Tweed to Thames in the winter of 1660 that Charles II was restored to the the throne and the British Army was founded.
'It would be an act of unconscionable vandalism to disband the Second regiment of Footguards.'
MP Patrick Mercer said he was 'appalled' at the threat to the historic regiment whose former members include actor Edward Fox.
A MoD spokesman said: 'The impact of the additional manpower reductions identified in the recent work has yet to be scoped.
'Planning is underway and it would be wrong to speculate at this stage.'
GLORY HISTORY OF THE FIGHTING 'LILYWHITES'
The regiment has a proud history, boasting 13 Victoria Crosses, a George Cross and 117 battle honours in its 360-year history.
Coldstream Guards, nicknamed 'Lilywhites,' were formed in the English Civil War when Oliver Cromwell gave Colonel George Monck permission to have his own regiment.
It took part in the Battle of Dunbar, where the Roundheads defeated the royalist forces of Charles Stuart.
After Cromwell's death, Monck supported the monarchy and on January 1, 1660 crossed the River Tweed into England at the village of Coldstream and began a five-week march to London.
He arrived in London on February 2 and helped in the restoration of the monarchy. For his help, Monck was given the Order of the Garter and his regiment was assigned to keep order in London.
It fought with distinction particularly at the Battle of Waterloo. The regiment suffered terrible casualties in World War One, twice losing all its officers.
The guards were the first to enter Sarajevo in the Balkan conflict and has served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
