Scots Guards

The Scots Guards is a regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division, and have a long and proud history stretching back hundreds of years.

A Grand Alliance

In 1686, the regiment was placed on the establishment of the English Army and the word battalion was first used. In 1688, William of Orange landed in England, forcing King James II to flee England after the English Army changed sides and joined with William. The following year, William, along with his wife Mary, became joint-rulers of England and Scotland.

Related Topics:
1686 - 1688 - William of Orange - King James II - Mary

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In 1688, England, along with many Allies, was involved once more in a war on the continent, the War of the Grand Alliance, its adversary being its old enemy, France. The war also reached North America where both sides' colonists fought each other. The regiment saw action in the Low Countries the following year at the Battle of Walcourt, in which an Allied Army defeated the French, though defeats for the Allies would soon follow. In 1692, the regiment took part in the bloody Battle of Steenkirk. The courage and professionalism of the soldiers from the British Isles was truly proven in that bitter battle, though it ended in a defeat for the Allies, with both sides suffering heavy losses. The following year the regiment took part in another bloody engagement, the Battle of Landen. The Allies stoutly stood their ground against the attacking French, though they could not hold forever, and French cavalry broke through the Allied defences, forcing the Allied Army to withdraw. As at Steenkirk, the battle resulted in heavy casualties for both sides.

Related Topics:
1688 - War of the Grand Alliance - North America - Low Countries - Battle of Walcourt - 1692 - Battle of Steenkirk - British Isles - Battle of Landen

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In 1695, the Guards regiments displayed unswerving courage and ferocity during the Siege of Namur, which ended in September with the Allies capturing the city, in what is now Belgium, from the French. The Guards regiments suffered heavily during the siege though constantly showed their professionalism and courage. The regiment gained its first battle honour for the Siege of Namur but their second would not come for many years.

Related Topics:
1695 - Siege of Namur - Belgium

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