Life Guards (United Kingdom)

The Life Guards
Cap Badge of the Life Guards
Active	Since 21 May 1922 (roots dating back to 1660)
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Branch	British Army
Type	Horse Guards
Role	Formation Reconnaissance/Ceremonial
Size	Regiment
Part of	Household Cavalry
Garrison/HQ	RHQ – London Regiment – Windsor/London
Nickname(s)	Piccadilly Cowboys, Donkey Wallopers, Tins, Tinned Fruit, Piccadilly Butchers.
Motto(s)	Honi soit qui mal y pense (Evil be to him who evil thinks)
March	Quick: Millanollo Slow: Life Guards Slow March Trot past: Keel Row
Commanders
Colonel-in-Chief	Her Majesty The Queen
Colonel of the Regiment	Field Marshal The Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank
Insignia
Tactical Recognition Flash
Abbreviation	LG

The Life Guards (LG) is the senior regiment of the British Army and part of the Household Cavalry, along with the Blues and Royals.

The Life Guards grew from the four troops of Horse Guards (exclusively formed of gentlemen-troopers until the transformation of the last two remaining troops into Regiments of Life Guards in 1788) raised by Charles II around the time of his restoration, plus two troops of Horse Grenadier Guards (rank and file composed of commoners), which were raised some years later.

These units first saw action during the Third Anglo-Dutch War in 1672 and then at the Battle of Sedgemoor during the Monmouth Rebellion in 1685.

The 3rd and 4th troops were disbanded in 1746. In 1788, the remaining 1st and 2nd troops, along with the two troops of Horse Grenadier Guards, were reorganised into two regiments, the 1st and 2nd Regiments of Life Guards (from 1877, simply 1st Life Guards and 2nd Life Guards). From then on (1788), rank and file were mostly formed of commoners (pejorative nickname: "cheesemongers"), the bulk of the gentlemen-troopers were pensioned off.

In 1815 they were part of The Household Brigade at the Battle of Waterloo under Major-General Lord Edward Somerset.

In late 1918, after much service in the First World War, the two regiments gave up their horses and were re-roled as machine gun battalions, becoming the 1st and 2nd Battalions, Guards Machine Gun Regiment. They reverted to their previous names and roles after the end of the war. In 1922, the two regiments were merged into one regiment, the The Life Guards (1st and 2nd). In 1928, it was re-designated The Life Guards.