Those Must Be The Guards
Paul de Zulueta and Simon Doughty (Bloomsbury, £30)
YOU are not in the Army now, you are in the Brigade of Guards!’ For those who have never seen the 1950 film They Were Not Divided, the words may be misleading. They are barked at a squad of recruits by a drill instructor of the Welsh Guards. They are not meant to suggest that the Guards are not part of the Army, rather that some-thing in addition is demanded of guardsmen. In essence, the difference is ‘ceremonial’ in the personal service of the monarch, as well as actual fighting.
This relationship is the theme explored by the authors, both former officers of the Household Division, as the Brigade of (Foot) Guards with the Household Cavalry (HCav) are now known. There was reportedly some debate whether the book’s cover should portray guardsmen in action or on parade, for the Guards