Coldstream Guards

Guards Depot
Caterham, Surrey. Shared with other Guards regiments.
Often known as “Little Sparta”.

The site of the depot as shown on an Odnance Survey map of 1914 (National Library of Scotland). The barracks no longer exists, although the chapel is still there and there are fragments of walls.

1st Battalion
August 1914 : in Aldershot. Part of 1st (Guards) Brigade, 1st Division and landed in France with that Division.
25 August 1915 : transferred to 2nd Guards Brigade, Guards Division.

2nd Battalion
August 1914 : in Windsor. Part of 4th (Guards) Brigade, 2nd Division.
13 August 1914; landed at Le Havre.
20 August 1915 : transferred to 1st Guards Brigade, Guards Division.

3rd Battalion
August 1914 : in Chelsea Barracks. Part of 4th (Guards) Brigade, 2nd Division.
13 August 1914; landed at Le Havre.
20 August 1915 : transferred to 1st Guards Brigade, Guards Division.
8 February 1918 : transferred to 4th Guards Brigade, 31st Division.
20 May 1918 : transferred to GHQ Reserve.

4th Battalion (Pioneers)
Formed at Victoria Barracks in Windsor on 17 July 1915, initially as Guards Pioneer Battalion, but soon redesignated.
Moved to France 15 August 1915 and then joined Guards Division.

A group of guards, including Coldstream Guards and Irish Guards, crouching outside a captured German dugout, examining a muddy German rifle, near Langemarck (Langemark-Poelkpelle), 12 October 1917. Imperial War Museum image Q3011
A group of guards, including Coldstream Guards and Irish Guards, crouching outside a captured German dugout, examining a muddy German rifle, near Langemarck (Langemark-Poelkpelle), 12 October 1917. Imperial War Museum image Q3011

5th (Reserve) Battalion
Formed at Victoria Barracks in Windsor during August 1914 as 4th (Reserve) Battalion.
14 July 1915 : redesignated as 5th (Reserve) Battalion.

1st Provisional Battalion
Formed at Aldershot on 7 August 1918 for duty at the Senior Officers School.

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Links

Other infantry regiments

1st Division

2nd Division

31st Division

Guards Division

The Guards Museum