Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!dali.cs.montana.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!sdd.hp.com!mips!apple!veritas!amdcad!amdcad!military From: errp04@castle.ed.ac.uk (I M Burke) Newsgroups: sci.military Subject: Re: Special troops and their purposes Message-ID: <1991May9.064123.12971@amd.com> Date: 8 May 91 07:45:28 GMT References: <1991May7.062227.12192@amd.com> Sender: military@amd.com Organization: Edinburgh University Lines: 25 Approved: military@amd.com From: I M Burke >From: a481@mindlink.bc.ca (J.D. Frazer) >2) The British Guards (the fellows who wear the huge furry hats and stand guard >at Buckingham Palace) are, I presume, an elite outfit. What is their basic >role, and have they ever seen any action? There are 5 Guards regiments; the Grenadier Guards, Coldstream Guards, Scots Guards, Irish Guards and Welsh Guards. The first three have 2 battalions each, the others currently only one each. Their role is essentially the same as any other infantry battalion, with the additional duty of guarding Buckingham Palace; (I think this is done on a rota basis). 2nd Battalion, Scots Guards, and 1st Battalion Welsh Guards were in the Falklands; prior to that Guards battalions were present in most of the British Army's major wars. >3) What is the difference between the SAS and the SBS? Where do the Royal >Marines fit in? The SAS are part of the army; SBS are part of the Royal Marines. Iain Burke University of Edinburgh