• Don’t mind us, we’re just updating our pinned content.
Welsh Guards are recruiting.
We are looking for anyone who is motivated, loyal, trustworthy, works well in a team and above all else dedicated.
If this is you DM us today and start your journey.
Cymru Am Byth
#welshguards #join #lifestory #cymru
• Don’t mind us, we’re just updating our pinned content.
Welsh Guards are recruiting.
We are looking for anyone who is motivated, loyal, trustworthy, works well in a team and above all else dedicated.
If this is you DM us today and start your journey.
Cymru Am Byth
#welshguards #join #lifestory #cymru
• Don’t mind us, we’re just updating our pinned content.
Welsh Guards are recruiting.
We are looking for anyone who is motivated, loyal, trustworthy, works well in a team and above all else dedicated.
If this is you DM us today and start your journey.
Cymru Am Byth
#welshguards #join #lifestory #cymru
This week, the Welsh Guards Warrant Officer’s and Sergeant’s Mess gathered to say farewell to our current Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Breach, as he prepares to hand over command this July after more than two and a half years at the helm of the Battalion.
During his time in command, the Battalion has experienced a hugely successful and demanding period. From major overseas exercises in Kenya and Oman, through to CAST training in Germany, the final Buckingham Palace Guard before the move to 4 Brigade, and the extensive preparation for the Battalion’s upcoming move to Cyprus this summer, his leadership has helped shape every step of the journey.
Lieutenant Colonel Breach has led the Battalion through a major period of transition, moving from a primarily ceremonial role in London back towards a fully focused war fighting Infantry Battalion. That transition has demanded relentless training, operational focus and validation exercises overseas, including the Battalion’s demanding deployment to Kenya where soldiers were tested in realistic and challenging conditions to ensure the Welsh Guards remained ready to deploy wherever needed.
Throughout it all, his professionalism, calm leadership and unwavering commitment to the Welsh Guards have left a lasting mark across the Battalion. His impact has been immense and he will be sorely missed by Officers, Warrant Officers, NCO's and Guardsmen alike.
On behalf of the Welsh Guards, we thank him for everything he has done for the Battalion and wish him and his family every success for the future as he moves onto his next chapter.
Cymru Am Byth
#WelshGuards #BritishArmy #Leadership #CommandingOfficer #CymruAmByth
Today, at the Guards Chapel in London, we said goodbye to a Welsh Guards legend.
Major Angus Wall MBE was a man whose leadership, courage and character left a lasting mark on the Welsh Guards and on all those who served alongside him.
Joining the Regiment in 1964, Major Wall served during some of the most demanding periods in recent military history, including the Aden Emergency and later Northern Ireland during the Troubles. It was during the Battalion’s tour to Crossmaglen, South Armagh, in 1979 that his leadership of The Prince of Wales’s Company became legendary amongst Welsh Guardsmen.
At a time when the British Army faced constant attacks and heavy losses in what became known as “Bandit Country”, Major Wall led from the front with calmness, determination and absolute professionalism. Following the tragic loss of a Guardsman to an IED shortly after deployment, he inspired those around him and helped drive tactical initiatives that kept the IRA under relentless pressure. Through his leadership, courage and the strength of his company, the Welsh Guards completed the remainder of the tour without suffering another fatality.
Respected as both a soldier and leader of men, Major Wall embodied everything the Welsh Guards stood for. Whether serving with the Guards Parachute Company, representing the Regiment on the rugby field, or later serving as Regimental Adjutant, he earned admiration wherever he went.
Beyond military life, he built a successful civilian career, remained devoted to his wife Valerie and son Nicholas, and never forgot the men he had served alongside.
Major Angus Wall MBE passed away on 14 August 2025, aged 80.
Today, the Welsh Guards remembered not only a distinguished officer, but a man whose legacy will live on through generations of Guardsmen.
Rest easy, Sir.
Cymru Am Byth
#WelshGuards #HouseholdDivision #BritishArmy #NorthernIreland #CymruAmByth
In Memoriam: LCpl Dane Elson.
In the lead up to the Welsh Guards Afghanistan Memorial unveiling in Wrexham this June, we remember those who gave their lives on operations.
Today, we honour Lance Corporal Dane Elson.
Killed on 5 July 2009 in Babaji, Helmand Province, during Operation PANCHAI PALANG, he was serving as a Team Commander within a Fire Support Group. After providing fire support to an attack, his team began to move when an improvised explosive device detonated, killing him instantly.
He died as he lived - covering his men and putting others first.
Born in Harare and raised in Bridgend, he joined the Welsh Guards in 2004, deploying to Iraq, Bosnia and Afghanistan. Recently promoted, he was a Javelin operator known for his fitness, resilience and leadership.
A Guardsman who lived for soldiering and for his mates. Respected, reliable, and always first to step forward.
If you wish to attend the unveiling in Wrexham this June, contact our Veterans’ Officer, Jiffy Myers: [email protected].
His name is on the memorial. His legacy lives on.
Cymru Am Byth
#WelshGuards #InMemoriam #Afghanistan #LestWeForget #CymruAmByth
// Public Order Training.
We have been carrying out demanding Public Order training in readiness for Cyprus.
Designed to prepare soldiers for serious disorder and riot situations, the training focuses heavily on teamwork, discipline and command and control under pressure. Men and women across Number 2 Company have spent the week pushing themselves physically and mentally through realistic scenarios designed to test communication, professionalism and trust.
Every movement matters. Every order matters.
Another reminder that behind the ceremonial role, we remain a capable and operational infantry battalion.
Cymru Am Byth
#WelshGuards #BritishArmy #Infantry #PublicOrder #Cyprus
No signal. No shortcuts. Just skill.
Last week on Sennybridge Training Area, the Prince of Wales’s Company - the Jamboys - stripped it right back to basics.
No GPS.
No digital mapping.
No safety net.
Just a map, a compass, and the ground beneath their feet.
Across open terrain and unforgiving weather, Guardsmen worked through bearings, pacing, resection and route planning. Every decision mattered. Every step had to be earned. It is easy to rely on technology when it is there. It is a different standard entirely to operate when it is not.
Because the reality is simple. Tech fails. Batteries die. Signals drop.
The basics do not.
This is where confidence is built. This is where trust in your own ability is forged. Before we adopt the latest systems, we master the foundations that keep us effective in any environment, under any conditions.
That is what sets the standard.
Cymru Am Byth
#WelshGuards #Jamboys #InfantrySkills #MilitaryTraining #EarnedNotGiven
Before first light. Before most are awake.
Reveille at 0200hrs.
Stepping off at 0300hrs.
The Prince of Wales’s Company - the Jamboys - moved under darkness into the valley at Sennybridge, Brecon. Silent, deliberate, focused. Every man knowing his role, every movement rehearsed, every detail mattered.
By 0430hrs, H-Hour.
The attack went in as the first light began to break. Controlled aggression. Clear communication. Fire and manoeuvre executed exactly as it should be. This is where training meets instinct. Where pressure reveals standards.
By 0515hrs, the objective was complete.
Maximum aggression, fast and bold. A job done properly.
This is what it means to be ready. This is what it means to be a Guardsman.
Cymru Am Byth
#WelshGuards #Jamboys #Infantry #MilitaryTraining #EarnedNotGiven
Behind the Bearskin – LCpl Norton.
LCpl Charles Alexander Norton was born in Maidstone before moving to the west coast of France at four years old, growing up in the Vendée where life revolved around the sea and surfing. Looking for a challenge and something completely outside his comfort zone, he joined the Army after discovering the opportunities within the Welsh Guards.
On arrival to Battalion, the welcome stood out immediately. Straight into a block party on night one, setting the tone for what would follow.
His career has already included OP SHADER (Iraq operational deployment), his first King’s Trooping the Colour on Horse Guards Parade, and the Coronation of His Majesty The King, experiences that reflect the balance between operational and ceremonial excellence.
Injury has been his toughest test, forcing him to rebuild and return stronger, pushing straight back towards promotion. Life in the Welsh Guards is never still, always preparing, always learning, always moving forward.
He credits his early development to his Section Commanders and peers, who set the standard from day one. Camp life is structured, but it’s out on exercise and operations where he thrives, where the tempo is higher and the job is at its most rewarding.
Promotion to Lance Corporal has brought responsibility, developing others, leading from the front, and maintaining standards under pressure.
His advice is simple. Have the right attitude, be willing to learn, stay fit, and take every opportunity.
For LCpl Norton, being a Welsh Guardsman is earned. Fast-paced, demanding, professional, and something to take pride in.
Cymru Am Byth
#WelshGuards #BehindTheBearskin #BritishArmy #InfantryLife #EarnedNotGiven
Three young men. One standard.
This week, the Welsh Guards welcomes three new Guardsmen to the Battalion. Different backgrounds, different journeys, but all standing here having met the same mark. The same discipline. The same expectation.
The uniform is the easy part. Earning the right to wear it is something else entirely.
From this moment on, they become part of something far bigger than themselves. A Regiment built on history, forged in conflict, and carried forward by those willing to step up when it matters.
They will learn quickly. They will be tested. And they will grow into the role expected of a Welsh Guardsman.
Welcome to the Battalion, lads. Your journey starts now.
Cymru Am Byth
#WelshGuards #BritishArmy #Guardsmen #MilitaryLife #JoinTheGuards
In Memoriam: Lieutenant Colonel Rupert Thorneloe MBE
In the build-up to the unveiling of the Welsh Guards Afghanistan Memorial in Wrexham on 27 June this year, we will be sharing a remembrance post every Friday to honour the Guardsmen and soldiers connected to the Regiment who gave their lives during the conflict in Afghanistan.
These posts are about remembrance, reflection and ensuring that the sacrifice and service of those men is never forgotten.
Today we remember Lieutenant Colonel Rupert Thorneloe MBE, Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, who was killed in action in Afghanistan on 1 July 2009 alongside Trooper Joshua Hammond of the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment.
Lieutenant Colonel Thorneloe died leading from the front during Operation Panchai Palang near Lashkar Gah, Helmand Province, when the Viking armoured vehicle he was travelling in was struck by an improvised explosive device.
Commissioned into the Welsh Guards in 1992, Colonel Rupert dedicated his life to the Regiment, his soldiers and his family. Throughout his career he earned enormous respect for his professionalism, leadership and compassion for those under his command.
Those who served with him describe a man of exceptional intellect and unwavering standards, but also someone who cared deeply for his Guardsmen and always placed others before himself. He inspired confidence at every level and led with courage, humility and purpose.
His loss was felt deeply across the Welsh Guards and throughout the wider Army, but his legacy continues to live on within the Regiment today.
Our thoughts remain with his wife Sally, daughters Hannah and Sophie, and all those who knew and served alongside him.
If you wish to attend the unveiling of the Welsh Guards Afghanistan Memorial in Wrexham, please contact our Veterans’ Officer, Jiffy Myers: [email protected]
His name is on the memorial. His legacy lives on.
Cymru Am Byth
#WelshGuards #Remembrance #Afghanistan #BritishArmy #CymruAmByth
