| Public Duties Teams | |
|---|---|
 Personnel of F Company, Scots Guards during the changing of the guard at Windsor Castle. | |
| Active | August 2022–present |
| Country |
 United Kingdom |
| Branch |
 British Army |
| Role | Public Duties |
| Size | Five companies |
| Part of | London District |
| Garrison/HQ | Wellington Barracks, London |
| Insignia | |
| Badge[lower-alpha 1] |
 |
The Public Duties Teams are the independent British Army public duties companies part of London District. The teams were combined into a dedicated unit in August 2022, though their role has been used since 1993. The teams are dedicated to public duties and state ceremonial duties alongside the infantry battalion within London (from 2022 to 2027 this is the Welsh Guards).
History[]
In April 2021, as part of the Integrated Review and later in November under the Future Soldier reform, large changes were implemented across the British Army. Among the changes was a creation of the Public Duties Teams, which is a grouping of the three former public duties companies. Under the reform, London District which normally had two public duties roled infantry battalions would loose one battalion to the 4th Light Brigade Combat Team. To compensate for the loss of three companies, two new companies would be formed from the Guards battalion assigned to the 11th Security Force Assistance Brigade. Because the 'Security Force Assistance' battalions required a reduced strength, the excess personnel could be sent to London for public duties. As such, on 2nd September 2022 No. 9 and No. 12 Companies, Irish Guards were formed and moved to Wellington Barracks in London. From August 2022, the public duties companies in London are now termed 'Public Duties Teams' and conduct state ceremonial duties.[1][2][3]
The new Public Duties Teams combined the three existing companies in London District: Nijmegen Company, Grenadier Guards; No. 7 Company, Coldstream Guards; and F Company, Scots Guards into the grouping. These companies were later joined by No. 9 and No. 12 Companies, Irish Guards[1][2][3][4]
At the time of formation, the public duties teams lead the 'Queen's Guards' under Queen Elizabeth II. However, following the death of the Queen on 8 September 2022, the guard was renamed as the 'King's Guard'. The teams saw their first major engagement during the Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II with the senior three companies engaged in the service.[5]
Units[]
The public duties teams in December 2022 include:[1][4][2]
- Nijmegen Company, Grenadier Guards, at Wellington Barracks, London
- No. 7 Company, Coldstream Guards, at Wellington Barracks, London
- VIII (F) Company, Scots Guards, at Wellington Barracks, London
- No. 2 Company, Irish Guards, at Wellington Barracks, London – formed on 2nd September 2022[3][6][lower-alpha 2]
- No. 4 Company, Irish Guards, at Wellington Barracks, London – formed on 2nd September 2022[3][6][lower-alpha 2]
Footnotes[]
Notes[]
- ↑ Badge and Tactical Recognition Flash for the Household Division
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 No. 9 and No. 12 Companies were formed when the 1st Battalion, Irish Guards was reduced to the security force assistance role. The excess personnel were then sent to form the two new public duties companies. When the Irish Guards rotate out of the role in three years time, the companies will re-join the battalion and excess personnel from another regiment will become public duties-dedicated.
Citations[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Letter From: Lieutenant General C R V Walker DSO, Regimental Lieutenant Colonel regarding the Integrated Review". https://www.grengds.com/uploads/files/IR_Letter_final-RLC.pdf.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Future Soldier Guide. Whitehall, London, United Kingdom: Ministry of Defense. November 2021. p. 92. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1037759/ADR010310-FutureSoldierGuide_30Nov.pdf.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "Second Battalion Irish Guards reactivated after 75 years" (in en). https://www.forces.net/services/army/second-battalion-irish-guards-reactivated-after-75-years.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Army Secretariat, FOI(A) Request in relation to HQ London District (15 October 2020). whatdotheyknow.com. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
- ↑ "Queen's procession will be 'like nothing any of us have seen in our lifetimes'". 2022-09-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20220918091728/https://www.forces.net/services/tri-service/queens-procession-will-be-nothing-any-us-have-seen-our-lifetimes.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Irish Guards form two new Companies with historic links for future role" (in en-GB). https://www.army.mod.uk/news-and-events/news/2022/09/irish-guards-form-two-new-companies-with-historic-links-for-future-role/.
The original article can be found at Public Duties Teams and the edit history here.