Officer Grenadier Guards, 1854

The Grenadier Guards is a British infantry regiment which dates its history continuously since 1656. It is one of the oldest regiments in the British army and the oldest of the units of the Guard. Its hallmark is a grenade with a lit fuse. The Grenadier Guard is one of the most distinguished regiments in the British army and its soldiers fought in all major conflicts during the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, including for example the Napoleonic Wars (1799-1815), the Crimean War (1853- 1856), both world wars or the 2003 Iraq war. Among its soldiers were 14 people decorated with the highest British order: Victoria Cross. The unit – 1994 – is formally composed of two battalions, where the 1st battalion is composed of four infantry companies and is in fact a regular unit of the British army, while the 2nd battalion is composed of only one company and has representative functions in London. It is, among others this sub-unit is responsible for the actual changes of the Guard in front of Buckingham Palace in London. The titular commander of the unit is still the British monarch – currently this role is played by Elizabeth II of the Windsor dynasty.