Fellow Coldstreamers,

 

The Secretary of State for Defence, Sir Michael Fallon, announced to the House of Commons on the 15 Dec the plan for the Army over the next ten years (usually referred to as Army 2020 Refine). I am sure that some of you saw this in the press or, if you are serving, were briefed by the chain of command.  I thought it would be useful, however and following the festive period, for me to outline what this means from a Coldstream perspective and why I think it is a good outcome.

 

In short, the Coldstream will see only minor changes to current plans.  The 1st Battalion will remain in Victoria Barracks Windsor in the light role, conducting Public Duties until 2019.  It will then, remaining in Victoria Barracks, spend two years as a light role battalion, probably in 11 Infantry Brigade, before reverting to two more years of public duties.  There are no planned changes to Regimental Headquarters, Number 7 Company or the Band.

 

Across the wider Household Division, the Household Cavalry Regiment will move to Bulford in 2019 and become part of the Strike Experimentation Group, which will become, in due course, the first Strike brigade.  1st Battalion Scots Guards will move to Catterick in 2020 and will also form part of the Strike Experimentation Group.  The Coldstream platoon currently reinforcing the 1st Battalion Scots Guards will continue to do so, moving to Catterick in 2020, and we are planning, in consultation with the Major General, to expand this reinforcement, potentially to a company if our recruiting permits.

 

So, I think this leaves us well set as a regiment.  The 1st Battalion will rotate in and out of London District from Windsor, a location popular with the regiment because it is well-positioned between our two traditional recruiting areas, the northeast and southwest, and brings welcome stability to many of our serving Coldstreamers and their families.  This will allow us to draw on our long standing links with both parts of the country and set the conditions to improve our recruiting.  The platoon (and potential company) supporting 1st Battalion Scots Guards in Catterick will allow a significant number of Coldstreamers to operate in the new Strike brigade and with the new Mechanised Infantry Vehicle as it comes into service.  Finally, Regimental Headquarters, the Band, and Number 7 Company are well placed in London to continue the vital role each plays in supporting the regiment.

 

RS

 

Brigadier RCN Sergeant (Rob) | Regimental Lieutenant Colonel Coldstream Guards | Regimental Headquarters | Wellington Barracks, London | 94631 3242 | 0207 424 3242 |