Guarding The Queen Episode 2

with their red tunics and bearskin caps the Grenadier Guards are the most famous soldiers in the world changing the guard at buckingham palace they constantly strive for ceremonial perfection [Music] but they are also frontline soldiers in the world's most dangerous war zones for the first time we go behind the scenes of the war palaces to show how the pride of garden and the sacrifice of war combined to create a unique soldier the Grenadier bar [Music] the British grenadiers have been guarding the monarch for the last 350 years in that famous bastion cows they are seen by many as a symbol of the nation itself for centuries on and the changing of the guard ceremony outside London's Royal Palaces is more popular today than it has ever been [Music] in charge of keeping this Grenadier tradition alive is major torold Youngman Sullivan this is to do with 350 years of our history in our tradition we have always been closely aligned to the royal family in the monarch we have always guarded and protected the monarch and the royal family tourists come specifically to see changing the guard which is world-famous to see the Grenadier Guards who are world famous and to see that relationship visibly Illustrated between the army and the monarchy living up to the highest standards of grenadiers traditions is all about attention to the mind notice detail makeup team is vetted correctly they know about the front make sure you both Joseph ethically as well boards of tourists to gather to watch the famous spectacle unfold and to see the legendary band of the Grenadier Guards who are receiving a final pep talk the figure of the visitors to our site back in Paris is somewhere in the region of 20 million people a year they're coming to see you guys doing your thing that is fabric of the nation stuff that makes us all feel of British and it makes us all feel special it's vital so many things sorry guys don't just take joke - carry on this is the public face of the Grenadier Guards in private the lifestyle that comes with being a Grenadier officer has changed little in the regiment's three hundred and fifty year history absent James's Palace turret has invited friends and family to join him for dinner in the officers mess it's really nice when you see guests of yours to come up and you see how much they appreciate what's here than then actually it forces you to think that we're incredibly privileged and lucky to be living and dining within these surroundings after serving 11 years as a Grenadier with postings in Northern Ireland Kosovo and Iraq Terrell's days of fighting are over he's leaving the army in three months time I've loved my time that I've been in the army it's made me who I am today for better or worse I was saying within the Grenadier is once a Grenadier always a Grenadier and I think that speaks volumes I don't think you ever really leave the regiment this may be his last posting but torold is not going to let the impeccable Grenadier standards slip I want to handover a company that is professional robust fit motivated and without many skeletons or without any skeletons in the closet if I can achieve that and I'll be very happy torold has his work cut out preparations for the summer ceremonial season are well underway all winter the guards have been on parade in their gray --great coat but that is about to change [Music] for the summer season the gray will be replaced now the guards officers and the bound of the grenadiers are issued the famous red tunic but a crisis is looming the Ministry of Defense has decided to change the color of the tunic ever so slightly to a more scarlet shade of red company sergeant major Steve Monroe has his own thoughts in decision so David Anka came down looked at some color samples I chose one and as a consequence everyone's happen to change to the new color like most problems it's up to Tony Cottee Kumada to sort it out well as Mike uses tuna fish isn't it this is an old-style tunic this is the new style tunic and what we're aiming for is the whole company in these new style tunics as you can see when you get old and new on parade at the same time it sticks out the color difference so what we're aiming for is this but what we got at the moment is a mix and match between the two it may be just the smallest of color changes but for torold it matters enormously let's just get people into a tunic so we've got odds to mount guard even if it's a mixer even if it's a mix because we can't knock Mount God reluctantly torold will allow his company to wear different colored tunics while on God but by trooping the colour in June all Grenadier would have to be individually fitted with a new Scarlet tunic the man responsible for ensuring that this happens in time is quartermaster sergeant Jim Hawkins Jim has come to caskets tailors for the royal household division to collect another batch of completed tunics each uniform is individually tailored and has to be of the highest quality of workmanship everything is made to an MD specification these particular patterns haven't changed much for at least four decades the individual farmers can take up to six weeks to produce from start to finish purely for my regiment alone we're looking at about a hundred and fifty garments you can now see air pushed and now hectic these factories going to be with the period from now up until true pinnacle of the tunic costs around two thousand pounds the cuffs and collars are made with real gold we purchase it from a wholesaler as bully informant this is part of the cuff for an officer's uniform unfinished at the Hobart B you can see from the back of them the actual handwork on the gold embroidery from the stitching it takes several weeks to produce them they are worth several hundreds of house love the tunics that have already been delivered the issue is not just the new color there's a problem also this is your mutuality discuss please please why you won't body armor on the tunic timbers you put weight on be pregnant if you eaten a small horse I don't want to die here you need to get in the gym thank you did he shrink since being issued that tunic it's tifa's you have become a buffet Slayer haven't you look at the struggle to prepare 150 new red tunics is in stark contrast to the challenge facing the rest of the regiment [Music] the gravid ears have recently returned from Iraq now 500 of them are just months away from deploying to Afghanistan at the height of the conflict already over 50 British soldiers have lost their lives there with hundreds seriously injured the commander of the Grenadiers x' colonel career hastily knows that his men will be fighting enemy forces every [Music] from day one we all know that this is going to be a crunchy operational term someone somewhere in the battle group will be in contact pretty much every day until the day we leave theater and we come back again this is our time as a battle group and particularly as a grenadiers battle group to itself the demands of fighting the Taliban are so great that Carew has drafted in many of the most experienced soldiers from the regiment's ceremonial arm in London the Royal Guards have been reduced from a hundred and thirty to just 90 soldiers replacements arrived three weeks ago fresh out of only basic training girls were quick inspire conference laughter get out get out Marisa get out Harold is going to have to work hard to maintain the impeccable standards of the Grenadier Guards in London but the show must go on [Music] in London accent James's Palace the British crown ideas guard the royal family [Music] their standard their posts in two hour blocks ready to react to any threat to the palace plenty of time for tourists to get their holiday snaps [Music] you might not sit down boy down sleep smokey toward room during your tour of duty white prints novelty do out there in ten they've been around throughout the four wheels if you see him machee present arms my chief jewels on the pork because I've had to come back out here you're gonna get our good what's your mission while on duty Guardsmen stay absent james's but far from living in fallacious splendor they have just basic army accommodation bankers upstairs is a different story their commanding officer major torold Youngman Sullivan has his quarters he is surrounded by grenadiers treasures including their flag the regimental color and a First World War toilet door now this isn't supposed to be open till after 8 o'clock at night but erm sure we can make an exception for today these pictures were cut out by officers from days gone by and the reason that it can't come out until after 8 o'clock is 8 o'clock is when the ladies are asked to leave so no ladies allowed in the officers mess after 8 o'clock and because there are some naked women it's viewed as pornographic it has been known on occasion that that you'd open it and shirts you female guests before 8 o'clock which is scandalous I know but I think we can stretch to it in this modern day and age one person who most certainly would not approve is Queen Victoria she watches over the officers as they guard the palace when Prince Albert died Queen Victoria ordered that all the paintings of her addresses be painted black in mourning and this is one of only a handful in existence where the dress hasn't been painted was also of note is that you can see her hand clasping a necklace and that necklace is also just here and this is so rare that when the ensign of the guard goes to sleep at night he takes the colors up to his room and this necklace and sleeps with those in his room together faster outside the palace 17-year old Stephen Cooper stands guard he has been a Grenadier for just one month but already he thinks he has done it all it's in every way done the tower done Buckingham Palace I've done st. James's Palace and Windsor as well trying to be a stone that side isn't really my thing got to do it you think you've been there for hours and you only been there for like five minutes stare at point and just trying to switch off no I completely serve somewhat special on that you're trying to think about too much but standing guard in a sentry box is the easy bit these are about to get a whole lot harder today company sergeant major Steve Monroe is giving his men a lesson in the realities of performing public duties I guarantee you now if you're on the far side from where the officer has given the word command you're not going to hear him because you love tourists dancing behind you all right and French people hanging off your earlobes we're gonna use the space between the company office on the top to act as the mouth the Queen will leave go in that way and then once she's done a bits and bobs I haven't got the Queen today by the way she's a piece of paper then from that end we'll have the procession going through Steve is teaching street lining for Royal processions with his trusty pay stick he's making sure that his men know their positions exactly nine paces apart again just not to each other stand at ease okay the sergeant major is a stickler for precision foot forward turn it in turn end just touching my boot the guards know how and where to stand all they need to do is march into place nine paces apart at least that's [Music] going back get them back get back soon as you're back now look at your up Oh confirm how many paces you're gonna do which place you're going to pull on okay one Grenadier who knows the importance of precision is Lieutenant Colonel Conway's seen all in a couple of weeks time from the crane we'll see them on the estate visit of the President of Ghana and what is more she has a very sharp eye and any errors that might creep in will be spotted by her first and foremost it's not difficult it's done there but you just march out to keep the pace going at 30 inch margin face ok let's just do it so Chinese parliament [Music] it will work on the day I hope no right on way Seymour is the highest ranked Grenadier officer at Wellington Barracks among his many roles as regimental adjutant he is the first port of call for the royal household as a Grenadier officer since 1961 he believes passionately that the regiment must continue to maintain its high standards the discipline that is necessary are in an effective fighting force is in fact the unquestioning carrying out of orders comes automatically to someone who has been on the drill square and been drilled by the system that we operate no one knows the importance of drill more than Steve Monroe this half company by this day to be stutter attention number one half company chat [Music] the state visit will be a major test for his young and inexperienced guards he doesn't want the Grenadiers is to be shown up Oh recover on the day the Queen the President of Ghana and 650 soldiers will be taking part in the royal event nothing is left to chance one more wrong proof there's no dramas [Music] at 4 o'clock in the morning streets around Buckingham Palace have been closed so that Steve is Grenadier and over a hundred horses from the household cavalry can run through the precise timings for the visit it is exactly ten past so I'm hoping that this is the Bentley now but again because it's nighttime you can't even make the car up and between me and them there's gonna be a thousand tourists so you really can't start to struggle the Queen's car is the cue for the Grenadier first-world saloon minutes later the guards have to perform a second Royal salute as the state coach passes by [Music] [Music] start easy [Music] that is job Don as far as it goes in the build-up to the state visit things are running smoothly for the Grenadier Guards but their band has had a few problems locating the national anthem of domina well Salvador Ecuador the Ghana national anthem doesn't seem to be here just quite strange because we have quite up to date archives of the national anthem city so suddenly we'll have to go down another avenue and try and find another copy or arrangement in the nick of time the band's new director of music Barry Russell has obtained a copy of the anthem in the most unusually ahead bit last minute in that nobody had this so mr. Mitchell had to go to Ghana and get some locals to sing it to him he's written it down and this is the result Metso piano all the way please because of the horses these are nervous times for Barry it's his first state visit in charge is fairly daunting background there will be a few butterflies to add to his anxiety Barry is responsible for one of the trickiest elements of the entire event my job once the Royal salute has been given is to conduct the two national anthems and if all goes well the the playing of our National Anthem will finish at the precise moment that the wheels of the majesty's coach stop there it's the morning of the state visit thousands of tourists and onlookers stream towards the mouth and Buckingham Palace for the big event [Music] [Applause] amongst them hundreds of ghanians in party mood there president's visit commemorates the 50th anniversary of their country's independence at Wellington Barracks the Grenadier Guards are ready to step out for their role of street lighting [Music] Steve Monroe has just a few minutes in which to get his men into perfect formation by the side of the mouth nine paces apart awaiting the Queen and president Pro for the band marches into the inner courtyard of Buckingham Palace to await the arrival of the Royal party [Music] on cue at exactly 12:30 the state coach arrives on the mouth flanked by the household heavenly [Applause] as the Ghanaian national anthem is played the royal party enters the quadrangle inside Buckingham Palace at precisely 1240 nervous times for director of music Barry Russell [Music] it's then up to Barry to start god save the queen [Music] Berry hasn't done this before but knows that the anthem is 36 seconds long if he gets it right the band will finished their final note at the precise moment that the wheels stop turning on the state carriage [Music] [Music] nice one Barry he's timed the two anthems to perfection although hidden from public view it is the smallest of details and traditions that have evolved over time that mean the difference between success and failure for the Grenadines that went very well from my point of view it looked looked about right I was pretty pleased with it for my first attempt I probably won't be going to the tournament and today for the Grenadier Guards the first state occasion of the year has also gone without a hitch we didn't ever need since no one fell over I think today the war on tourism took a turn I really don't think we got on the back fob now [Music] you guys see anything like this anywhere in the world except seconds of my life ever Christmas [Music] it's dawn of the London barracks of the Grenadier Guards the state visit was a success but commanding officer major torold young when Sullivan is not relaxing his grip on his troops he has set strict fitness targets for his men [Music] no free sprinting guards that failed to meet current standards of fitness and discipline are sent straight to his office this is a test that the whole army needs to pass you guys didn't pass it you need to be fit for your job you all on three months warning order comes major March out please Taurus fitness regime will require more work and he's keeping a close watch on standards of discipline were you in bed did you miss roll call this in which case I award you a fine of fifty pounds and I suggest that you stop putting your socks up torold and his right-hand man company sergeant major Steve Monroe faced an uphill struggle to maintain the high standards of the regiment through one of its busiest periods of the year it goes in peaks and troughs in terms of drill and green training a little bit more drill because of the experience level of the troops well but there is not but no ice in Paris about every single person that's knows what's going on and they're in a position if need be to prompt and direct what needs to be done over the next couple of weeks we'll be concentrating on the theme of drill interspersed with a little bit of cream training looking at Fitness one minute gone one minute remaining we then switch at the beginning of May our focus firmly on two rehearsals for the Queen's birthday parading with the Queen's birthday parade trooping the colour on the horizon torold and steve are already working around the clock to ensure that the young guardsmen are able to deliver a brilliant performance trooping the colour will be seen by millions on television not to mention their colonel-in-chief between while the ceremonial soldiers finalize their preparations in London 500 great ideas are about to deploy to Afghanistan [Music] the aim of their mission is to assist the Afghan National Army in defeating the Taliban by stabilizing the country they hope to win over hearts and minds and reconstruct a nation ravaged by war with lives at stake the regiment is using every available resource to ensure that all grenadiers ZAR fit and trained for the task ahead they're practicing everything from flashing enemy out of houses [Applause] to battlefield emergency first aid - it exposes chest just there is a whole size of fifty pence piece and training using live ammunition with less than a month to go supplies have just arrived at the regimental stores in Aldershot so we got a fusion socks underwear body armor on your left hand side helmet covers respirator canisters shorts necklace sunglasses goggles hydration packs and a good boy the regiment may be bracing itself for its most dangerous mission in recent years but not everyone is going outside the Royal Palaces war or no war Rena DEA's have to fulfill their ceremonial duties to the monitor but guarding the Queen is wearing thin for the regiment's young recruits I think there's anyone here who would rather stay now a company and do the cool side of things rather than go out to Afghanistan I joined the army to do the green warrior stuff not to stand outside all day we all just enjoy it on tours basically to shoot people do all that sort of thing it's only go out there with the boys be the boys do the job get the medical moment I said you've been there you've done Patong who has the responsibility of maintaining the traditions and standards of the regiment in London there is little sympathy for his men's dilemma one of the things that I say to the guys is you join the guards you join the green in two years and half of what we do is ceremonial and half of what we do is operational and you can't have one without the other and be a Grenadier it is part of our tradition our heritage and our tapestry is part of our makeup also eager to leave his ceremonial post to join the Grenadier as going to Afghanistan is leftenant Jeremy quarry he is applied for a transfer but is still stuck in London performing public duties tonight he's inspecting grenadiers Cadets 30:13 being in London districts and I think doing stuff like the exercise it's very different from you know the bread and butter of what the Army's about we're gonna do gone syrup up going out on operations um being right at the front you know we're gonna be in Helmand province of the most intense operation that we've seen for for quite a while cool top I'm gonna see that chest and then it's in there somewhere push it out there we go excellent both weakness brand New York Road nice t-shirt yeah it's important that we do the public duties but what we do is fight we're soldiers that's what the brand is do and that's why join the army to command troops in in combat so hopefully I'll get my chance the Grenadiers czar formidable soldiers they have taken part in every major conflict since 1656 their duties have changed little over the centuries Adson James's Palace old rituals and traditions continue to be observed and cherished sit down boy dance leap smoke eat or drink to your totem to Hey machee drills on the board three Charles having that dinner for a social loop tonight as with every night the ensign of the guard sleeps with the regimental color and Victoria's pendant by his side [Music] but the face is standing outside the royal palaces are forever changing as the regiment is faced with new challenges and Wars to fight [Music] back at barracks leftenant Jeremy quarry receives the news that he's been hoping for position was available at battalion and I lobbied various people from Kimani officer down to try and get myself in that spot and I've been lucky enough to get it so I will be heading out we've returned to check himself come on best job in the army especially we going straight to sang again in Helmand province and that's whatever I was talking about the man within three weeks Jeremy will be fighting the Taliban but in London the show goes on this summer the Grenadier band will escort guard changes carry out numerous army functions as well as high-profile royal engagements leading them through their heavy schedule is band master Kevin Byrd probably 10 to 20 times a year we're actually performing directly where I'm actually the Queen the investitures garden parties and the Queen obviously attends her own birthday parade in June [Music] not only do the band members have to be brilliant musicians they must be able to March like proper soldiers and that means drill well it's a part of the job we're supposed to save the sensor and the real soldiers if you like give us a lot of grief because we don't do it as often as they do perhaps not as hard as they do what sir it's gotta be done anyone from outside the band that's given the opportunity to drill you around the square for a few days is going to absolutely take as much out as you possibly can have as much fun as he possibly can and no one's going to argue back so for him he probably wakes up in the morning with a huge smile on his face thinking great I've got the band for the day today the lucky Grenadier who will be putting the band through their paces is Jim Hawkins cannot wait for this be aware if you do not put the effort in now I make you company you're gonna give me six guardsmen with shark toys and we can do it flood lee the ball is in your court get it right first time sake and then we're off the square everyone happy this punishment known as spring drills was actually initiated by Queen Victoria after observing some sloppy marching she ordered that annual drills be carried out for the next hundred years it continues today long after the hundred years are up that Chinese that they call this character building the band's foot drill should be every bit as good as the guard's according to Jim what's the difference between holding a piccolo or de novo to holding a rifle so so no quarter will be given for crusade the Crusader a tuba player and you've got a tuba they compensate by leaning back trombone players are the same to compensate so when they're doing that it's a balanced thing is the balance got weak backs while the band is learning to march like proper soldiers across the country Grenadier is a training for war in Afghanistan [Applause] Steven Cooper and the other young guardsmen have been sent to join the troops the bad news for them is that they're playing the role of the Taliban just by playing the enemy for the once we've gone through training with going over to Afghanistan are they since the file we want to built that with him makes jealous really when you see all these lads our battalion they're gonna stay the guards are waiting to ambush Jeremy quarry who is leading a platoon of 32 grenadiers he has just two weeks left in England before he heads to Afghanistan it's very different from what I've been doing in London but yeah I'm lucky enough to have been on operations within the last 12 confidence when you go out and play and get out that it will make you perform well if you're not sure when you arrive then you know things will get dangerous very nice to meet you I hope you're pleased to see us here we're not afraid of the Taliban we're gonna we're gonna crack on and try and help with the development of the area today's exercise is intended to be a straightforward patrol but there are a few surprises in store for Jeremy's platoon the Mach Taliban fighters have surrounded the patrolling grenadiers and launcher attack [Applause] [Music] - one two three Charlie keep on moving sections back towards the the cap listeners have we arrived on the objective things start out everything's blowing up within the building and they're no contacts from a 360 degree and so we need to get out of the error and come coordinated withdraw British Army dents don't retreat [Music] okay stand up a little bit something yeah I mean that's a fairly common yeah there will be lots of bangs and pops going off all of which could be aimed of you definitely you could be ready to stand here any time that we're over that's going in a few few days time that's not right some to think about in just 13 days Rena deers will be on the ground in Afghanistan the tension is mounting [Music] it's d-day for the British grenadiers in under 24 hours 500 men will be on the ground in Afghanistan training is over and ammunition explosives and medical supplies are ready to go last month leftenant jeremy quarry was performing for tourists outside Buckingham Palace now he is just a flight away from one of the world's most dangerous war zones notice that's pretty much done just trying to put together a bag of goodies cigars to keep you going drawing pencils it sounds a bit weird but that's quite fun to take some paper and some pencils and chocolate and stuff to do this sketching while you're out there I think we've enjoyed the army nowadays you know that you're gonna be involved in either Iraq or Afghanistan and I've run up I see a generation later and you join up but the full intention of going on operational to us this is close as you'll probably get nowadays to having some kind of adventure and with numbers so stretched in Afghanistan for young Guardsmen are about to get an unexpected chance to leave behind their bare skins and ceremonial duties and joined that adventure right guys you may be wondering why will four of you are appearing in front of me now it doesn't take the brains of an archbishop I am now formally telling you on memoranda that you will be going to Afghanistan guys it's tremendous honor to be going take what you've learned in Nijmegen be proud of it remember you've served in Nijmegen and the second Battalion but start to make a name for yourself when you get out to Afghanistan guys good luck and Godspeed [Music] I think you in a way on a certain level emotionally detach yourself from looking into what you are potentially sending these guys in to do and situations that they could encounter we send them they go they want to go from this moment in time to actually going out to Afghanistan it's quite fast and they come as a shock but I'm glad that this happened we're all going out together sail so I really don't want to go out or what [Music] it's the end of an era for the Grenadiers regimental adjutant Conway Seymour is stepping out on reform for the very last time after 46 years of service to his country he's decided to finally hang up his boots Fattah I suppose because I'm too old to be a large girl it'll be a sad a sad occasion today Conway's beloved band is giving him a final send-off it's their first appearance this year in red tunics and everything must be perfect for the regimental adjutant who demands only the highest standards of personal turnout it's like a straitjacket no what's happened here they're dead said we've got the wrong felsenfeld oh god I don't believe it I mean that why Wyatt suffered a gun into my locker and pinched the bloody thing [Music] outside the band wait patiently as a hunt is on to find Conway's missing belt irritating finally wearing a substitute belt Conway emerges onto the parade square for the last time [Music] is fourth-generation Grenadier his family has served the regiment since 1897 the world may have changed hugely in that time but the traditions of the Grenadier liver [Music] [Applause] thank you very much a wonderful display they looked the band has a surprise for Conway they're going to play him out with auld lang syne [Music] I think I'm going to cry [Music] [Applause] an emotional convoy leaves the stage his time as a Grenadier is over [Music] as Conway bids farewell to the family of the Grenadier Guards 50 miles away in Aldershot girlfriends wives and children have come together to say goodbye to the men who are leaving for Afghanistan [Music] when you're tired well you're a little bit frightened and you're not quite sure about what's going on because it's confusing rise to the challenge do what you've been taught in all your drills keep it simple so it doesn't get confusing if someone is out there and he's having a go at you give him hell back ruthlessly pursue these people and prosecute their defeat in their destruction with the utmost efficiency with every single weapon that you have give them no quarter and then we're going to have a good sir [Music] next time the Grenadiers stack Allah Taliban in Afghanistan confront the realities of war and in London the troops train hard as they prepare to wish the Queen a happy birthday [Music] you

Channel: All3Media

Views: 3,386,956

Keywords: Royal, Family, Guards, Army, Soldiers, Queen, Prince, Bearskin, London, Tourist, Grenadier, Afghanistan, War, Training, Cadet, Documentary, Military, Buckingham, Palace, Coldstream, Jubilee

Id: OoKi_ZTxJNA

Length: 46min 33sec (2793 seconds)

Published: Wed Apr 20 2011