Guides Regiment
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The 1st Guides Regiment (Fr 1e Régiment des Guides/Dutch: 1e Regiment Gidsen) is an armoured regiment of the Belgian Army.
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[edit] Cavalry regiment
The regiment was formed in 1994 by the amalgamation of the 1er Régiment des Guides (French speaking members) and the 2de Regiment Gidsen (Dutch speaking members), following a reorganisation of the army. The amalgamation saw both regiments withdrawn as operational units, with the name of the new unit, together with the combined battle honours of its antecedents, assigned to the Cavalry Training School (L’école de cavalerie/Pantsercavalerieschool). In addition to this role, the regiment had a reserve role as an armoured regiment, attached to 17th Mechanised Brigade, which was Belgium's main force stationed in Germany. This role ended in 2002. The following year, the regiment was reduced to a single squadron and reactivated as an operational unit. The Eskadron Gidsen was formed as a reconnaissance unit to be attached to the army's Para-Commando Brigade, replacing 3 Regiment Lanciers-Parachutisten. In 2004, the squadron was attached to the 1 Regiment Jagers te Paard, following with the names of the two regiments amalgamating as 1ste Regiment Jagers te Paard/Gidsen.
- Battle Honours
- Halen/Haelen, Burkel, Antwerpen/Anvers, Maldegem, Gete/Gette, Winterbeek, Zelzate, Campagne 1914-1918
[edit] Great Orchestra of the Belgian Guides
Part of the regiment is the military band of the Guides. The band was founded in 1832 out of the band of the 1st Line regiment on the orders of Leopold I of Belgium and was connected to the royal guard. Over the course of its more than 175 years of existence, the band of the Guides has become one of the foremost military bands in the world. The orchestra consists out of 85 professional musicians, all winners of first prizes at a Conservatoria.
