1st Life Guards

The Great War

The 1st Life Guards was a Household Cavalry Regiment that would have had an MG Section as part of its Regimental Headquarters. These weapons would have been brigaded when the Machine Gun Corps was formed in 1915. The guns, and crews, would have been formed into a Machine Gun Squadron.

As a unit of the 7th Cavalry Brigade, 3rd Cavalry Division, the MG Section will have taken part in the following battles and engagements.

1914
09 and 10 October	Antwerp Operations [IV. Corps].
19 October to 20 November	BATTLES OF YPRES
21 to 24 October	Battle of Langemarck [IV. Corps].
29 to 31 October	Battle of Gheluvelt [I. Corps].
11 November	Battle of Nonne Bosschen [I. Corps].
1915

11 to 13 May	Battle of Frezenberg Ridge [Cav. Corps, until 12 May, then Cav. Force, Second Army].
26 to 28 September	Battle of Loos (Defence of Loos) [IV. Corps, First Army].

The MG Section was brigaded into the 7th Cavalry MG Squadron on 29 February 1916.

The breakup of the 7th Cavalry MG Squadron on 14 April 1918, the officers and men were returned to the unit.

On 10 May 1918, the Guards Machine Gun Regiment was formed and the 1st Life Guards were converted in their entirety to become the 1st Battalion of the Regiment. They remained as a Machine Gun Battalion until 26 February 1920 when the Regiment was disbanded.