Description
Guards Machine Gun Regiment Cap Badge
The cap badge of the Guards Machine Gun Regiment depicts a five-point star with the points being bullets, in between each bullet point a different emblem as follows: grenade, rose, thistle, shamrock and leek, representing the five Regiments of the Foot Guards. In the centre a circlet bearing QUINQUE JUNCTA IN UNO 1916 (Five Joined as One). In the centre of the circle a monogram, MGR (Machine Gun Regiment) surmounted by a small Imperial (King’s) crown.
The Guards Machine Gun Regiment was formed in February 1918 from the three regiments of Household Cavalry and the Guards Machine Gun Battalion. 1st Life Guards became 1st Battalion, 2nd Life Guards the 2nd Battalion, Royal Horseguards 3rd Battalion and the Guards MG Battalion the 4th. There was a 5th Reserve Battalion. The three Household Cavalry regiments retained their own cap badges but acknowledged their new role by wearing crossed Vickers guns as collar badges.
These three regiments returned to England in 1919 and reverted to their previous roles. The 4th Battalion its return was designated 6th or Machine Gun Regiment of Foot Guards, or the Guards Machine Gun Regiment. It was disbanded in 1920. The date 1916 on the Guards Machine Gun Regiment Cap badge refers to the date in which the regiment was formed.
