German Guards
| German Guards | |
|---|---|
| Deutsche Wachen | |
 | |
| Active | 20 November 1924 - present |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Type | Infantry |
| Size | One battalion One independent company One reserve company |
| Part of | Guards Division |
| Garrison/HQ | RHQ - London 1st Battalion - King Frederick City Villodrigo Company - Braunschweig Venta del Pozo Company - Celle |
| Nickname(s) | The Hanover Guards |
| Motto(s) | German: Professionalität auf höchstem Niveau "Professionalism at the highest level" |
| March | Quick: "The German Guards" Slow: "The Victorious March" |
| Engagements | Battle of the Bulge Malayan Emergency Mau Mau Uprising Cyprus Emergency Gulf War Iraq War Operation Herrick |
| Commanders | |
| Colonel in Chief | The Queen |
| Colonel of the Regiment | Lieutenant General Alfred Wittich |
| Insignia | |
| Tactical Recognition Flash |  |
| Abbreviation | GER GDS |
The German Guards is one of the six Foot Guards regiments of the British Army. Founded in 1924 by the decree of King Frederick following the formal incorporation of Hanover into the United Kingdom, it is notable for being the only German infantry regiment in the British Army, with its membership, although not exclusively restricted, often being made up of personnel from the German-speaking Hanover, one of the United Kingdom's constituent countries. Moreover, the regiment is also known for its distinctive appearance compared to the other Foot Guards regiments where instead of wearing the bearskin cap and donning a red tunic, members of the regiment instead wear a pickelhaube and don a dark green tunic similar to that worn by the defunct King's German Legion, a Napoleonic War-era regiment of which the regiment considers itself to be a spiritual successor.
Since its establishment, the regiment has seen action in various armed conflicts, namely the Second World War, the Malayan Emergency, the Cyprus Emergency, the Gulf and Iraq wars, and most recently, the War in Afghanistan. Otherwise, as per its exclusive German nature, the regiment primarily serves to guard the monarch's residence in Hanover, namely Herrenhausen Palace.