Active 1829 - present Branch Army | Country Netherlands Type Foot Guards | |
 | ||
Role 1st Battalion - Air assault
1 staff company Size One battalion
One HQ staff company | ||
The Grenadiers and Rifles Guards Regiment (Dutch: Garderegiment Grenadiers en Jagers) is a regiment of the Royal Netherlands Army; along with the Garderegiment Fuseliers Prinses Irene it is one of the two Dutch Guard regiments.
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The regiment was formed in 1995 by the amalgamation of two antecedent regiments, the Garderegiment Grenadiers and the Garderegiment Jagers.
History
The two antecedent regiments were formed in 1829 following the withdrawal of the regiments of Swiss mercenaries from Dutch service. Willem I ordered that two regiments would be formed to replace the Swiss, to serve as his guards. Both served with distinction, especially during the Second World War in the defence of The Hague.
The regiment's single battalion currently serves in the airmobile role as part of 11 Luchtmobiele (Airmobile) Brigade. It is organised with an HQ Company (Stafcompagnie), a heavy weapons company (Zwarewapenscompagnie) and three infantry companies (Infanteriecompagnie). The three infantry companies and the anti-tank company perpetuate the two antecedent regiments, with 'A' (Koningscompagnie) and 'D' (Wolvencompagnie) companies being classed as Grenadiers and 'B' (Stiercompagnie) and 'C' (Tijgercompagnie) Companies being classed as Jagers (Rifles).
Serving the Guards in musical support, given the few numbers of military bands in service, are the Central Royal Military Band of the Netherlands Army "Johan Willem Friso" and the Traditional Grenadier Bugle Band of the Grenadiers' and Rifles Guard Regiment (Grenadiers) and the Veterans Fanfare band and Bugles and Fanfare orchestra of the Grenadiers and Rifles (Rifles). These are the only bands in service in the Guards units of the RNA as the Band and Corps of Drums of the Garderegiment Fuseliers Prinses Irene remain disbanded.