UK Soldier Who Served Here Now A Beefeater

A British soldier once attached to the Bermuda Regiment has joined an elite band of UK Royal bodyguards, nicknamed Beefeaters, which has been in existence since the 16th century.

There are just 36 Beefeaters who work for the Royal Palaces and in the past they would have overseen prisoners at the Tower of London and safeguarded the crown jewels.

These days, holders of the prestigious role act as tour guides of the popular tourist attraction and perform ceremonial duties.

Yeoman Warder Shaun Huggins [pictured], who joined the British army at the age of 16, spoke of his delight this week at becoming a Beefeater after 24 years of service with the Royal Anglian Regiment.

The father-of-one, who has served in Bermuda, Afghanistan, America, Germany, Denmark, and Jordan, said he decided to apply for the historic role after a visiting a friend who works as a Yeoman Warder.

Ties between the Bermuda Regiment’s predecessors — the Bermuda Militia Artillery and the Bermuda Volunteer Rifle Corps — and the Royal Anglian Regiment [then the Royal Lincolns] date back to World War One [1914-1918].

When the two local militias were amalgamated into the Bermuda Regiment in 1965, the Royal Anglian Regiment, as successor to the Royal Lincolns, continued the paternal relationship. In addition to providing a Permanent Staff Instructors to each of the Bermuda Regiment’s companies, many other Royal Anglian Regiment personnel have been seconded or loaned to the Bermuda Regiment over the years.

The Bermuda Regiment’s first nine Adjutants [from 1965 to 1984] were all Royal Anglian officers. Three of its past Regimental Sergeant Majors were seconded from the Royal Anglian Regiment.

In 1996, the Bermuda Regiment’s Second-In-Command, Staff Officer, and Adjutant were all on secondment from the Royal Anglians. Additionally, senior NCOs are loaned to the Bermuda Regiment for the duration of its annual Recruit Camps, with one attached to each platoon of its Training Company.

The Junior NCOs [Corporals and Lance Corporals] of the Bermuda Regiment attend Skill-At-Arms courses at the Royal Anglian Regiment depot, and many Bermuda Regiment officers and NCOs have served on attachment with the Royal Anglians. During the 1980s, the entire cadre of officers, warrant officers, and NCOs of the Bermuda Regiment was briefly attached to a battalion of Royal Anglians deployed to Belize.

“I feel very proud and honoured to be a Yeoman Warder. I think it is fascinating to be living here [in the Tower of London] with all the history that has gone on here and I am enjoying learning the role and the history of the Tower. It is more of a way of life rather than a job at the moment,” said Yeoman Warder Huggins.

Service personnel have to have clocked up at least 22 years in the military, be at least a colour sergeant and hold at least one medal of honour.

Yeoman Warden Huggins, served with the 1st Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment from 1983 to 1988 and was with the 2nd Battalion until this year where he was in the infantry. He finished his military career as a Senior Drum Major.

#MilitaryAndRegiment #UnitedKingdom

Category: All