Coldstream Guards retrace steps of a historic march

Jan 11 2010 by Phil Doherty, The Journal

SOLDIERS from the Coldstream Guards have braved Arctic weather to retrace the steps of a historic 425-mile march on London.

The Guardsmen are taking part in the latest leg of their journey as part of an attempt to repeat the trek made by soldiers from the same regiment more than 300 years ago.

Back then General George Monck led 6,000 soldiers on a forced march to the capital to restore the monarchy after the death of Oliver Cromwell.

Just as in 1660, the soldiers have had to face freezing temperatures after starting their march in Berwick last week.

Yesterday the 100-strong group marched to Durham and after a rest day today they will leave the city and travel down to the start of the North Yorkshire Moors.

Captain Mark Hayhurst, one of the organisers of the march, said: “The people of the North East have been very supportive of what we are doing and have been honking their horns and waving to us as they pass.

“Although the conditions have been very harsh we have prepared well and we are on schedule so it’s all going as planned.

“However, in the old days they would march more directly across the countryside on several different routes and today, although we are following one of the routes taken in 1660, we are having to march along main roads.” Around 100 members of Number Seven Company, some of whom are from the North East and have served in Afghanistan and Iraq, marched to Durham City where they rested before marching on to the North Yorkshire moors tomorrow.

The regiment, which based at Woolwich in London and is part of the Queen’s Guard at Buckingham and St James’ palaces and the Tower of London, hopes to raise cash for the Army Benevolent Fund and the Coldstream Guard’s own charity, which gives assistance to former members.

With their regiment currently in Helmand province, Afghanistan, the need to raise cash for these charities has been brought home by three deaths in combat and more than 30 colleagues injured in fighting the Taliban.

The dead include Sergeant John Amer, 30, of Sunderland, who was killed in an explosion in November.

Capt Hayhurst added: “The 1660 march itself has great historical significance as General Monck overturned the Government of the day and placed a new one in power that asked King Charles the Second to come out of exile in France and take the British throne as a constitutional monarch.”

He added: “If members of the public want to support the Army and Guards in Afghanistan then they can make a donation to www.justgiving.com/coldstreammarch”