Coldstream Guards repeat a crucial journey as they celebrate 375 years of service
The Coldstream Guards have marked the 375 anniversary of their formation with a special parade in Berwick-upon-Tweed, a short distance from where the regiment was raised in 1650.
It's not every day a group of guardsmen, dressed immaculately in their tunics and bearskins, are seen travelling the length of the country on the east coast mainline - but that's exactly what happened today.
The soldiers arrived in Berwick-upon-Tweed via an Edinburgh-bound train out of London's King's Cross station.
The guardsmen were marking the 375th anniversary of their formation, retracing the steps their regimental forefathers made in 1650.
The event in Berwick marks the start of a busy few days for the regiment.
On Saturday the guardsmen will participate in the King's Birthday Parade - trooping their colour in front of the King at Horse Guards in London.
In 1650, their epic journey from the Borders in Scotland to London took five weeks through heavy snow to restore law and order to a country in anarchy – today's train journey was just over three hours.
When they arrived in London 365 years ago, they dissolved Parliament, organised free and fair elections, and assured the restoration of the Monarchy and the safe return of King Charles II to the throne.
Today, the personnel, joined by the Band of the Coldstream Guards, left the station made famous in the Harry Potter novels in the morning and headed up north on an LNER train.
Once the soldiers arrived in Berwick-upon-Tweed, they marched from the station to the Guildhall in the border town with their bayonets fixed and their colours flying, led by the military band.
Then, Mayor of Berwick-upon-Tweed, Councillor John Robertson, and Lieutenant General Sir James Bucknall, the regiment's colonel, received the troops at the Guildhall.
The parade continued as the troops walked on towards the Parish Church of Holy Trinity and St Mary's for a thanksgiving service, where the Band of the Coldstream Guards performed.
After the service, there was a civic reception in the Guildhall.
The regiment has the longest continuous service of any in the British Army – from Cromwell's Army to the modern day.
It has served in every major war since its formation, earning more than 100 battle honours and 13 Victoria Crosses.
It combines a global reputation for lethal frontline infantry work as well as ceremonial excellence in the Household Division as The King's Guard.
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