How the goat got into the British army, why he was demoted and for what he received a gift from Elizabeth II

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Each army has its own order. For example, in the 1st Infantry Battalion of the Royal Welsh of the British Army, there is one unusual fighter named William Windsor. He carries the rank of Lance Corporal and thanks to this he has officer privileges: he can visit the officers' club and dine there, and the rank and file of the English army give him a military salute when they meet him and stand at attention. And the point here is not only that he is the namesake of the English crown prince. Billy is a Kashmiri goat and serves in the army following a long English tradition.

An old tradition

The custom of enlisting goats in the English army dates back to 1775. Of course, several dozen horned fighters have already changed during this time, but they are all the successors of one heroic animal, which, according to legend, managed to raise the morale of the British at the Battle of Bunker Hill during the American Revolutionary War. The victory was given to the British on this day at a very high price. The British army lost a general, a lieutenant colonel, two majors, 7 captains, 9 lieutenants, 15 sergeants and 1 drummer. A total of 226 killed and 828 wounded (the colonists lost half the number of people). However, a new tradition was founded. During the battle, a wild goat wandered into the field, which allegedly led the British fighters. Despite the fact that the victory was called Pyrrhic, it was nevertheless snatched from the enemy, and the goat became a symbol of good luck for the royal fusiliers (these are infantrymen armed with flintlock guns - fusei).

Since 1844, the goats are not only enrolled in the regiment of the royal Welsh, but also presented to their future fellow soldiers personally by the British monarch. The fact is that, starting in 1837, the English rulers had their own royal goat herd. In that year, the Persian Shah Mohammed Shah Qajar presented Queen Victoria with an unusual gift - a goat of the precious Kashmir breed. It is from him that the modern William Windsors, who serve under the Welsh banners, trace their ancestry.

The royal herd, by the way, thrives near a seaside resort in Wales, but not so long ago there was a small local conflict associated with it. The overgrown livestock of thoroughbred goats (there are more than 250 of them) began to sprout to neighboring gardens. After a lot of complaints, the question of slaughtering some of the animals was considered, but the local council did not raise a hand against the royal favorites, it was decided to simply move part of the herd to another place and further control their birth rate. About once every ten years, one kid is chosen from this herd, which is destined to become a member of the British army. For the duration of his service, a personal leader is assigned to him, who is called the "Goat Major". Recently, all horned military personnel have been given the name William Windsor. In addition to the usual provision, the goat is given 2 cigarettes a day and a mug of beer. It is known that he usually eats cigarettes, but what he does with beer is not exactly known. It is possible that he is treating his comrades in arms.

Hardships and deprivation of service

Of course, not all regimental goats from this line can boast of heroic deeds. Most of them calmly spent their service, participating in parades and formations - the main duty of the animals is to appear in front of the battalion at all ceremonial events. However, Teffi IV, for example, had to serve during the First World War. He was sent to war on August 13, 1914 and saw firsthand the Great Retreat and several major battles. Teffi died on 20 January 1915 and was posthumously awarded the 1914 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

The penultimate William Windsor, during his service, managed to get disciplinary action. During the 2006 Queen Elizabeth II 80th Birthday Parade, Billy refused to obey orders to keep up and tried to butt the drummer. The poor man was accused of "inappropriate behavior", "violation of the order" and "disobedience to direct orders." As a result, the goat from the lance corporal was demoted to fusiliers and thus lost all his officer privileges. Apparently, this punishment had an effect, since literally three months later, William Windsor amazed all his colleagues and superiors with his exemplary behavior during the celebration of the victory over the Russian troops in the Battle of Alma (the battle of the Crimean War). As a result, the title was returned to him.

New generation

The last William Windsor was chosen in 2009 after his predecessor was ceremonially retired by age. The new soldier of the British army, a five-month-old kid, was carefully selected by a team of several veterinarians, a "goat major" and a lieutenant colonel in charge of this assignment. As the army spokesman Gavin O'Connor explained:. According to Lt. Col. Nick Locke,. Modern Billy has been serving for a long time under the personal number 25142301.

Lovers of British customs should definitely read the review "Five o'clock": Where did this tradition come from, and how to drink tea in English.