Brigade of Guards recruits pass out in colourful ceremony

Nagpur: Nearly 150 recruits of the 96th recruit course of Brigade of The Guards attained status of combat soldier at the passing-out-parade here today. A ceremonial parade was presented by the young guardsmen, the newest addition to the armed forces fraternity, who underwent a challenging and strenuous training of 34 weeks, a defence release issued in Nagpur said. [caption id=“attachment_1795967” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Chief of Army Staff, General Dalbir Singh taking over as the Honorary Colonel of the Brigade of the Guards, in New Delhi on 18 October 18 2014. Image courtesy PIB[/caption] As per the tradition, they were administered the oath of allegiance and devotion to duty by the Adjutant. As they crossed the symbolic last step in slow march to the tune of the famous Auld Lang Syne played by the band, the recruits formally attained the status of combat soldiers ready for frontline duties. Brigade of The Guards was conceived on the lines of the British Cold Stream Guards by late Field Marshal KM Cariappa, OBE. Post Independence, this was the first regiment to be raised by selecting the four oldest battalions of the Indian Army. The Regimental Centre was initially raised at Delhi in 1950. It moved to Kota in 1956 and further to its present location in Kamptee near the city in 1976. It is equipped with state-of-the-art training infrastructure and aids to ensure that the best quality training is imparted to the recruits by the selected instructors of the regiment, the release said. PTI