The Royal Guards

[Victor]

1. On 1 July 1860, Prince Alexandru Ioan I created the first guard unit of the new Romanian Army. The 3rd Battalion of the 5th Line Regiment was reenforced and formed the 1st Tirailleurs Battalion. This happened in Iasi, when the unification of the dministration was not yet complete. The battalion the moved to Bucharest next year together with the prince and was renamed the 1st Vanatori Battalion.

Some of its officers took part in the coup that lead to the abdication of Alexandru Ioan I and after Carol I arrived he started using less and less the 1st Battalion as his guards. In 1909, the future Carol II was named as honorary platoon commander within this unit, but by then they were no longer serving as guards.

2. On 1 March 1866 was created the 2nd Vanatori Battalion, which basically took over the tasks of the 1st Vanatori Battalion. This was the unit favored by Carol I during the first part of his reign. The unit was in the first line on 30 August 1877 when one of the forts deefending Pleven was taken by the Romanian and Russian troops (the only victory of that bloody day).

On 10 May 1902, the 2nd Battalion received the honorary name of Regina Elisabeta (Queen Elizabeth, the consort of King Carol I). In 1913, the battalion was transformed into the 2nd Vanatori Regiment Regina Elisabeta. It again distinguished itself during WW1 from the beginning of the offensive into Transylvania in 1916 to Budapest in 1919.

On 6 June 1931, King Carol II, who had a soft spot for nice uniforms and extravagant names, decided to rename the regiment. The new title was the 1st Guard Vanatori Regiment no. 2 Regina Elisabeta. This is the name with which the unit went into battle in WW2 in 1941 all the way to Odessa. It was again renamed on 1 April 1942, becoming the 2nd Guard Vanatori Regiment Regina Elisabeta.

In September 1947, the guard duties were taken away and the regiment was moved to Campulung. It was disbanded the following year and with it died a long tradition.

to be continued...

[Victor]

An off-topic post was split to another topic: http://www.worldwar2.ro/forum/index.php?showtopic=5614

Getting back to the subject. On 19 June 1930, the 6th Infantry Regiment Mihai Viteazul became the 6th Guard Regiment Mihai Viteazul. However, this unit had secured on different occasions the the guard o fthe Royal Palace since the early 1900s. It was also the unit used for the honor guard that received in Predeal and then in Sinaia the newly married couple of Ferdinand and Maria. The future King and Queen.

The unit took part in the battles of 1941 in Bessarabia and at Odessa, going through some firìerce fighting. In 1942 it was renamed the 6th Guard Dorobanti Regiment Mihai Viteazul. In 1944 it fought in Moldova, including during the Targu Frumos battle in May and then remnants of the unit fought in the campaign against the Axis.

After the war it returned to the name it had received in 1930. On 1 february 1949 it was renamed the 6th Infantry Regiment and then, on 1 December 1950, it became the 148th Infantry Regiment.