London Past Papers Military and Police

Question 1

Which Guards’ regiment has a blue plume in its bearskin?

Answer 1

The Irish Regiment of Foot Guards

Soldiers wear a blue plume made from horsehair worn on the right side of their bearskin cap and officers wear larger plumes made from feathers.
Members of the Irish Guards have their buttons spaced in fours. They wear a shamrock on their collar and the regimental cap star on their shoulders.
Their regimental motto is the Latin question ’Quis separabit?’, meaning ‘who shall separate us.’

Question 2

When the Guard Change takes
place, one detachment of the Old
Guard forms up for inspection at
Buckingham Palace. Where does
the other detachment form up?

Question 3

Name TWO famous battles which celebrated significant anniversaries in 2015:
a) one from the 15th century
b) one from the 19th century.

Question 4

In which year did the first Zeppelin raid on London take place?

Question 5

Give the exact date of the Battle of
Waterloo.

Question 6

What do we call the day that marks
the 11th hour of the 11th day of the
11th month in 1918?

Question 7

Which regiment fires the 41-gun
salutes in Green Park?

Answer 7

In the parks, The King’s Troop, Royal Horse Artillery fires the salute, the first round usually being fired at noon.

The salute at the Tower of London is fired from four twenty-five pounder guns located on Tower Wharf facing the River Thames, bythe Honourable Artillery Companyat 1pm.

Question 8

On which days is the Changing of
the Guard held?

Question 9

The two oldest and most senior
regiments in the British Army,
now one unit, are referred to as?

Question 10

What is the exact date of Her Majesty the Queen’s accession, which is commemorated every year by gun salutes in central London?

Question 11

Which London local police force pre-dates the Metropolitan police?

Question 12

After which street was London’s
first professional police force
named?

Question 13

In World War Two, in which street
did the first bomb fall in central
London on 25th August 1940?

Question 14

Name the barracks from which the
new guard leave when changing
the guard at Buckingham Palace.

Question 15

Name the TWO regiments of the
Household Cavalry who mount
the guard at Horseguards
Parade.

Answer 15

(i) The Life Guards
(ii) The Blues and Royals

TheHousehold Cavalry Mounted Regimentconsists of a squadron from each of the two senior Regiments of the British Army:The Life Guards wear red tunics and white plumed helmets, and The Blues and Royalswear blue tunics and red plumed helmets.

Question 16

How many people died in London
as a result of enemy action during
World War II (to the nearest
1,000)?

Question 17

Which was London’s first
uniformed police force, founded in
1749?

Question 18

At the Changing of the Guard at
Buckingham Palace, at what time
approximately does the new
guard leave Wellington
Barracks?

Question 19

Which regiment of guards of the
Household Division has no plume
in their bearskin?

Answer 19

The Scots Guards

Members of the regiment do not wear a plume on their bearskin caps, because they are centre in the order of battle and therefore do not require a plume, which is used for identification purposes.
Members of the Scot Guards wear their buttons spaced in threes and wear the Scottish thistle on their collar. They also wear their regimental cap star on their shoulders.
Their regimental motto is ‘nemo me impune lacessit’, meaning ‘no one assails me with impunity’.

Question 20

Which part of Buckingham Palace
was destroyed by bombing in 1940
and replaced after the war with the
Queen’s Gallery?

Question 21

Which was London’s first
uniformed police force, founded in
1749?

Question 22

The Blitz started in London on 7
September 1940. For how many
consecutive nights did it last?

Question 23

In which year was the Metropolitan
Police formed by Robert Peel?

Question 24

Which Regiment of Guards wears
a red plume in its bearskin?

Answer 24

TheColdstream Guardswear a red plume on the right side of their bearskin caps, officers and warrant officers wear red plumes which are much larger and made using feathers. Members of the regiment wear their buttons spaced in twos. They also wear their regimental cap star on their collar and a rose on their shoulder.

Question 25

Name the regiment that fires the
gun salutes in Hyde Park and
Green Park.

Answer 25

In the parks, The King’s Troop, Royal Horse Artillery fires the salute, the first round usually being fired at noon.

The salute at the Tower of London is fired from four twenty-five pounder guns located on Tower Wharf facing the River Thames, bythe Honourable Artillery Companyat 1pm.

Question 26

What was the date of the first day of
the Blitz? (day/month/year)

Question 27

In what role can you see a woman
taking part in the Changing of the
Guard ceremony?

Question 28

Which Horse Guards Regiment wears a red plumed helmet?

Answer 28

Blues and Royals

Members of the Life Guards wear white plumes, while the Blues and Royals wear red.

On ceremonial occasions the Household Cavalry wear Albert helmets, which are gold in colour with silver embellishments, and a spike on top. They are notable by their flowing plumes.
The helmet was introduced byQueen Victoria’s husbandPrince Albert in 1842 – hence the name – and adopted by the Household Cavalry the following year.
It was based on helmets worn by cavalry in thePrussian Army.
Members of the Life Guards wear white plumes, while the Blues and Royals wear red.

Question 29

Which Regiment of Guards wears a white plume in its bearskin?

Answer 29

Grenadier Guards

The 1st or ‘Grenadier’ Regiment of Foot Guards was formed in Bruges in 1656 to protect King Charles II during his exile and was to become the King’s Regiment of Foot Guards following the Restoration in 1660.
Members of the regiment wear a white plume made from horsehair and it is worn on the left side of their bearskin caps; officers’ plumes are slightly larger.
Grenadiers’ tunic buttons are spaced evenly, and they wear a ‘grenade fired’ on their collar and the Royal cypher on their epaulettes.
The regiment’s motto is ‘Honi soit qui mal y pense’ – this is Old French and translates as “shame on him who thinks ill of it”.

Question 30

Which Regiment of Guards wears a red plume in its bearskin?

Answer 30

Coldstream Guards

The regiment was raised in June 1650 when Oliver Cromwell appointed George Monck to command a New Model Army Regiment.
It was 1659 when Monck’s Regiment stayed in the town of Coldstream on the Scottish border. Prompted by widespread anarchy, Monck set out on 1 January 1660 to march his regiment to London.
The Coldstream Guards wear a red plume on the right side of their bearskin caps, officers and warrant officers wear red plumes which are much larger and made using feathers.
Members of the regiment wear their buttons spaced in twos. They also wear their regimental cap star on their collar and a rose on their shoulder.
The regimental motto is ‘nulli secundus’, meaning ‘second to none’.

Question 31

Which Regiment of Guards wears a mis of white and green plume in its bearskin?

Answer 31

The Welsh Guards were formed in February 1915 and mounted their first King’s Guard on St David’s Day, 1 March.
Soldiers wear a mixed white and green plume made from horsehair, officers and warrant officers’ plumes are made from feathers. They wear a leek on their epaulettes and collar. They also wear their buttons spaced in groups of five.
Their regimental motto is ‘Cymru am byth’, meaning ‘Wales forever’.

Question 32

Which colour sheepskin is worn over the saddle of a Blues and Royals guard.

Answer 32

The Household Cavalry

The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment is made up of The Life Guards, who formed the bodyguard of King Charles II while in exile and The Royal Horse Guards, now known as The Blues and Royals, who date back to being part of Cromwell’s army.
Members of The Life Guards wear bright red tunics, white plumes in the helmets and white sheepskins over their saddles.
The Blues and Royals wear dark blue tunics, red plumes and black sheepskins over their saddles.
Also, the Life Guards place the strap of their helmets under the lower lip, while The Blues and Royals wear their helmet strap underneath the chin.