The Guards Museum

The bearskin cap has become intrinsic to the image of the Guards, and even London itself. But what came before? To mark the anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo, we are spotlighting an object from our Waterloo exhibit – THE SHAKO CAP.

The word shako comes from the Hungarian of 'csákó', meaning peak cap. They were developed following a 1799 order that “the use of hats is to be entirely abolished throughout the whole of the Infantry”, to be replaced by caps.

Shakos were typically made from hardened felt (or in the case of officers, beaver fur, an expensive woollen material of the period) and had a visor. Visors were thought to be implemented to shield soldiers' eyes from the sun and for rain protection. Shakos would have been worn by infantry soldiers in the Battle of Waterloo – this example is an officer’s shako of the 3rd Guards (later Scots Guards). The 1812-1815 pattern shako acquired several names including the 'Wellington', the 'Belgique' and, more popularly and much later, the 'Waterloo' shako.

After the Battle of Waterloo, this shako was superseded by the Regency design. It is a great example of the evolution of the British army uniform, and helps to understand the significant moments in the history of the Guards as we know them today.

#1815

As we look to the King's Birthday Parade tomorrow, let's take a moment to explore the pivotal role of Drum Major in our final video in this series 💂‍♀️

It's Volunteers' Week! Today, we invite you to join us in saying a huge thank you to our wonderful volunteer team here at The Guards Museum 💂‍♀️

Regimental Bands have been part of Army life for centuries. Join us in this brief exploration of the history of the Band of the Scots Guards.

Find out how you can support us as part of the volunteer team at The Guards Museum, and discover what volunteering can do for you!

📍The Guards Museum | Thursday 4th June

On this day in 1940, Lieutenant Furness, Welsh Guards, carried out a "magnificent act of self-sacrifice against hopeless odds". Today, we share his story.

Just one week until the Major General's Review, and the Household Division have been hard at work getting ready in the lead up to the King's Birthday Parade.

The first time in history the Victoria Cross was officially presented twice, today we remember the action of this Grenadier Guardsman in the Second World War - Lance Corporal Harry Nicholls VC.

The 'soldiers battle' with a lasting legacy - let's explore this unique moment in Grenadier Guards history.