The Guards of the Kingdom of Westphalia, as in the army of any state, were the elite of the armed forces. Together with all other army units the Guard fought in all major battles of the Russian Campaign. The Guard included cavalry and infantry units. As the whole army of Westphalia, the Guard was created as a model for other German states.
The Honorable company of the Life Guards, consisting of 206 people was the personal guard of the King Jerome Bonaparte.
Of protective equipment the Life Guards wore steel half-breastplates with an ornament in the form of the sun, steel helmets plumed as caterpillars and white plumes. After Jerome left Russia by order of Napoleon, the company of the Life Guards also followed him.
The regiments of Chevau-léger Guards and Hussar Guards belonged to the Guards cavalry. It is still not known about the actions of Hussars Guards in 1812.
The Guard infantry regiments, the Grenadiers and the Jaggers fought at Valutina Woe, Borodino and Berezina. During the retreat of the Grand Army they had to repel attacks of partisan detachments guarding the line of movement of the whole army almost every day.
It isn’t known about the actions of the Royal Regiment (Regiment-Koningin) in 1812.
