Editing Grenadier (section)

==World War I and beyond==
In 1914, the Imperial German and Russian Armies still included a number of grenadier regiments. In the Russian Army, these comprised the Grenadier Guards Regiment (''L-G Grenadierski Polk'') as well as the Grenadier Corps of sixteen regiments<ref>{{cite book|first=Boris|last=Mollo|pages=152–153|title=Uniforms of the Imperial Russian Army|isbn=978-0713719390|year=1987|publisher=Blandford Press |edition=2nd}}</ref> (plus an independent reinforced company of Palace Grenadiers, guarding the St. Petersburg Imperial residences). Five regiments of the Prussian Guard were designated as ''Garde-Grenadiers'' and there were an additional fourteen regiment of grenadiers amongst the line infantry of the German Empire. In both the Russian and German armies, the grenadier regiments were considered as a historic elite; distinguished by features such as plumed helmets in full dress, distinctive [[Facing colour|facings]] (yellow for all Russian grenadiers) or special braiding. Their role and training, however, no longer differed from that of the rest of the infantry.

Today, regiments using the name grenadiers are effectively indistinguishable from other infantry, especially when [[hand grenade]]s, [[rocket-propelled grenade|RPG]]s, and other types of explosive arms have become standard-issue weaponry; however, such regiments retain at least the tradition of their elite past.  Grenadier can also refer to soldiers using [[grenade launcher]]s, including those mounted on rifles. During World War I a proposal to designate specialist grenade launching units in the British Army as grenadiers was vetoed by the [[Grenadier Guards]], who considered that they now had exclusive rights to the ancient distinction, and the term "bomber" was substituted.

During World War I, German troops referred to as [[assault pioneer]]s, who were early combat engineers or [[sapper]]s and [[Stormtroopers (Imperial Germany)|stormtroopers]] began using two types of hand grenades in [[trench warfare]] operations against the French to clear opposing trenches of troops. The more effective of the two was the so-called "potato masher" [[Model 24 grenade|''Stielhandgranate'']], which were stick grenades.<ref>p.36, Gudmundsson, Hyland</ref>

The term ''[[Panzergrenadier]]'' was adopted in the German ''[[Wehrmacht]]'' to describe mechanized heavy infantry elements whose greater protection and mobility allowed them to keep pace with (and provide intimate protection to) armoured units and formations. This designation reflects the traditional role of grenadiers as shock troops. The term in today's ''[[Bundeswehr]]'' refer to mechanized infantry.

When parachute units were first created in the United States Army, the [[United States Army Air Corps|Air Corps]] desired them to be under their control and to be designated "air grenadiers".<ref>p.5 Rottman, Gordon ''US Army Airborne 1940-90'' Osprey Publishing, 18/09/2012</ref>

The last known unit to serve as grenadiers, and employing grenades as their weapons, was a special "Grenadier brigade" formed by the Red Army within the [[4th Army (Soviet Union)|4th Army]] during the Tikhvin defensive operation in October 1941. It was a measure taken because of lack of firearms, and the commander of the brigade was appropriately General Major G.T. Timofeyev who had served in one of the Russian Imperial Army's grenadier regiments during the First World War.<ref>Alexei Valeriyevich Isayev, ''Cauldrons of 41': History of the Great Patriotic War which we didn't know'', Yauza, Moscow, 2005 {{in lang|ru}}[http://militera.lib.ru/h/isaev_av5/06.html]</ref>
[[File:A member of the 1ST Cavalry Division, armed with an M-203 grenade launcher equipped M-16A1 rifle, stays alert during exercise Granadero 1 DF-ST-85-13159.jpg|thumb|A [[United States Army]] grenadier armed with an [[M16A1]] equipped with an [[M203 grenade launcher]] in 1984. In most modern militaries, grenadiers are usually armed with standalone or underbarrel grenade launchers.]]
In the [[Vietnam War]], U.S. squads usually had at least one soldier whose role was that of a grenadier, armed with just an [[M79 grenade launcher]] and an [[M1911 pistol]], though in some cases grenadiers were not even issued this sidearm. The M79 was designed to bridge the gap between the maximum throwing range of a grenade and the minimum distance of mortar fire. The [[XM148 grenade launcher]], the M79's replacement designed to be mounted to the [[M16 rifle]], was first issued in December 1966, but was beset by problems: the cocking mechanism was difficult to squeeze, the sight was hard to use, and the complicated trigger design required constant maintenance. By May 1967, it was deemed unsuitable for use in the field, and was eventually replaced by the [[M203 grenade launcher]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Bad Weapon of the Week: XM-148, Vietnam Grenade Launcher |url=https://veteransbreakfastclub.org/bad-weapon-of-the-week-xm-148-vietnam-grenade-launcher/ |website=Veterans Breakfast Club |access-date=9 January 2023 |date=18 April 2021}}</ref> Though the M203 was later replaced by the [[M320 Grenade Launcher Module]] in U.S. Army service starting in 2009, the M203 remains a popular and familiar choice in the grenadier role and is still issued by other U.S. military branches.

===Argentina===
[[File:CASA DE GOBIERNO 14.JPG|thumb|The [[Regiment of Mounted Grenadiers]] of the [[Argentine Army]]. Unlike most other units that carried the title of grenadiers, the Mounted Grenadiers were a cavalry unit.]]
The [[Argentine Army]] still maintains a prestigious unit known as the [[Regiment of Mounted Grenadiers]] (''Regimiento de Granaderos a Caballo'')--actually a squadron-strength formation—which serves as the [[President of Argentina|Presidential]] ceremonial escort and guard unit. The regiment was founded in 1903 as a recreation of a unit that existed from 1813 to 1826 under the leadership of national hero General [[José de San Martín]].

Unlike most other units that carried the title of "grenadiers", the Argentine Grenadiers are a cavalry unit, and continue to mount horses for ceremonial purposes, as well as carrying lances and cavalry sabers.

===Belgium===
{{See also|Regiment Carabiniers Prins Boudewijn – Grenadiers}}[[File:GRENADIERS Belgium Tenue Tradition.jpg|thumb|Modern Belgian Grenadiers in pre-1914 full dress]]
The [[Belgian Land Component]] retains two regiments of grenadiers based in Brussels. First raised in 1837 from companies drawn from the line infantry of the newly independent kingdom, these troops served with distinction in both World Wars. In peacetime they had a ceremonial role that corresponded to that of royal guards in other armies. In 1960 the historic blue and red full dress worn prior to World War I was reintroduced for limited wear, although the tall bearskin headdress is now made of synthetic material.

===Canada===
[[File:10 Rideau Hall P1350154.jpg|thumb|[[Canadian Grenadier Guards]] in [[full dress]] guarding the main gate to [[Rideau Hall]], the [[official residence]] for the [[Monarchy of Canada|Canadian monarch]].]]
The [[Canadian Grenadier Guards]] is one of the longest serving units in the [[Canadian Army]]'s [[Primary Reserve]]. It still continues today, both in its reserve role and as a [[Ceremonial Guard (Canada)|ceremonial guard]] at the [[National War Memorial (Canada)|National War Memorial]], [[Rideau Hall]], and other places of symbolic importance.

The 10th Royal Grenadiers (later [[The Royal Grenadiers]]) of [[Toronto]] later became [[the Royal Regiment of Canada]] with tradition surviving in a grenadier company.

[[Winnipeg Grenadiers|The Winnipeg Grenadiers]] was one of the two Canadian infantry regiments of [[C Force]] that took part in the [[Battle of Hong Kong]] in December 1941. The regiment is currently on the [[Supplementary Order of Battle]].

===Chile===
The Presidential Horse Guards Cavalry Regiment "Grenadiers" (''Regimiento Escolta Presidencial n.1 "Granaderos"'') of the [[Chilean Army]] is active since 1827, has fought in every major battle of the Chilean Army in the 19th century and since 1840 and 1907 has served as the Escort Regiment to the [[President of Chile]] on important national occasions. This regiment is named after General [[Manuel Bulnes]] Prieto, the founding patron of the regiment, who led the Chilean Army and the anti-confederation North Peruvian dissidents to victory in the War of the Peru-Bolivia Confederation in the crucial [[Battle of Yungay]] in 1839, which signaled the confederation's demise.

The Chilean Grenadiers' uniforms, until 2011, were similar to the full ''[[Feldgrau]]'' uniforms of the Chilean Army, but adapted for the cavalry and like their Argentine counterparts, carry lances but not cavalry sabers, which are reserved for officers and the mounted colors guard escort. Starting in 2011, the regiment now wears a cavalry light blue full dress uniform with [[Pickelhaube]]s for all ranks.

===Ecuador===
The "Tarqui Grenadiers" serve as the Presidential Escort Squadron for the [[List of heads of state of Ecuador|President of Ecuador]]. The unit stands guard at [[Quito]]'s [[Carondelet Palace]] and retains the uniform worn during the [[Battle of Tarqui]] of 1829, reporting as part of the [[Ecuadorian Army]].

===France===
While the French army has not included any grenadiers since 1870, the grenade badge is still a distinctive mark of the  [[French Foreign Legion|Foreign Legion]], the [[French National Gendarmerie|National Gendarmerie]] and the [[Directorate-General of Customs and Indirect Taxes|French Customs]], which was a military unit until 1940.

===Germany===
[[File:ILÜ der Bundeswehr am 24.09.2012 -- Panzergr.jpg|thumb|A ''Panzergrenadier'' squad of the [[German Heer]]. A ''Panzergrenadier'' is the lowest rank of the German [[mechanized infantry]].]]
{{main article|Soldat (rank)#Germany}}
*Grenadier is the lowest rank (OR-1<ref name="NATO2">The abbreviation "OR" stands for ''"Other Ranks / fr: sous-officiers et militaires du rang / ru:другие ранги, кроме офицероф"''</ref>) in the Heeresteil (en: army part) of the Bundeswehr [[Wachbataillon]] (en: Bundeswehr guard battalion). 
*Furthermore, in the German [[German Army|Heer]] ''[[Panzergrenadier]]'' (en: armoured grenadier) is the lowest rank (OR-1) of the ''Panzergrenadieretruppe'' (en: [[mechanized infantry]]).

===India===
{{main article|The Grenadiers}}
The oldest grenadier regiment of the armies in the [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] belongs to the [[Indian Army]]. The concept of 'Grenadiers' evolved from the practice of selecting the bravest and strongest men for the most dangerous tasks in combat. [[The Grenadiers]] have the longest unbroken record of existence in the Indian Army.<ref>{{cite book|last=Sharma|first=Gautam|year=1990|title=Valour and sacrifice: famous regiments of the Indian Army|publisher=Allied Publishers|isbn=81-7023-140-X|page=9}}</ref>

===Italy===
The [[Granatieri di Sardegna Mechanized Brigade]] (''Reggimento Granatieri di Sardegna'') is currently part of the mechanized infantry brigade with the same name in the [[Italian Army]]. This unit traces its history back to a guards regiment raised in 1659 and is made up predominantly of one year volunteers. Historically, as the senior regiment in the Piedmontese and Italian armies the Grenadiers of Sardinia took the tallest recruits<ref>David Nicolle, page 21 "The Italian Army of World War I, {{ISBN|1-84176-398-5}}</ref> of each intake.  On ceremonial occasions the Italian Grenadiers parade in their 19th century blue uniforms and fur headdresses. The 1st Grenadiers of Sardinia regiment is currently (2010) the only infantry regiment of the Italian Army with two battalions (1st "Assietta" and 2nd "Cengio" Grenadiers battalions), and it is likely that in 2020 its 2nd Battalion will be detached to re-activate the 2nd Sardinia Grenadiers Regiment.

===Mexico===
In Mexico, Grenadiers (''Granaderos'') are armored specialist police units used for anti-riot duties and other security roles. The [[National Guard (Mexico)|National Guard]] maintains regional grenadier companies for public security duties, while performing law enforcement and wearing NG uniforms.

===Netherlands===
[[File:LG Prinsjesdag 2013 16.JPG|thumb|[[Grenadiers' and Rifles Guard Regiment|The Netherlander Grenadiers' and Rifles Guard Regiment]] was the amalgamation of the grenadiers guard regiment and the [[Jäger (infantry)|Jagers]] guard regiment.]]
{{Main article|Grenadiers' and Rifles Guard Regiment}}
The [[Royal Netherlands Army]] maintains a regiment of Guard Grenadiers who retain the bearskin headdress of the early 19th century. This regiment has been amalgamated with the Jager Guards to form the "''Garderegiment Grenadiers en Jagers''" Two of its companies are Jagers (riflemen), the other two are grenadiers; it wears the [[maroon beret]] and is an [[air assault]] and [[airborne forces]] trained unit.

===Norway===
In the [[Norwegian Army]] and [[Royal Norwegian Air Force|Air Force]], grenadier ({{langx|no|grenader}}) is used as a rank, the lowest enlisted below sergeant, to distinguish professional soldiers from [[conscripts]]. The grenadiers are employed for positions requiring more experience and/or professional presence. Fully professionalised units, such as the [[Telemark Battalion]], serve in international operations. Professional enlisted personnel in the [[Royal Norwegian Navy|Navy]] has the equivalent rank {{lang|no|matros}} ([[able seaman (rank)|able seaman]]).

===Spain===
There is one company of the [[1st King's Immemorial Infantry Regiment]], which during ceremonies, is authorized to use grenadier uniforms of the [[Charles III of Spain|Charles III]] period.

===Sweden===
The Grenadier Company is the [[Guard of honour|honor guard]] of the [[Swedish Army]]'s [[Life Guards (Sweden)|Life Guards]] for state ceremonies. Their uniform includes [[bearskin]] hats, and white baldrics (cross belts) that originally carried the fuses used to light grenades. The grenadiers bear the King's own Life Company banner, which was presented to the unit in 1868 by [[Charles XV of Sweden|Charles XV]]'s consort, [[Louise of the Netherlands|Queen Louise]].<ref>http://www.kungahuset.se: [http://www.kungahuset.se/royalcourt/wedding/historyandtraditions/theguardsbattalion.4.1a6f639212652d9b15a800012244.html The Wedding - The Guards Battalion] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718152639/http://www.kungahuset.se/royalcourt/wedding/historyandtraditions/theguardsbattalion.4.1a6f639212652d9b15a800012244.html |date=2011-07-18 }}</ref>

===Switzerland===

{{Main article|Swiss Kommando Spezialkräfte}}
In the [[military of Switzerland]], the Grenadiers form well trained [[mechanized infantry]] units.  They are used for especially challenging operations and are initially trained in [[Isone]], a secluded, mountainous region in the South of Switzerland. The [[Swiss Kommando Spezialkräfte]] specialize in [[urban warfare]], [[guerrilla warfare]], anti-terrorist operations, [[commando]] tactics, [[sniper]] missions, [[hand-to-hand combat]], and other special operations.

===United Kingdom===
{{Main article|Grenadier Guards}}
The [[Grenadier Guards]] are the most senior of the five prestigious regiments of Foot Guards, each of which retains the [[bearskin]] headdress originally associated with grenadiers.

Although the [[Coldstream Guards]] can trace their origins to an earlier date (1650) than that of the Grenadier Guards (1656), they are officially recognized as second in seniority since having been formed initially to serve the [[Commonwealth of England|Commonwealth]], their service to the Crown only dates from the [[Stuart Restoration|Restoration]] of the Monarchy in 1660.<ref>Major R.M. Barnes, page 26 "A History of the Regiments & Uniforms of the British Army", First Sphere Books 1971,</ref>

===United States===
[[File:211113-Z-IB607-1006 - M320 grenade launcher range (Image 1 of 16).jpg|thumb|A U.S. [[Army National Guard]] grenadier firing an [[M320 Grenade Launcher Module]]]]
The [[United States Army]] rifle squad consists of two [[fireteam]]s of four soldiers each, with the designated grenadier being equipped with an [[M4 Carbine|M4]]/[[M16 rifle|M16]] with the [[M203 grenade launcher]] (or newer [[M320 Grenade Launcher Module]]) slung under the barrel and providing limited high-angle fire over 'dead space'.<ref>[http://marines.mil/news/publications/Documents/FM%203-21.8%20%20The%20Infantry%20Rifle%20Platoon%20and%20Squad_1.pdf US Army Field Manual 3-21.8] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120916095440/http://www.marines.mil/news/publications/Documents/FM%203-21.8%20%20The%20Infantry%20Rifle%20Platoon%20and%20Squad_1.pdf |date=2012-09-16 }} (Infantry Rifle Platoon and Squad, formerly FM 7-8)</ref>

The [[United States Marine Corps]] rifle squad consists of three four-man fireteams including a team leader who also works as the M203 grenadier. During the [[Vietnam War]] there was one grenadier in the squad armed with an [[M79 grenade launcher]].

===Yugoslavia===

[[Bombaši]] (Serbian Cyrillic: бомбаши; "bombardiers" or "bombers") is the name widely used for the Yugoslav Partisan volunteer grenadiers, who had a significant importance in operations during World War II and are regarded as particularly heroic.