William Windsor (goat)
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| William Windsor | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Nickname | Billy |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/branch | British Army |
| Years of service | 2001–2009 |
| Rank | Lance Corporal |
| Unit | 1st Battalion, the Royal Welsh |
| Other work | Whipsnade Zoo |
William Windsor (known as Billy), a goat in the military, was a lance corporal in the 1st Battalion, the Royal Welsh, an infantry battalion of the British Army.[1] He served as a lance corporal from 2001 until 2009, except for a three month period in 2006 when he was demoted to fusilier, after unacceptable behaviour during the Queens' birthday celebrations while deployed on active service with the battalion on Cyprus. He retired to Whipsnade Zoo in May 2009.
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Biography
The tradition of having goats in the military originated in 1775[2] when a wild goat walked onto the battlefield in Boston[2] during the American Revolutionary War and led the Welsh regimental colours at the end of the Battle of Bunker Hill.[3][4]
Billy, a Kashmir goat[5] from the royal herd at Whipsnade Zoo,[6] was presented to the regiment by Queen Elizabeth II in 2001.[7] He is said to be friendly, and likes meeting people.[1] The tradition is not new. Since 1844, the British Monarchy has presented an unbroken series of Kashmir goats to the Royal Welch Fusiliers from the crown's own royal herd.[8]
The royal goat herd was originally obtained from[8] Mohammad Shah Qajar, Shah of Persia from 1834-1848,[9] when he presented them to Queen Victoria as a gift in 1837 upon her accession to the throne.[8] Billy is thus descended from the same royal bloodline as the original herd.[10]
Military career
Billy — Army number 25232301[5] — is not a mascot, but a ranking member of the regiment;[1] since joining in 2001,[5] he has served overseas, and has met royalty.[1] His primary duty was to march at the head of the battalion on all ceremonial duties.[1] He was present for every parade in which the regiment participated.[1]
He spent two and a half years in Cyprus while the battalion was posted there, and has lived in Chester since their return.[1]
Goat Major
Billy had a full-time handler during his military service, Lance-Corporal Ryan Arthur, known as the Goat Major, who ensured Billy's welfare at all times.[1][6]
Temporary demotion
On 16 June 2006,[7] a parade was held to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's 80th birthday,[5] at the Episkopi base near Limassol, Cyprus on the Mediterranean island's south coast.[5] Invited dignitaries included the ambassadors of Spain, the Netherlands and Sweden and the Argentine commander of United Nations' forces on Cyprus.[12]
The deployment to Cyprus with the 1st Battalion was Billy's first overseas posting,[7] and despite being ordered to keep in line, he refused to obey.[7] He failed to keep in step,[12] and tried to headbutt a drummer.[13] The Goat Major, Lance Corporal Dai Davies, 22, from Neath, South Wales, was unable to keep him under control.[12]
As a result of his actions, Billy was marched before his commanding officer, Huw James, after being reported for "unacceptable behaviour"[5] and "lack of decorum".[12] He was reported through the chain of command, accused of disobeying a direct order,[12] and following a disciplinary hearing was demoted from lance corporal to fusilier.[12][1] The change meant that other fusiliers in the regiment no longer had to stand to attention when Billy walked past, as they had to when he was a lance corporal.[7]
The British Army in Cyprus had received a protest letter from a Canadian animal rights group demanding that the Army reinstate Billy as he was "only acting the goat" during the Queen's ceremony.[5] Three months later, on 20 September[5] at the same parade ground,[5] Billy regained his rank during the Alma Day parade which celebrates the Royal Welsh victory in the Crimean War.[5] Captain Simon Clarke said, "Billy performed exceptionally well, he has had all summer to reflect on his behaviour at the Queen's birthday and clearly earned the rank he deserves".[5]
Billy received his promotion from the Colonel of the Royal Welsh Regiment, Brigadier Roderick Porter.[5] As a result of regaining his rank, he also regained his membership of the Corporals' Mess.[5]
Billy is not the first goat in the army to have troubles. At one time a royal goat was "prostituted"[8] by being offered for stud services by the regiment's serving goat major to a Wrexham goat breeder.[8] First charged with lèse majesté,[14] the goat major was ultimately court-martialled under the lesser charge of "disrespect to an officer"[8] and reduced in rank.[8] The goat major claimed he did it out of compassion for the goat, but this failed to impress the court.[8] Another royal fusilier goat earned the nickname "the rebel", after he butted a colonel while he was stooped over fixing his uniform's trouser-strap.[15] The incident was described as a "disgraceful act of insubordination."[15]
Retirement
Following eight years of distinguished service,[6] Billy retired due to his age.[1]
On 20 May 2009,[6] he was led into his trailer by the battalion's Goat Major in full ceremonial dress,[1] including a silver headdress which was a gift from the Queen[16] in 1955.[17] Soldiers from the battalion lined the route from his pen to the trailer as he left the camp for the last time.[1] Billy returned to Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire.[1]
His replacement will be chosen from a herd on the Great Orme in Llandudno[1] in June.[6]
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