Queen’s Guard rookies forced to perform sex acts on each other in ‘horrific’ initiation ritual
By Ben Kelly
Two soldiers were forced to perform sex acts on one another during an initiation ritual to the Queen’s Guards at Pirbright Barracks in Surrey, it has been claimed.
The alleged ‘beasting’, which was instigated and encouraged by more senior troops, was also filmed and shared on messaging apps and social media.
The two men, age 23 and 28, had just completed seven months of training at Catterick, North Yorks, and a source told the Sun on Sunday, “They were welcomed in and greeted by a lot of the lads who were older and more senior. They were made to feel part of the group after their first week with 2 Company and felt like they were fitting in.”
On the night in question, in September 2015, the men were told to shower and join the group in a TV room to have some drinks and watch the Wales v Uruguay rugby match.
“They had probably heard rumours about initiation ceremonies at Catterick,” the source says, “where 2 Company is often referred to as The Gay Company. But there is no way they would have expected what was about to happen.”
After the game, it is alleged that some of the older guardsmen returned with more alcohol, and the evening took a sinister turn when the new recruits were ordered to strip and then forced to carry out sex acts on each other.
The source has said it was bullying of the highest order. “It was totally out of control. People should be in jail for this.”
The following morning, over breakfast, other guardsmen shared the video across email, WhatsApp and SnapChat, and mocked the men.
The source says, “The footage had spread like wildfire. Everyone was on their phones and pointing out the blokes it had happened to. They were mocked for being gay, although they were forced into the acts. It was horrific and worse than anything I have ever known in the Army.”
The footage was reported to the victims’ Regimental Sergeant Major, who apparently apologised to the men. The Military Police also got involved after the rape was reporter to them. A Lance Corporal is said to have been disciplined and five other soldiers have also reportedly been punished.
One of the victims is still with the battalion, but the other has left, after suffering psychiatric problems.
An Army spokesman told The Sun on Sunday: “We can confirm an incident did take place and details were referred to the Royal Military Police for an initial investigation. No allegations of coercive or criminal behaviour were made. However this behaviour is unacceptable and administrative action was taken against those present, with disciplinary measures taken against one individual.”
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