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"The March from Scipio" was composed for the First Guards by Handel
and was presented by him to the Regiment before its inclusion in the opera which was first performed in 1726.

The British Grenadiers

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The Grenadiers Slow March

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"The British Grenadiers" and "The Grenadiers March" were the marching tunes of the Grenadier Companies of the whole Army. They were adopted by the First Guards on becoming a Regiment of Grenadiers in 1815. The Grenadier Companies were the right flank Companies of Infantry Battalions. Their association with these two marches is perpetuated in the ceremony of Trooping the Colour when, whatever the regiment, The Escort for The Colour (the right flank company on parade) marches out to receive the Colour to the tune of "The British Grenadiers", and troops it along the line in slow time to the tune of "The Grenadiers' March".

The Regiment marches past in quick time to "The British Grenadiers", and into Camp or Barracks to "The Grenadiers' March", on which occasions the latter may be referred to as "The Grenadiers Return".

Research has shown that the words can reach six verses and therefore all known words to the verses are shown below.

Verse 1 
Some talk of Alexander,
And some of Hercules
Of Hector and Lysander,
And such great names as these. 
But of all the world's great heroes,
There's none that can compare
With a tow, row, row, row, row, row
To the British Grenadier.

Verse 3
Whene'er we are commanded
To storm the palisades
Our leaders march with fusees,
And we with hand grenades.
We throw them from the glacis,
About the enemies' ears.
Sing tow, row, row, row, row, row,
The British Grenadiers.

Verse 5
The God of War was pleased
and great Bellona smiles
To see these noble heroes
of our British Isles
And all the Gods celestial,
descending from their spheres,
Beheld with adoration
The British Grenadiers

Verse 2
Those heroes of antiquity
Ne'er saw a cannon ball
Or knew the force of powder
To slay their foes withal.
But our brave boys do know it,
And banish all their fears,
Sing tow, row, row, row, row, row,
For the British Grenadier.

Verse 4
And when the siege is over,
We to the town repair
The townsmen cry, "Hurra, boys,
Here comes a Grenadier!
Here come the Grenadiers, my boys,
Who know no doubts or fears!
Then sing tow, row, row, row, row, row,
The British Grenadiers.

Verse 6
Then let us fill a bumper,
And drink a health to those
Who carry caps and pouches,
And wear the louped clothes.
May they and their commanders
Live happy all their years
With a tow, row, row, row, row, row,
For the British Grenadiers.