From the second half of 17th century, grenadiers were present in the majority of European armies. Originally, "grenadier" was the name for soldiers armed with hand-thrown fused grenades, but later, that became the name of chosen infantry, in particular, the senior right-flank regiment, mustered from the tallest and strongest soldiers.
Such a company existed in every British infantry battalion. Usually, they were used for shock attacks on strong points of the enemy. Frequently the grenadiers' bayonet attack was the culmination of battle, followed by breaking the enemy lines that led to a glorious victory.
Their advantage in strength and height, in combination with good training, made grenadiers very dangerous opponents.
Among all British grenadiers, the so-called Guards grenadiers, the First Regiment of foot soldiers, were especially renowned. Many soldiers of the regiment afterwards became sergeants in other units, spreading the morale and skills of the Guards grenadiers to the entire Royal Army.