The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word VANGUARDS
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
V
A
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G
U
A
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More clues leading to the result VANGUARDS
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The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does VANGUARDS mean?
VANGUARDS noun- The leading units at the front of an army or fleet.
- (by extension) The person(s) at the forefront of any group or movement.