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                     THE FLAGS OF OUR FIGHTING ARMY


[Illustration:

  =1.= Second Troop of Horse Guards, 1687.
]

[Illustration:

  =2.= 5th Dragoon Guards, 1687.
]

[Illustration]

[Illustration:

  =3.= and =4.= 2nd Dragoon Guards, 1742.
]

[Illustration:

  =5.= General Grove’s Regiment (10th Foot), 1726.
]

[Illustration:

  =6.= 27th Inniskilling Regiment, 1747.
]

[Illustration:

  =7.= 103rd Regiment, 1780.
]

[Illustration:

  =8.= 14th Regiment (Second Battalion), 1812.
]

            PLATE 1. EARLY REGIMENTAL COLOURS AND STANDARDS




                               THE FLAGS
                          OF OUR FIGHTING ARMY
         INCLUDING STANDARDS, GUIDONS, COLOURS AND DRUM BANNERS


                         BY STANLEY C. JOHNSON,
                         M.A., D.Sc., F.R.E.S.
 Author of “The Medals of Our Fighting Men,” “Peeps at Postage Stamps,”
                                  etc.

                          WITH EIGHT FULL-PAGE
                          PLATES   IN   COLOUR


                          A. & C. BLACK, LTD.
                   4, 5 & 6 SOHO SQUARE, LONDON, W. 1




                             TO MY BROTHER
                                 IN THE
                       ROYAL GARRISON ARTILLERY.
                       A UNIT  OF  THE  ARMY  IN
                       WHICH THE  GUNS SERVE THE
                       PURPOSE   OF   REGIMENTAL
                               STANDARDS.


                            Published, 1918.

------------------------------------------------------------------------




                                PREFACE


Very little has been written in the past dealing with the subject of the
standards, guidons, colours, etc., of the British Army. Scattered
amongst Regimental histories, biographies of illustrious soldiers, and
military periodicals, a fair amount of information may be discovered,
but it is, of necessity, disjointed and difficult of viewing in proper
perspective. Many years ago, a capital book was written by the late Mr.
S. M. Milne, entitled “Standards and Colours of the British Army.”
Unfortunately, this work was published privately and, accordingly, did
not receive the full measure of appreciation which it merited.

Students of Army Flags should consult this book whenever possible; also
“Ranks and Badges of the Army and Navy,” by Mr. O. L. Perry; and the
articles which appeared in _The Regiment_ during the latter weeks of
1916. Messrs. Gale & Polden’s folders dealing with Army Flags are also
instructive.

The author wishes to acknowledge his indebtedness to Mr. Milne, Mr. O.
L. Perry, and the Editor of _The Regiment_. He is also very grateful for
the assistance extended to him by Lieutenant J. Harold Watkins and
Lieutenant C. H. Hastings, Officers in charge of the Canadian War
Records.




                                CONTENTS


  CHAPTER                                                           PAGE

        I.— INTRODUCTION                                               1

       II.— A HISTORY OF MILITARY COLOURS                              6

      III.— STANDARDS, GUIDONS AND DRUM BANNERS OF THE HOUSEHOLD      36
              CAVALRY, DRAGOON GUARDS AND CAVALRY OF THE LINE

       IV.— YEOMANRY GUIDONS AND DRUM BANNERS                         47

        V.— THE COLOURS OF THE FOOT GUARDS                            54

       VI.— THE COLOURS OF THE INFANTRY                               64

      VII.— COLOURS OF OUR OVERSEAS DOMINIONS                        115

     VIII.— MISCELLANEOUS COLOURS                                    121

       IX.— BATTLE HONOURS                                           124

 Appendix.— REGIMENTAL COLOURS OF CANADIAN INFANTRY BATTALIONS       139

      INDEX                                                          147




                         LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
                               IN COLOUR


 1.—EARLY REGIMENTAL COLOURS AND STANDARDS               _Frontispiece._

                                                             FACING PAGE

 2.—CAVALRY STANDARDS, GUIDONS AND DRUM BANNERS                       36

 3.—COLOURS OF THE FOOT GUARDS                                        54

 4.—SAVING THE COLOURS OF THE BUFFS AT ALBUHERA                       68

 5.—COLOURS OF THE INFANTRY OF THE LINE (REGULAR                      80
   BATTALIONS)

 6.—REGIMENTAL COLOURS OF THE TERRITORIAL FORCE                       98

 7.—COLOUR PARTY OF THE 15TH SIKHS                                   116

 8.—MISCELLANEOUS GUIDONS AND COLOURS                                122

------------------------------------------------------------------------




                            THE FLAGS OF OUR
                             FIGHTING ARMY.




                               CHAPTER I
                              INTRODUCTION


Ever since the time when the Romans went into battle, inspired by the
vexillum or labarum, military flags or colours have commanded a respect
bordering almost on the sacred. Our own history is crowded with
incidents which go to prove this contention. Who is there, for instance,
who has not heard of the gallant deeds of Melvill and Coghill, two
heroes who lost their lives in an endeavour to preserve the Queen’s
colour after the disastrous Zulu encounter at Isandlwana? Or let us take
the case of Lieutenant Anstruther, a youngster of eighteen, in the Welsh
Fusiliers. In defending the colour he carried up the treacherous heights
of the Alma, a shot laid him low, and eager hands snatched up the emblem
without a moment’s hesitation lest it should fall into the possession of
the enemy. No one thought of the danger which might overtake them whilst
guarding the cherished but conspicuous banner; all were resolved to
perish rather than it should be wrested from their grasp. And, let it be
said, five men won the Victoria Cross that day at the Alma for their
gallant defence of the colours. At the battle of Albuhera, in 1811, a
colour of the 3rd Buffs was carried by Ensign Thomas. The French
attacked in great force, and, surrounding Thomas, called upon him to
give up the silken banner. Thomas’s answer was discourteous, but to the
point; a moment later he lay dead, and the French bore away the flag
with triumph. To the credit of the Buffs, we must add that the emblem
was back in their possession before nightfall. These are just a few
cases in which men have been ready, and even eager, to make the great
sacrifice rather than lose their colours. They could be readily
multiplied a hundredfold.

Fortunately, we have now reached an age when valuable lives can be no
longer spent in defending military flags against the onslaughts of enemy
rivals, for, to-day, there is a rule in our army regulations which
forbids the taking of colours into the field of action. Before setting
out to meet the foe, they are placed in safe keeping, and the rites
which attend this ceremony partake of the utmost solemnity.

If military flags, which comprise the standards, guidons and drum
banners of the cavalry, and also the colours of the infantry, have been
reverenced in war, they are equally respected in peace time. They may
never be sent from place to place without a properly constituted escort,
which “will pay them the customary honours,” and an army regulation says
that “standards, guidons, and colours when uncased are, at all times, to
be saluted with the highest honours, viz., arms presented, trumpets or
bugles sounding the salute, drums beating a ruffle.” When new colours
are taken into service their reception is impressively conducted, and
the old ones are trooped before being cased and taken to the rear.

                  *       *       *       *       *

The following miscellaneous instructions are given in the King’s
Regulations with respect to military flags in general:—

  “Standards and guidons of cavalry will be carried by squadron
  serjeant-majors. Colours of infantry will be carried by two senior
  second-lieutenants, but on the line of march all subaltern officers
  will carry them in turn.

  “Standards, guidons and colours are not to be altered without the
  King’s special permission signified through the Army Council.

  “The consecration of colours will be performed by chaplains to the
  forces, acting chaplains, or officiating clergymen in accordance
  with an authorised Form of Prayer.

  “The standard of cavalry, or the King’s colour of battalions of
  infantry, is not to be carried by any guard or trooped, except in
  the case of a guard mounted over the King, the Queen, and Queen
  Mother, or any member of the Royal Family, or over a Viceroy, and is
  only to be used at guard mounting, or other ceremonials, when a
  member of the Royal Family or a Viceroy is present, and on occasions
  when the National Anthem is appointed to be played; at all other
  times it is to remain with the regiment. The King’s colour will be
  lowered to the King, the Queen, the Queen Mother, and members of the
  Royal Family, the Crown, and Viceroys only.”

Special regulations apply to the Brigade of Guards, as follows:—

  “The colours of the brigade will be lowered to His Majesty the King,
  Her Majesty the Queen, the Queen Mother, members of the Royal
  Family, the Crown, Foreign Crowned Heads, Presidents of Republican
  States, and members of Foreign Royal Families.

  “The King’s colour is never to be carried by any guard except that
  which mounts upon the person of His Majesty the King, or Her Majesty
  the Queen, or the Queen Mother.

  “The regimental colours will only be lowered to a field marshal, who
  is not a member of the Royal Family, when he is colonel of the
  regiment to which the colour belongs.

  “A battalion with uncased colours meeting the King’s Life Guards or
  King’s Guard, will pass on with sloped arms, paying the compliment
  ‘eyes right’ or ‘eyes left’ as required.

  “A battalion with cased colours or without colours, or a detachment,
  guard, or relief, meeting the King’s Life Guard or the King’s Guard
  with uncased standard or colour, will be ordered to halt, turn in
  the required direction, and present arms; but will pass on with
  sloped arms, paying the compliment of ‘eyes right’ or ‘eyes left’ as
  required, if the standard or colour of the King’s Life Guard or
  King’s Guard is cased.”

Two regulations which affect the whole of the Army may well be given in
conclusion:—

  “Officers or soldiers passing troops with uncased colours will
  salute the colours and the C.O. (if senior).

  “Officers, soldiers, and colours, passing a military funeral, will
  salute the body.”




                               CHAPTER II
                     A HISTORY OF MILITARY COLOURS


In the period 1633-1680, the first five infantry regiments, as we know
them to-day, were established, and this may be taken as a convenient
point from which to begin a study of the standards and colours of our
Army. Before this time the military forces of England and Scotland went
into battle with a full array of waving emblems, decorated with rampant
lions, powdered leopards, spread eagles, and other gaudily-painted
devices, but these were usually the symbols of the knights and patrons
who raised the forces. Such flags possessed much heraldic or
archæological interest, but few claims on the student of military lore,
and may be thus set aside with the reminder that, if knowledge of them
is required, it may be gained from such sources as the roll of
Karlaverok.

The first real military flags of which we have definite records were
those used in the Civil Wars. The cavalry possessed standards revealing
all manner of decorative symbols with mottoes telling of their leader’s
faith in God, their hatred for the enemy, and the trust which they
placed in Providence. The infantry forces bore colours devised with more
regularity of purpose. Each colonel flew a plain white, red or other
coloured flag; lieutenant-colonels were known by a flag bearing a small
St. George’s Cross in the upper left-hand canton; whilst other officers
possessed flags similar to those of the lieutenant-colonels but bearing
one, two, three, or more additional devices, according to rank, such
devices being lozenges, pile-wavys (i.e., tongues of flame), talbots,
etc., usually placed close up to the head of the staff.

At this period Scottish forces favoured flags bearing a large St.
Andrew’s Cross, in the upper triangle of which a Roman numeral was
placed to denote the owner’s rank.

In 1661, under the date of February 13th, what was probably the first
royal warrant to control regimental colours, was issued by the Earl of
Sandwich, Master of the Great Wardrobe. It ran:

  “Our Will and pleasure is, and we do hereby require you forthwith to
  cause to be made and provided, twelve colours or ensigns for our
  =Regiment of Foot Guards=, of white and red taffeta, of the usual
  largeness, with stands, heads, and tassels, each of which to have
  such distinctions of some of our Royal Badges, painted in oil, as
  our trusty and well-beloved servant, Sir Edward Walker, Knight,
  Garter Principal King-at-Arms, shall direct.”

This warrant is of much interest; it tells us that the early standards
were painted and not embroidered; that they were made of white or red
material—white was a sign of superiority, whilst red pointed to
extravagance, as it was more costly than blue, yellow, etc.; and it told
us that the Guards were to display the Royal badges, which they do to
this day. (All these badges are dealt with in a separate chapter.)

In later years, the small St. George’s Cross which, as we said above,
figured in the upper corner of the flag, gained more prominence and
filled the whole of the fabric. This may be considered the second period
in the history of regimental colours. The reader will readily see that
this change in English flags was brought about by contact with the
Scottish regiments which had flown for many years previously their
colours bearing large crosses of St. Andrew.

An interesting flag of this period is that of the =Coldstream Regiment=
(date about 1680). A drawing of it may be seen in the Royal Library at
Windsor Castle. The groundwork of blue taffeta is quite plain for the
colonel. The lieutenant-colonel’s banner is blue, with a large St.
George’s Cross, edged with white; whilst the major flew a similar
banner, to which was added a white pile-wavy issuing from the top
left-hand corner. The captains’ banners are like that of the major, but
bear a distinguishing Roman numeral to show seniority of rank.

                  *       *       *       *       *

In piecing together the history of the early Army flags, a certain
Nathan Brooks has given us much valuable assistance. He went to Putney
Heath on October 1st, 1684, to see the King review the troops, and was
wise enough to write down a description of the colours which figured in
the function. Probably no better account of the flags of this period is
still available. Here it is:—[1]

  “=The King’s Own Troop of Horse Guards and Troop of Grenadiers.=—The
  standard, crimson with the royal cypher and crown; the guidon,
  differenced only from the standard by being rounded and slit at the
  ends.

  “=The Queen’s Troop of His Majesty’s Horse Guards and Troop of
  Grenadiers.=—The standard and guidon as the King’s.

  “=The Duke’s Troop of His Majesty’s Horse Guards and Troop of
  Grenadiers.=—The standard and guidon of yellow damask, with His
  Royal Highness’s cypher and coronet.

  “=The Regiment of the Horse Guards= (now the Royal Horse Guards, the
  Blues), eight troops.—The standard of the King’s troop, crimson,
  with the imperial crown, embroidered; the colonel’s colour flies the
  royal cypher on crimson; the major’s, gold streams on crimson; the
  first troop, the rose crowned; the second, a thistle crowned; the
  third, the flower de luce, crowned; the fourth, the harp and crown;
  the fifth, the royal oak; all embroidered upon the crimson colours.

  “=The King’s Own Royal Regiment of Dragoons=, commanded by John,
  Lord Churchill.—The colours to each troop thus distinguished: the
  colonel’s, the royal cypher and crown embroidered upon crimson; the
  lieutenant-colonel’s, the rays of the sun, proper, crowned, issuing
  out of a cloud, proper, and is a badge of the Black Prince’s. The
  first troop has, for colours, the top of a beacon, crowned or, with
  flames of fire proper, and is a badge of Henry V. The second troop,
  two ostrich’s feathers crowned argent, a badge of Henry VI. The
  third, a rose and pomegranate impaled, leaves and stalk vert, a
  badge of Henry VIII. Fourth troop, a phœnix in flames, proper, a
  badge of Queen Elizabeth; each embroidered upon crimson.

  “=First Regiment of Foot Guards= (of twenty-four companies).—The
  King’s company, standard all crimson, cypher and crown embroidered
  in gold; the colonel’s white with the red cross (St. George’s), the
  crown or: the lieutenant-colonel’s,