Colours, 1685


These Colours were provided for the King's Guards on the coronation of King James II on 3rd May 1685. James, for some reason, abolished the company Colours with their individual devices, and replaced them with these. The Royal Standard of the King's own company was of crimson silk embroidered in the centre with the cypher JR for Jacobus Rex, and the crown. The colonel's also of crimson silk with no device. The lieutenant-colonel's is the flag of St George, this being the national flag before the Union of 1707. The major's Colour is the same but with a pile wavy in the top canton. The most senior captain's company had the cypher and crown on the national flag. The second captain's company had two cyphers and crowns, the third captain had three cyphers and crowns and so on up to the 20th company. In 1696, under King William III, the company badges were restored.


Regimental Colours | Regimental details


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by Stephen Luscombe