Colour 1693

At the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris there is an early 18th century book entitled 'Les Triomphes du Roy Louis le Grand' This contains coloured drawings of Colours and Standards captured by the French Armies together with the name and year of the battle in which they were seized. There is no indication of which regiment they belong to but the British military expert Rev Percy Sumner researched them and linked them to their Colonels' coat of arms. The Colour illustrated here is based on a monochrome sketch and description from 'A History of the Uniforms of the British Army' vol I by Cecil C P Lawson. It was one of two similar Colours captured by the French at Landen or Neerwinden on 29th July 1693, when Charles Churchill was Colonel of the regiment. Lawson describes the Colours: 'Two dull yellow Colours with St George's cross edged white and a wavy saltire of crimson and black.' Two other Colours are described in Lawson's book. They were captured at Malplaquet in 1709. Although John Campbell, the Duke of Argyll, was Colonel of the regiment there are no armorial devices connected with him. Instead there is the crown and cypher of William and Mary (although that reign ended in 1702) placed on the cross of St George. The Colours had been altered after the Union of England and Scotland as the Scottish saltire has been added, appearing behind the red cross. It is not explained how these Colours were identified as being those of the Buffs.