Colours of the 2nd Battalion 1896


When the Line infantry was reorganised in 1881, those English regiments with white facings had the flag of St George as the basis for the Regimental Colour. The small Union flag was no longer to be placed in the upper canton. The Queen's Colour was based on the Union flag and was to have no battle honours displayed on it.

In 1896 the regiment had 13 battle honours, two of these were GIBRALTAR and MARABOUT which were displayed in the lower corners as the Castle and Sphinx. The other 11 were on scrolls placed around the central device of a Union wreath inside which was a circular girdle inscribed with the regimental title, and a Roman numeral II in the middle, for the second battalion. In fact the only battle honour gained by the 54th at this stage was MARABOUT, the other 12 honours had been won by the 39th, now the 1st battalion. But both battalion Colours bore the combined Honours.

These Colours were used until 1904 when the Dorsets reverted to their grass green facings and replaced the flag of St George for a green Regimental Colour.


Regimental Colours | Regimental details


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by Stephen Luscombe