2nd Battalion Regimental Colour 1878-1902


This Colour post-dates the regiment's participation in the Zulu War of 1879 because it has the battle honour SOUTH AFRICA above the crown. The Second Battalion went on to India in 1880 and probably added the honour to their existing Colour. But there were changes made to the regulation on Colours in the year 1881 when the Cardwell Reforms took effect.

The honours of both battalions were to be displayed together on battalion Colours, arranged on a circular laurel wreath. The small Union Jack in the corner was to be removed. In the centre, within the Union wreath and below the crown, was a girdle inscribed with the new designation, and encircling either the special badge or any additional part of the designation, or the number of the battalion in Roman figures. Alternatively, the battalion number could be in the upper corner. Any other regimental devices went in the other corners.

There is a description of the regiment's Colours in Records and Badges of the British Army by Chichester and Burgess Short written before 1900:-

BATTALION QUEEN'S COLOUR - The Union throughout, with the titles of the regiment displayed in gold letters on a crimson centre and the crown over.

BATTALION REGIMENTAL COLOUR - Blue silk, with the number of the battalion in the first corner, and the Royal Cypher in gold on a crimson ground within the Garter in purple and gold, and the crown over, in each of the other corners. In the centre the Lion of England and the royal and territorial titles of the regiment displayed according to regulation. The battle honours on scrolls on the regulation wreath around. (The Colours now carried by the 2nd battalion were presented by the Queen at Windsor Castle on December 6th 1878.)

This last piece of information suggests that Infantry regiments did not have to change their Colours as soon as the 1881 regulation were issued. They were presumably not required to have the new Colours until the old ones needed replacing. They probably did replace them when Edward VII came to the throne and a new cypher was needed to replace the VR in the centre.


Regimental Colours | Regimental details


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by Stephen Luscombe