Colours, 1745


Up until 1743 the Colours of infantry regiments displayed their colonel's arms, crest or device. This practice was abolished by Royal Warrant in 1743. So all the line infantry Colours changed but the Guards were unaltered. Their Colours had always displayed devices or badges conferred by the sovereign. The five Colours shown here are:

The Royal Standard: Plain crimson with the cypher of George II with crown over and the four corners having the rose, thistle, harp and fluer-de-lys each with crown over. This standard was only carried on ceremonial occasions by the King's Company.

The Colonel's Ensign: Used as the King's Colour of the 1st Battalion. Plain crimson with a crown in the centre.

The Lieutenant-Colonel's Ensign: Used as the King's Colour of the 2nd Battalion. The Union Flag with the royal cypher and crown.

The Major's Ensign: Used as the King's Colour of the 3rd Battalion. The Union Flag with cypher and crown as well as a blaze or flame of gold issuing from the upper corner.

First Captain or 1st Company Colour: The Union Flag with the Company's badge in the centre and company number in the canton. There were 24 companies at this time and their Colours were used, in rotation, as regimental flags for the three battalions.


Regimental Colours | Regimental details


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by Stephen Luscombe