Colours 1769

When the 42nd was granted royal status, in 1758, they were serving across the Atlantic so did not receive their new Colours until after they returned in 1767. Their uniforms had to have new facings so the buff lapels and cuffs were altered to dark blue. The Regimental Colour, on the right, is in the new Royal colour. Forbes in his history of the Black Watch quotes the Royal Warrant on 19 Dec 1768, applied to the 42nd Royal Highlanders:
'In the centre of the Colours, the King's cypher within the garter, and crown over it. Under it St Andrew, with the motto Nemo me impune lacessit. In the three corners of the second Colour, the King's Cypher and crown. On the Grenadier caps the King's crest; also St Andrew, as in the Colours. On the drums and bells of arms the same device, with the rank of the regiment underneath.'
The regimental number is now relegated to the upper canton of each Colour. The garter surrounding the royal cypher has the motto HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE. This arrangement was the privilege of regiments with royal status. Other regiments continued to have the number, or special device, in the middle. The new Colours were made up and presented to the regiment in 1769 while they were in Ireland.

Regimental Details | Colours