Colours 1751

Up until 1747 the Colours of the infantry regiments were often based on the armorial devices of the Colonel, but the 1747 regulations abolished this practice and determined that each regiment or battalion should have only two Colours, the First or King's Colour, and the Second or Regimental Colour. The size was to be 6ft 6ins wide by 6ft 2ins on the pike. The pike or staff was 9ft 10ins long. The cords and tassels were of gold and crimson. The Union Flag at this time did not include the red saltire for Northern Ireland. The centre of the Colours would normally have the regimental number surrounded by a wreath of roses and thistles but in the case of the Buffs, and some other privileged regiments, there was the badge of the regiment which in this case was the green dragon. The regimental number is in the upper canton.