1st Battalion Regimental Colour 1881



This photo from the regimental history 'The Story of the Royal Scots - the Lothian Regiment' by Lawrence Weaver, published in 1915, shows the Queen's Colour above and the Regimental Colour below, with the elaborately embroidered Colour belts either side. The caption states that the regiment received these Colours from Queen Victoria in 1876. The crowns on both Colours are those of Queen Victoria but the battle honours indicate that these Colours were in use at least up to 1910.

The size of the Colours at this time was 3'9"x 3'. Up to 1881 the Regimental Colours for infantry regiments had the small Union in the upper canton. The Royal Scots retained the pre 1881 design for another 30 years. In the middle of this small Union there is a crowned thistle badge with the motto which is also in the other three corners. The title of the regiment is on a circle around the central VR cypher, THE ROYAL SCOTS REGIMENT. The collar of the Order of the Thistle encircles this, and the Union wreath surrounds the centre. The 29 honours are mostly in two columns either side of the centre but there are honours placed above and below the centre.

EGYPT and the Sphinx have the special place just below the Order of the Thistle. The original Colour in 1876 would have had 20 honours, arranged as follows:

On the left
EGMONT-OP-ZEE
BUSACO
VITTORIA
NIVE
NIAGARA
NAGPORE
AVA

On the right
ST LUCIA
CORUNNA
SALAMANCA
SAN SEBASTIAN
PENINSULA
WATERLOO
MAHEIDPOOR
ALMA
INKERMAN
SEVASTOPOL

Below, either side of EGYPT
PEKIN
TAKU FORTS

In March 1882 the honours for the Duke of Marlborough's victories were added, BLENHEIM, RAMILLIES, OUDENARDE and MALPLAQUET, and LOUISBURG from the Seven Years War. These were added to the top of the two columns. The next addition, in 1902 was SOUTH AFRICA 1899-1902 which was placed below the centre so that Taku Forts was moved to a new position just above Egypt.

In 1910 the belated honours for TANGIER 1680, NAMUR 1695 and HAVANNAH were added to the top. The honour for Pekin was originally awarded in Nov 1861, and was altered to PEKIN 1860 in June 1914. So this Colour went out of use some time between 1910 and 1914.



Regimental Details | Colours


Armed Forces | Art and Culture | Articles | Biographies | Colonies | Discussion | Glossary | Home | Library | Links | Map Room | Sources and Media | Science and Technology | Search | Student Zone | Timelines | TV & Film | Wargames


by Stephen Luscombe