The Old Colours 1881



This artwork is dated after 1922 and shows the old Colours of the 24th Regiment but with battle honours emblazoned up to the end of World War 1. A photo of these actual Colours taken in 1880 shows the tattered Queen's Colour without battle honours and the more intact Regimental Colour with 12 honours plus EGYPT on one side of the Colour. Up to that date the regiment had won 18 honours (plus EGYPT). This artwork lists 30 battle honours plus the Sphinx. This total includes 10 World War 1 honours that were emblazoned, and the honours for BURMA 1885-7 and SOUTH AFRICA 1900-1902.

The Regimental Colour of the 24th was green but after 1881 the regiment had white facings and were supposed to carry a Colour based on the flag of St George, white with a red cross. Also in 1881 it was ordered that the small Union Flag in the upper corner should be discontinued. It would seem from the addition of honours that these Colours were retained and paraded by the South Wales Borderers throughout the 24 years that they had the white facings.



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