Regulation Colours
Encyclopedia
United Kingdom
military
units usually carry two Regulation Colours. These are the Regulation Queen's Colour and Regulation Regimental Colour. These are often referred to as the Standard
or Ensign
.
Colours are the identifying battle
flag
s carried by military regiments to show where their respective troops should rally to in battle. Originally these were 6'6" x 6" in size, though have now been reduced to 3'9" x 3', as regiments no longer carry their colours on the battlefield.
Prior to 1743, each regiment was responsible for the design and quantity of standards carried, often with each company having its own design. In that year King George II
issued a royal warrant
to require each regiment to have, as their first colour, the King's colour. It was also to consist of the Union flag
throughout, as a symbol of royal allegiance. The second colour was to be the colour of the facings (uniform linings) of each Regiment, with the Union flag in the upper canton. When Regiments had red or white facings, this was to be replaced by the red cross of St George on a white background.
A second royal warrant was issued in 1747, requiring the Regimental number to be displayed on the colours. As many regiments at that time were known by the name of the Regimental Colonel instead of a number, this requirement was often ignored. On July 1, 1751 a third royal warrant was issued stating "No Colonel is to put his Arms, Crest, Device, or Livery on any part of the Appointments of the Regiment under his Command."
Over time, these colours have evolved to include the battle honors awarded to each Regiment, though these have also been limited.
Only one British Regiment carries more than two colours on parade. This is the Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding). The 'Dukes', uniquely, carry four colours. The second pair consists of a stand of honorary battle flags, which are the original size of 6'6" x 6'. These honorary colours, Queen's honorary colour and regimental honorary colour, were awarded to the 76th Regiment of Foot
, which later to become the 2nd Battalion of the Duke of Wellington's Regiment in 1808, by the Honorable East India Company
for their distinguished services during the Battle of Ally Ghur
and again at Delhi
between 1802 and 1804.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
units usually carry two Regulation Colours. These are the Regulation Queen's Colour and Regulation Regimental Colour. These are often referred to as the Standard
Flag
A flag is a piece of fabric with a distinctive design that is usually rectangular and used as a symbol, as a signaling device, or decoration. The term flag is also used to refer to the graphic design employed by a flag, or to its depiction in another medium.The first flags were used to assist...
or Ensign
Ensign
An ensign is a national flag when used at sea, in vexillology, or a distinguishing token, emblem, or badge, such as a symbol of office in heraldry...
.
Colours are the identifying battle
Battle
Generally, a battle is a conceptual component in the hierarchy of combat in warfare between two or more armed forces, or combatants. In a battle, each combatant will seek to defeat the others, with defeat determined by the conditions of a military campaign...
flag
Flag
A flag is a piece of fabric with a distinctive design that is usually rectangular and used as a symbol, as a signaling device, or decoration. The term flag is also used to refer to the graphic design employed by a flag, or to its depiction in another medium.The first flags were used to assist...
s carried by military regiments to show where their respective troops should rally to in battle. Originally these were 6'6" x 6" in size, though have now been reduced to 3'9" x 3', as regiments no longer carry their colours on the battlefield.
Prior to 1743, each regiment was responsible for the design and quantity of standards carried, often with each company having its own design. In that year King George II
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
issued a royal warrant
Royal Warrant
Royal warrants of appointment have been issued for centuries to those who supply goods or services to a royal court or certain royal personages. The warrant enables the supplier to advertise the fact that they supply to the royal family, so lending prestige to the supplier...
to require each regiment to have, as their first colour, the King's colour. It was also to consist of the Union flag
Union Flag
The Union Flag, also known as the Union Jack, is the flag of the United Kingdom. It retains an official or semi-official status in some Commonwealth Realms; for example, it is known as the Royal Union Flag in Canada. It is also used as an official flag in some of the smaller British overseas...
throughout, as a symbol of royal allegiance. The second colour was to be the colour of the facings (uniform linings) of each Regiment, with the Union flag in the upper canton. When Regiments had red or white facings, this was to be replaced by the red cross of St George on a white background.
A second royal warrant was issued in 1747, requiring the Regimental number to be displayed on the colours. As many regiments at that time were known by the name of the Regimental Colonel instead of a number, this requirement was often ignored. On July 1, 1751 a third royal warrant was issued stating "No Colonel is to put his Arms, Crest, Device, or Livery on any part of the Appointments of the Regiment under his Command."
Over time, these colours have evolved to include the battle honors awarded to each Regiment, though these have also been limited.
Only one British Regiment carries more than two colours on parade. This is the Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding). The 'Dukes', uniquely, carry four colours. The second pair consists of a stand of honorary battle flags, which are the original size of 6'6" x 6'. These honorary colours, Queen's honorary colour and regimental honorary colour, were awarded to the 76th Regiment of Foot
76th Regiment of Foot
The 76th Regiment of Foot was originally raised as Lord Harcourt's Regiment on 17 November 1745 and disbanded in June 1746. Following the loss of Minorca to the French, it was raised again in November 1756 as the 61st Regiment, but renumbered to 76th, by General Order in 1758, and again disbanded...
, which later to become the 2nd Battalion of the Duke of Wellington's Regiment in 1808, by the Honorable East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
for their distinguished services during the Battle of Ally Ghur
Battle of Ally Ghur
The Battle of Aligarh pronounced by British Colonialists as Battle of Ally Ghur was fought between the Maratha Confederacy and the British East India Company during the Second Anglo-Maratha War at Aligarh, India....
and again at Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
between 1802 and 1804.