Honours to regiments for participation in naval actions appear also to have been bestowed with the same lack of system. When we remember that for many years prior to the Napoleonic wars, as well as throughout the period 1793 to 1814, detachments of troops were regularly employed in the fleet, it is certainly somewhat invidious that only three regiments should bear the naval crown on their colours and appointments. The Welsh is doubly honoured in having the words "St. Vincent," as well as the naval crown, with the date "April 12, 1782." The Queen's and Worcesters bear the crown, with the date "June 1, 1794." I make no pretence of giving an exhaustive list of the engagements in which soldiers have fought in the fleet. I merely wish to emphasize the fact that many regiments are entitled to the distinction conferred on the Queen's, the Worcesters, and the Welsh.
The headquarters of the 39th (Dorsets) was with Admiral Watson at the destruction of the nest of pirates at Gheriah, and subsequently accompanied him to the relief of Calcutta and the capture of Chandernagore. The 4th King's Own and 46th (Cornwall) were with Lord Byron in the action off Granada in 1779, the 14th (West Yorks) with Rodney at the Relief of Gibraltar. The 5th Fusiliers, 17th (Leicester), and 87th (Royal Irish Fusiliers) were with the same Admiral when he defeated De Grasse two years later. The headquarters of the 98th and a strong detachment of the 78th were in Sir E. Hughes's fleet in the five actions with Suffren in the Bay of Bengal in 1782-83. In his despatch Sir Edward alludes to the valuable services afforded by Colonel Fullerton, of the 98th. In the engagement of July 9, 1782, both regiments suffered severely.
Long prior to this the Grenadier and the Coldstream Guards were at the Battle of Solebay, in 1672, and the Royal Fusiliers were with Byng in the action off Minorca. The services of the Berkshires and of the Rifle Brigade in Nelson's fleet brought the battle honour "Copenhagen" to these distinguished corps, but they are without the crown to show that it was won for naval services.
I think I have written enough on "missing battle honours" to show that these distinctions are bestowed on no definite plan. Abyssinia represents a marvellous triumph of military organization, which gave the lie to the most ominous prophecies of disaster. Detroit, Reshire, and Charasiah record skirmishes rather than historic battles. Amboyna, Banda, and Ternate recall but minor deeds of glory. Martinique and Guadeloupe remind us of conquests oft repeated, with no permanent benefit to the Empire. Roleia and Vimiera are associated more with the humiliating Convention of Cintra than with military triumphs. On the other hand, the regiments which brought Ceylon, Dominica, and Mauritius under our flag are still unrewarded; for Marlborough's victories but four honours have been granted, four-and-twenty for those of Wellington.
When Reshire and Hafir find a place on our colours, surely room might be found for Schellenberg and Douai, for Menin, Nepaul, and Umbeyla. Minorca and its gallant defence might be embroidered side by side with Tarifa, El-bodon and Lerena with Sahagun, Ramnuggur with Aliwal, and Barcelona with St. Sebastian.
The names on our colours do indeed testify to our "far-flung battle-line." From Niagara to Pekin, from Copenhagen to the Cape of Good Hope, the British soldier has fought, and bled, and conquered. To record all the gallant deeds of the British army would be impossible. In this chapter it has been my endeavour to recall a few which have as yet found no place on our colours. There is still room for the names of many such victories which "by their results have left a mark in history, and which are familiar not only to the British army, but to every educated gentleman."
The names inscribed on our colours should be familiarized to every schoolboy, and, at the risk of being accused of militarism, I would suggest that in every Board school should be hung the facsimile of the colours of the county regiment, and that every lad should be taught the part that regiment has played in the building of our Empire—an Empire which is the heritage of every son of Britain. Under the territorial system the nation and the army are being drawn closer to each other. Battle honours are now no longer the peculiar property of the regiment which earned them, but are proudly borne by corps which have never seen a shot fired in anger, and thus they become a source of pride to the county to which those regiments belong. The men of territorial regiments and the boys of cadet corps all have their share in the battle honours of their county regiments.
History, we are told, is but a record of crimes. Those crimes cannot be laid to the charge of the men who, in obedience to orders, went forth to face death in the battles which are inscribed on the colours of our army. Those dead heroes lie in long-forgotten graves, but the humblest private among them was an empire-builder—a member of that advance guard of civilization which Great Britain has sent forth to the uttermost ends of the earth. Hateful though war be, few are the wars we have waged that have not ultimately brought peace and prosperity in their train, and there are still fewer names on our colours from which other lessons than those of tactics and strategy may not be learnt.