R.C.—The late Duke of Wellington’s crest, with the motto in an escroll above, “Virtutis fortuna comes” (Fortune, the friend of pluck). The Elephant, superscribed “Hindoostan.”
The Duke’s crest consists of a three-quarter length rampant lion emerging from a crown and grasping in its fore-paws a flag bearing the cross of St. George.
The elephant with a howdah is obviously a badge gained for services in India.
The battle honours are: Dettingen; Mysore; Seringapatam; Ally Ghur; Delhi, 1803; Leswarree; Deig; Corunna; Nive; Peninsula; Waterloo; Alma; Inkerman; Sevastopol; Abyssinia; South Africa, 1900-02; Relief of Kimberley; Paardeberg.
This regiment, the only one named after a person not of royal blood, had a “battalion in the Bergen-op-Zoom disaster, but before the English, who had managed to get within the fort, were compelled to surrender, the Colour-bearers of the regiment were sent back over the walls with instructions to save the Colours as best they could. They were successful; in fact, not one Colour has ever been lost by this famous corps in battle.
“New Colours were presented in 1813, and these were carried at the battle of Waterloo two years later. The 33rd formed part of Halkett’s Brigade, which occupied the centre of the line, and was almost crumpled to pieces by the efforts of Napoleon’s massed guns. These Colours continued to be carried until 1830, when they were reported upon at Spanish Town as ‘very old, and scarcely to be distinguished as Colours.’
“The ‘Havercake Lads’ were present, as was only fit, at the funeral of the great Duke after whom they were named, in 1852, and the regimental Colour carried on that occasion underwent rather a curious adventure.
“When the Colours were brought from Glasgow to London for the ceremony, they were left in the house of Colonel Blake, of the regiment, in Portland Place, for a while. Now, although this particular set had never been in battle, they were in ribbons as the result of much bad weather in various climes, and their tattered condition struck pity to the feminine heart of Mrs. Colonel Blake.
“‘Men are so careless,’ she said to herself; ‘fancy letting them get into that state! I’ll mend the Colours for them.’
“The regimental Colour being white with a red cross, Mrs. Blake’s white silk wedding dress was just the thing for repairs—and for repairs accordingly it was used, and the offending Colour was nicely patched, to the consternation of the regiment when they saw it. But out of consideration for the lady’s feelings, the patches were never removed, and can still be seen quite plainly.