The colour of the second battalion varies but slightly from the others. The badge is a shield and not circular, a horn with the figure “2” is placed above the badge, and the union wreath is not of the standard pattern. The King’s colours in each case follow the usual type.
The Royal Militia of Guernsey possesses an artillery unit and two battalions of light infantry. Each of these latter has a blue regimental colour, bearing the three lions of England, with a sprig above, for the central badge and a laurel instead of the union wreath. There is no union flag on the regimental colour but the King’s colour reveals it according to rule. (Fig. 46).
Royal Military College, Sandhurst.—This school possesses a King’s colour of the usual infantry type and a blue colour of the regimental type. The central badge of both is the Royal Cypher. The latter reveals it surrounded by the union wreath and surmounted by the imperial crown. The Motto “Vires acquirit eundo,” appear on a gilt scroll. (Fig. 48).
In all the above cases, the lion and crown surmount the pole, and fringe, tassels, and cords follow the type used for the regular infantry.
CHAPTER IX
BATTLE HONOURS
Battle honours, or honorary distinctions as they are officially termed, form so important a part of the embellishments of regimental colours that it is necessary before concluding to give some short account of them. The reader must not expect in the following pages to find a complete history of every event, for such would fill many volumes; all that is aimed at is to give a few salient facts, such as will recall to mind the stirring deeds for which the battle honours stand.
In previous chapters we have given the honours accorded to each regiment, but it may be well to point out that some regiments possess honours which do not figure on their colours. Also, we may add, some battalions fly colours with honours not really won by them. This happens where two regiments have been amalgamated. In such cases, the unit which becomes the second battalion gives its distinctions to the first battalion and vice versâ. It is thus clear that regiments which are composed of two old regiments may have their honour rolls considerably lengthened by the process of amalgamation. For this reason, it is not always a fair test to judge the glory of a regiment by the number of distinctions which it owns. On this and other accounts, we have carefully refrained from giving a list of the various Army units ranged in order as indicated by their honours. All that we shall say on this matter is that the King’s Royal Rifle Corps, were we to compile such a list, would take first place and, unfortunately, it has no colours on which to display its fine prowess.
Abu Klea.—Battle fought on January 17th, 1885, by a small British army during the unsuccessful endeavour to reach Gordon in Khartoum. Colonel Burnaby was killed and the British square broken but reformed and the Mahdi’s tribesmen were beaten off.
Abyssinia.—This expedition was directed against Theodore, the Negus of Abyssinia, who seized the British subjects resident in his territory, because the English had refused to share in his quarrels with the Egyptians.
Aden.—Captured from the Arabians in 1839 by the British.