Colours of some New Zealand Regiments

 Colours of  Le Régiment de la Chaudière (Canada)

The Regimental Colour basic design will vary depending on whether it represents a Guards, Highland or Infantry Regiment. In Guards Regiments the reverse is true; the National Flag forms the basis for the Regimental Colours, with the badge of one of the companies superimposed rather than the Royal Cypher; the central device of the Queen's Colour is the same as that of the Governor General's personal standard.

Battle Honours displayed on a Regimental Colour include the honours awarded to the unit for service prior to the First World War; a maximum of ten honours awarded during each World War; and a maximum of two honours awarded during the Korean conflict between 1950 and 1953. 

Foot Guards Regiments are required to emblazon their battle honours on both the Queen's and  Regimental Colours. Battle honours awarded to Rifle regiments are emblazoned on the appointments of that regiment, most commonly on the drums carried by the band or the cap badge of the Regiment. (Rifle Regiments in Canada traditionally do not carry Colours as they were originally ranger or scout units who had to operate without any fanfare, almost in secrecy).

At Le Régiment de la Chaudière, the Regimental Colours are highly esteemed and respected. The Colours are exposed in the Musée du Régiment at the Lévis Garrison. They are deployed during regimental parades and at the officer's annual Regimental Mess Dinner. As the Colours are carried along, all military personnel must stand at attention and salute them. It is now a tradition at our unit that during regimental parades the senior Lieutenant carries the Royal Colour and acts as the Colours Guard Commander. The junior Lieutenant is designated to carry the Regimental Colour. The Guard is also composed of a Master Warrant Officer or Warrant Officer and two Sergeants. Only the officers given the task can carry and manipulate the Colours. 

After every regimental parade, as required by the tradition, the Colours Guard Commander offers a Calvados (apple brandy) to the guard members and all toast to:

"A LA NORMANDIE" in memory of  D Day, June 6 1944

The Canadian battle honour system draws on the rich heritage of the British forces. British Battle Honours originated with the army, which granted its first honour in 1695 and subsequently recognized honours as early as 1513 to the Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms.

The Black Watch Of Canada

The Regiment bears twenty-seven Battle Honours. Honours in bold are emblazoned on the guidon.

A quick glance at their Battle Honours will show why this Unit can stand alongside Aussies at any time. They were there beside us at Ypres, Poelcapelle, Passchendaele, Menin Road and more.

Historic Canadian Colours

Note the Union Flag is the original square type, without a representation for Ireland.

The term "Regimental Colours" is descriptive of the infantry flags which evolved in the British Army, and refers to the two flags of a battalion, the senior of which is called the Queen's (or King's) Colour, and the junior, the Regimental Colour. Together they are referred to as a "stand" of colours.

The design and form of colours of the Canadian Forces today traces its history to a document entitled "Regulations for the uniform Clothing of the Marching Regiments of Foot, their Colours, Drums, Bells of Arms, and Camp Colours, 1747." In general, the regulations put a stop to a former practice wherein Colonels of regiments had placed a device or coat of arms on colours and appointments of regiments under their command. The new instructions gave the design of colours as:

• The King's, or First Colour, of every Regiment or Battalion to be the Great Union.
  The Second Colour to be the colour of the Facings of the Regiment with the Union in the upper canton...
• In the centre of each Colour is to be painted or embroidered in gold Roman characters the number of the Rank of the Regiment within a wreath of Roses and Thistles on the same stalk...

This regulation of design, with modifications, is still the basis of the design of Regimental Colours in the British Army today. The design of colours of the Canadian Army, although basically following the same rules as the British, now use the National Flag of Canada as the Queen's Colour (with the exception of Regiments of Guards).

The use of the term "King's Colour" in the 1747 regulations is the first recorded instance where it is used to describe the "First Colour" of a regiment.

Today, it is the custom to place on colours the names of distinctive battles in which the regiment took a prominent part. That custom did not originate until 1784 with the granting of the Battle Honour "Gibraltar." No Battle Honours were awarded for the American Revolution, as that war was basically a civil war, and a defeat for British arms.