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| Category: Flags |
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| Royal
Military College of Canada |
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| Queen's
Colour |
The
Dedication |
Regimental
Colour |
The
year 2001 marks the 125th anniversary of the Royal Military College of
Canada. Since 1876, RMC contributed to Canada's rich military history by
developing officers who have served their country exemplifying the motto
of the College, "Truth, Duty, Valour". This important
milestone has been celebrated through number of significant events that
have occurred over the course of this year. One such event was the
consecration of new Colours (flags) for the College, on Saturday 29th
September 2001.
| A unit's Colours are the focus of its
pride and are treated with an outmost religious veneration, reverence
and respect. As such, the consecration of new Colours is a very
important event in a unit's history. It was therefore fitting the RMC's
125th anniversary celebrations include the consecration of new Colours.
Plans are now being made to "lay up" the old Colours for
display at Kingston City Hall, in a ceremony sometime in the late fall.
RMC Badge>> |
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The original regulation in the
Canadian Forces stated that the consecration of Colours had to be
carried out by a revered religious figure. Since the Royal Military
College of Canada reflects Canadian society by its mosaic of different
ethnic groups, cultures and faith traditions we believed it was
necessary for this celebration to have a multi faith spirit. As such,
our consecration ceremony included the main religions represented at the
College. Namely First Nations of
Canada; Buddhist; Christian; Hindu; Jewish; Muslim; Sikh; Zorastrian. |
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| Canadian
Maritime Command (Navy) |
![[Queen's Maritime color]](../images/flags/canada-navy.gif) |
White
silk, 36 x 45 inches, with the national flag of Canada in the canton. In
the center is the royal cipher on a blue background within a circlet of
roses ensigned with the royal crown, while in the lower fly is the mark
of the Navy, a flying eagle affronté superimposed on a fouled anchor
ensigned with a royal crown, all in dark blue. Gold and silver fringe,
cord and tassels. (Note: fringe is a surprise, since the Royal Navy and
Royal Australian Navy colours omit it. But the article by Harold Diceman
cited has a picture of the official design sheet, and it shows the
fringe.) http://flagspot.net/flags/ca^qclrs.html |
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| 123
years after the Queen's Colour of the 24th Regiment was saved from the
raging torrents of the Buffalo River in South Africa during the
Anglo-Zulu War of 1879, the Colours, currently located in Brecon
Cathedral, are about to be saved again - this time for posterity.
On the 22nd January 1879, during the
Battle of Isandhlwana, when the British Army suffered one of its
heaviest ever defeats at the hands of the mighty Zulu nation,
Lieutenants Melvill and Coghill were ordered to save the Queen's Colour
of the 1st Battalion of the 24th Regiment from falling into the hands of
the enemy. They managed to make the banks of the Buffalo River, but
there they lost their lives in their heroic attempt and the Colour was
washed away down river. Two weeks later it was recovered and returned to
the 1st Battalion who proudly carried it in its battered form for
another 55 years. Officers Melvill and Coghill were subsequently awarded
the Victoria Cross posthumously for their courage and valour.
The battle scarred Colours, which were
finally laid up in the Regimental Chapel in Brecon Cathedral in 1934,
are now beginning to show signs of decay. Such is the unique nature of
these precious Colours that the Colonel of the Regiment, Major General
Christopher Elliott decided to launch an Appeal to raise funds for their
conservation. Being a very expensive project, it was thought that this
would take some time to achieve, until an anonymous
benefactor offered to meet the costs outright.
As a result of such outstanding generosity, this work can begin straight
away. http://www.rrw.org.uk/news/colours.htm |
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