On the First Day of November 1919, the First Cadet Battalion of the Royal West Kent Regimant held a full Battalion parade at Woolwich. Over 1000 Officers, Adults and Cadets attended. The parade had been organised for an unprecedented occasion. The First Cadet Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment was presented with a Colour. Dedicated and presented by Lady Waring it was consecrated by the Bishop of Southwark over the Regimental drums before being trooped under armed escort in front of the whole parade. Since that day it has never paraded without an armed escort and never will.

So why did the First Cadet Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment, come to be presented with Colours? The reason why is uncertain. Certainly a massive group of several hundred Officers and Cadets enlisted in at Bromley to formed the 1/5 Battalion (and later another Battalion, the 2/5) of the Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment. All joined wearing their cadet uniform and no doubt after training, many still may have worn some of their cadet uniform. The Volunteer battalions supplied many drafts of recruits for the Regular battaliosn and ex-cadets fought in every theatre of the Great War. The 1/5 was the only Volunteer battalion that saw action, fighting teh Turkish Army in Mesopotamia. They had fought and died in the uniform of a Cadet of the First Cadet Battalion and as such, maybe it was felt that this and the fact that the Battalion had supplied seven thousand recruits to other Battalions, should be commemorated with a Colour. Even so, exactly why a Colour was presented to a Cadet Battalion is unknown. It was an unprecedented step and one never to be repeated anywhere in the country.

Recently we have found out that although no record exists of a Royal Patent for the design of our Colour, there are plenty of precedents for Colours to be presented and consecrated. Our Colours are therefore not Queens Colours, but Regimental Colours, or more properly, The Colours of 10 (Kent) Cadet Regiment.

In 1979 after 65 years service our Colours were by now showing their age and the Union was in need of repair. The Union was partly replaced and the OC, Lt Col Jones himself embroidered the new badges onto the Colour. In a similar tradition to the original presentation, the Colour was re-presented by his wife to the Regiment. The Emblems, Cords, Jack and Finial of the old colour were transferred to the new by his Lady wife.

The Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment Museum in St Faith's Street, Maidstone, Kent is an excellent source of information. The current curator, Colonel Waring (son of Lady Waring) is willing to undertake limited research and any new information is welcomed. Feel free to do some research, the museum in Maidstone is free.

The Colours were held at SE London Sector headquarters at Blackheath for many years and only ever saw the light of day on Annual Camp. Recent research and heightened awareness of the significance of our Colours, has led to a demand for it to be permanently housed at 10 Regiment RHQ and only returned to the SE London Sector Officers mess during Annual Camp. It now accompanies the Regiment wherever it goes, and is moved under escort as proudly as any Regular Line battalion.

Today, the Colour is only ever paraded if it is lifted and carried by the junior Subaltern of the Regiment as it has always been, since 1st November 1919. An armed Escort to the Colour composed of cadets accompanies the Colour on parade, under the watchful eye of an adult Warrant Officer as Escort Commander. To do otherwise would be the grossest insult we could pay the Regiment and those for whom it was awarded.

What are Colours?

The Colours are more than flags. They are more than the emblem of a Regiment. If the Officers and men of a Regiment form the body, the Colours are the traditions, the memories and the soul. All Line Battalions and most support Regiments have Colours (or Guidon for mounted Regiments)

The Regimental Colours really are the embodiment of a Regiment. They are not only a locating symbol, though hardly used for this purpose in these days, but also record the proud and costly history of each Regiment. The Colours carry upon them all the battle honours of the Regiment and as such have major significance for each and every soldier in that Regiment. In battles, they were carried by young Officers and guarded with unbelievable tenacity by Sergeants armed with viciously sharp halberds. Extraordinary feats of bravery and sacrifice were commonplace in the effort to keep the Colours flying. For a Regiment to lose its Colours in battle was a considered a disgrace and may even result in it being disbanded or amalgamated.

The Regiments of Foot Guards participate in the annual Trooping of the Colour. The origin behind this ceremony is that to enable the Colours to be recognised by the soldiers, the Colours were trooped or paraded in front of them. The Trooping of the Colour parade is now entwined with the official birthday of the Sovereign.

The Origins of Colours

The origin of flag symbols can be traced back to the dim beginnings of history. Over 5000 years ago in India there was the "Cult of the Standard".

In the time of Julius Caesar standards were made of metal, but with the advent of the Christian era they were made of cloth, silk or damask. There developed for this precious symbol of unity, a reverence for its own sake, endorsed by the religious practice of blessing a banner before it was carried into battle. That the Roman legions fought fiercely to protect their eagle standards and suffered disgrace for their loss illustrates just how highly prized such things became. They were so highly prized that the bearer became the enemy's prime target.

Colours served as identification. In days of old they were hung outside the Battalion or Regimental headquarters after a good day's battle. They identified their headquarters so if a soldier was lost, he knew where the rest of his Regiment was.

In the heat of battle, flags and pennants would indicate friendly forces and enemies. A raised Colour meant that the Regiment was still functioning. For a General, commanding a battle, if a Regiment still had Colours flying, then they were still a viable fighting unit. These flags served as a rallying point in the field of battle. When the Colour was held aloft the troops knew the position of their leader. To lose the flag often meant that one's leader was lost. Therefore the importance of "Keeping the flag flying" was very great.

The Seventeenth, Eighteenth and Nineteen Centuries saw dramatic developments in weaponry. With the introduction of modern weapons the casualty rate among Colour and Guidon Bearers increased alarmingly. So high was the mortality rate of Colour Bearers during the Crimean War that in subsequent European wars, British Colours were not carried into battle.

There was a tendency for Colonels of Regiments to personalise his own Battalion's Colour and insignia. George III abolished the personal aspect in 1743 when a warrant stated "No Colonel shall put his arms, crest device or livery in any part of the appointments of his Regiment". The same warrant directed the number of the Regiment to be painted in the centre of the Regimental or second colour inaugurating the Regimental aspect. Varying colours were carried by Regiments until 1751 when it was decreed that only two colours would be carried in future - The King's (or Queen's) and the Regimental Colour.

Reverence and Traditions
The tradition of Colours and the strict conventions applied and the respect accorded them must be a matter of common knowledge for every soldier.

An officer or soldier passing uncased Queens or Regimental Colours of any Regiment (any Nationality) is to salute them.
They do not leave the Battalion's possession even when it's on active service.
They may only be carried by members of the Battalion they belong to.
The Colours are always guarded with an armed escort when on parade and when on display.
At other times, when not in the Officers Mess, an armed guard is mounted over them.
When they are being moved, they are moved under armed escort.
When the Colours are not being carried they are generally housed in the Officers Mess.
Gloves are to be worn at all times while carrying the Colours.

The Colours are the focal point of all that make a regiment great. They are consecrated symbols embodying the loyalty, spirit and traditions of the Regiment or Battalion to which they belong.

The Sovereign's Colour is a reminder to all ranks of their loyalty and duty to their Sovereign and their Country.
The Regimental Colour is a symbol of Regimental tradition and of the duty owed by each member to the Regiment.
Battle Honours are emblazoned on the Regimental Colour.
In some cases the Battle Honours are emblazoned on the Sovereign's Colour.
There is a limit of 10 Battle Honours on any Colour.

Guidons

A Guidon is an heraldic banner carried by Cavalry Regiments, the equivalent of the Colours borne by Regiments of line infantry. Until about a century ago, Guidons were taken into battle as the distinguishing symbols and rallying points for fighting units. The word derives from the Italian guidone meaning 'guide' or 'marker' and/or the Middle French corruption guyd-hommes, hence it is the focus for soldiers in battle. Traditionally, the carrying of a Guidon or Colour remained the exclusive privilege of those who fought face to face with the enemy, namely the Cavalry and the Infantry but on May 10th 1994 in recognition of its role on the modern battlefield, Her Majesty The Queen was graciously pleased to authorise the grant of a Guidon to the Army Air Corps, and the emblazoning of Honours on it.

Banner and Standards
Banners are treated in a way very similar to Colours. They are accorded high respect and compliment. They are not, however, accorded quite the same level of respect as a Colour. A Standard is a marching and identification flag carried on a staff for a minor unit. It is respected, but not accorded compliments.

Types of Colours, Banners, etc, in Modern British Army

A Regimental Colour is a consecrated symbol for a Battalion of a Regiment of Foot (and some support arms, though not Artillery*). It is equal in status to the Queens Colour.
The Queens (Kings) Colour is presented to Battalions to show their allegiance to the Sovereign.
A Guidon is also consecrated and holds the same status as a Colour but is for a Regiment of Horse (and AAC).
The Queens Guidon has the same status as a Queens Colour for Regiments of Horse.
A Banner holds a lesser status and is for some support Regiments, Reserve units and the ACF (and for some ACF counties and sectors)
A Standard is a carried flag for individual units
A Flag is an identity flag flown from a mast (except a Union**)
A Pennant is a small triangular identity flag flown from a mast to indicate a Unit HQ in a large concentration.

*The Guns (any Gun on parade hold the same symbol as Colour for Artillery units
**The Union should be flown from dawn to dusk. It should be served on the highest mast, higher than any other flags except the Soverigns Standard.

The Royal Artillery

The Royal Artillery does have Colours, but they do not use flags. The Colours of the Royal Artillery are its Guns. The historical explanation goes back to the days when the largest piece in an artillery train carried the equivalent of today's Queen's Colour and it was known as the 'Colour' or 'Flag Gun'.

In the latter part of the eighteenth century this practice ceased and the guns themselves became the Colours. The reasoning behind this fits very well into the concept of the Colour. In the days when the infantry carried their Colours into battle they were to be found in the centre of the front rank, a position in which they were easily seen and recognised, for they acted as a rallying point for the soldiers. The rallying point for Gunners has always been their own Guns. Up until the turn of the century Guns were deployed in the open, in full view of the enemy, and the detachments were instilled with the tradition of serving their guns under fire and to abandon them was, and still is, the ultimate disgrace.

On ceremonial occasions the guns on parade are accorded the same compliments as the Colours and Guidons of the Infantry, Cavalry and Support Arms. The guns on parade, be they a Regiment, a Battery, a Section or even a single Gun, constitute the Colours. Therefore, every Royal Artillery contingent that has a Gun, has its own Regimental Colours. All the guns are paid the correct compliments and respect, not just the first gun of the group. Although the Guns are the Colours there comes a time when a Unit needs a flag. Here is where a Banner or Standard is called for.

The main differences between Colours/Guidons, Banners and Standards

	Colours/Guidons	Banners	Standards
Dedicated	Yes	Yes	No
Presented	Yes	Yes	Yes
Consecrated	Yes	No	No
Royal Patent required	Queens Colour only	No	No
Trooped	Yes	No	No
Paraded	Yes	Yes	Yes
Carried on informal parades	Not normally	Not Normally	Maybe
Carried by	Officer	WO or senior NCO	Anyone
Escort required	Yes	Yes	No
Escort Commander	WO or Senior NCO	NCO or WO	Anyone
Escort Armed	Yes	No	Not applicable
Number in Escort on parade	At least 16, no maximum	Maximum of 6	Not Required
Moved under armed escort	Yes	No	No
Saluted	Yes	Yes	No
Ranks stand to attention	Yes	Yes	No
Lowered on Last Post	Yes, if on parade	Yes, if on parade	Yes, if on parade
Kept in Officers Mess	Yes	Yes	No
Laid up on retirement	Yes	No	No
Carries Battle Honours	Yes	No	No
Can have Union as Primary	Yes	No	No
Can have Union as Canton	Maybe	Yes	No
Can carry Regimental Insignia	Yes	Yes	Yes
Coloured according to Regt	No	Yes	Yes
Can have Jack Finial (crest)	Yes	Yes	No
Can have Pike Finial (spear)	Yes	Yes	Yes
Can have Cords	Yes	Yes	Yes
Can have Fringe	Yes	Yes	Yes
Gauntlets or gloves required	Yes	No	No
Service Dress required	Yes	No	No