Ever since the time when the Romans went into battle, inspired by the vexillum or labarum, military flags or colours have commanded a respect bordering almost on the sacred. Our own history is crowded with incidents which go to prove this contention. Who is there, for instance, who has not heard of the gallant deeds of Melvill and Coghill, two heroes who lost their lives in an endeavour to preserve the Queen’s colour after the disastrous Zulu encounter at Isandlwana? Or let us take the case of Lieutenant Anstruther, a youngster of eighteen, in the Welsh Fusiliers. In defending the colour he carried up the treacherous heights of the Alma, a shot laid him low, and eager hands snatched up the emblem without a moment’s hesitation lest it should fall into the possession of the enemy. No one thought of the danger which might overtake them whilst guarding the cherished but conspicuous banner; all were resolved to perish rather than it should be wrested from their grasp. And, let it be said, five men won the Victoria Cross that day at the Alma for their gallant defence of the colours. At the battle of Albuhera, in 1811, a colour of the 3rd Buffs was carried by Ensign Thomas. The French attacked in great force, and, surrounding Thomas, called upon him to give up the silken banner. Thomas’s answer was discourteous, but to the point; a moment later he lay dead, and the French bore away the flag with triumph. To the credit of the Buffs, we must add that the emblem was back in their possession before nightfall. These are just a few cases in which men have been ready, and even eager, to make the great sacrifice rather than lose their colours. They could be readily multiplied a hundredfold.

Fortunately, we have now reached an age when valuable lives can be no longer spent in defending military flags against the onslaughts of enemy rivals, for, to-day, there is a rule in our army regulations which forbids the taking of colours into the field of action. Before setting out to meet the foe, they are placed in safe keeping, and the rites which attend this ceremony partake of the utmost solemnity.

If military flags, which comprise the standards, guidons and drum banners of the cavalry, and also the colours of the infantry, have been reverenced in war, they are equally respected in peace time. They may never be sent from place to place without a properly constituted escort, which “will pay them the customary honours,” and an army regulation says that “standards, guidons, and colours when uncased are, at all times, to be saluted with the highest honours, viz., arms presented, trumpets or bugles sounding the salute, drums beating a ruffle.” When new colours are taken into service their reception is impressively conducted, and the old ones are trooped before being cased and taken to the rear.

The following miscellaneous instructions are given in the King’s Regulations with respect to military flags in general:—

“Standards and guidons of cavalry will be carried by squadron serjeant-majors. Colours of infantry will be carried by two senior second-lieutenants, but on the line of march all subaltern officers will carry them in turn.

“Standards, guidons and colours are not to be altered without the King’s special permission signified through the Army Council.

“The consecration of colours will be performed by chaplains to the forces, acting chaplains, or officiating clergymen in accordance with an authorised Form of Prayer.

“The standard of cavalry, or the King’s colour of battalions of infantry, is not to be carried by any guard or trooped, except in the case of a guard mounted over the King, the Queen, and Queen Mother, or any member of the Royal Family, or over a Viceroy, and is only to be used at guard mounting, or other ceremonials, when a member of the Royal Family or a Viceroy is present, and on occasions when the National Anthem is appointed to be played; at all other times it is to remain with the regiment. The King’s colour will be lowered to the King, the Queen, the Queen Mother, and members of the Royal Family, the Crown, and Viceroys only.”

Special regulations apply to the Brigade of Guards, as follows:—

“The colours of the brigade will be lowered to His Majesty the King, Her Majesty the Queen, the Queen Mother, members of the Royal Family, the Crown, Foreign Crowned Heads, Presidents of Republican States, and members of Foreign Royal Families.

“The King’s colour is never to be carried by any guard except that which mounts upon the person of His Majesty the King, or Her Majesty the Queen, or the Queen Mother.

“The regimental colours will only be lowered to a field marshal, who is not a member of the Royal Family, when he is colonel of the regiment to which the colour belongs.

“A battalion with uncased colours meeting the King’s Life Guards or King’s Guard, will pass on with sloped arms, paying the compliment ‘eyes right’ or ‘eyes left’ as required.

“A battalion with cased colours or without colours, or a detachment, guard, or relief, meeting the King’s Life Guard or the King’s Guard with uncased standard or colour, will be ordered to halt, turn in the required direction, and present arms; but will pass on with sloped arms, paying the compliment of ‘eyes right’ or ‘eyes left’ as required, if the standard or colour of the King’s Life Guard or King’s Guard is cased.”

Two regulations which affect the whole of the Army may well be given in conclusion:—

“Officers or soldiers passing troops with uncased colours will salute the colours and the C.O. (if senior).

“Officers, soldiers, and colours, passing a military funeral, will salute the body.”