COMPANY COLOURS

(The badges shown on this page are as illustrated in the pattern book held at Regimental Headquarters. Each would be superimposed as a Union Flag when used as a Company Colour, as shown in the template below).

The Company Colours derive from the colours carried prior to the permanent establishment of battalions in 1751.

 

Today they are made of either silk or bunting and measure 20 ½ inches by 18 ½ inches.  The  Buntings are used to mark the location of the Company Headquarters in barracks or in the field in both peace and war.  The silks are used as marking points on ceremonial parades.

 

Each Company Colour is based on the Union Flag and bears the company badge in the centre.  It is embroidered on the silks, and painted on the buntings. These badges are Royal badges that have been granted for use by the Regiment.  Sixteen badges were granted initially, followed by a further eight in 1897 on the formation of the Third battalion.

 

With the formation of the 4th and 5th Battalions during the World Wars, badges were allocated to them without any apparent sequence.

 

The Colours from the Colonel’s, Lieutenant Colonel’s and Major’s Companies are now used by the following;

 

 

                Colonel’s Colour......................................Colonel of the Regiment

                Lieutenant Colonel’s Colour........................Regimental Lieutenant Colonel

                Major’s Colour........................................Commanding Officers of the Battalions

 

 

Company Badges

(Red shows bunting in use at present)

 

"Colonels colour as used as the King's Colour of the 1st Battalion by adding Battle Honours and Honourary Distinctions"

 

Colonel’s Colour

Gules (Crimson):

in the centre the Star of the Order of the Garter proper, ensigned with the Crown.

 

 

 

Lieutenant Colonel’s Colour

Gules (Crimson):

in the centre a star of eight points argent within the Garter proper, ensigned with the Crown: in the dexter canton, the union.

 

 

Major’s Colour

Gules (Crimson):

in the centre the star of the order of the Garter proper, ensigned with the Crown: in the dexter canton, the Union, in issuing there from in bend a pile wavy.

 

 

1st Captain’s

On a Mount vert, alion sejant guardant, his tail passed between his legs and reflexed over his back, argent.

First used by: Edward VI

Pre-1913   No2 Coy 1st Bn

1913-62   No1 Coy 1st Bn (Coy 2IC)

Post 1962   No1 Coy 1st Bn

 

 

 

 

2nd Captain’s

The Prince of Wales’s Three Feathers, argent, quilled or, out of a Prince’s Coronet.

First used by: Edward, son of Edward III

Pre-1913   No3 Coy 1st Bn

1913-62   No2 Coy 1st Bn

Post 1962   No2 Coy 1st Bn

 

 

 

 

3rd Captain’s

On a Mount vert, a Panther guardant argent, spotted sable, azure and gules, and sending forth flames of fire proper from his mouth and ears. 

First used by: Henry VI

Pre-1913   No4 Coy 1st Bn

1913-43   No2 Coy 1st Bn  (Coy 2IC)

1943-62   Support Coy 1st Bn

Post 1962   No3 Coy 1st Bn

1918-19 No 3 Coy 4th (Pioneer) Bn 1918-20

 

 

 

4th Captain’s

Two swords in saltire, with points upwards, argent, Hilts and Pommels.

First used by: George I

Pre-1913   No 5 Coy 2nd Bn

1913-62   No3 Coy 2nd Bn

Post 1962   Support Coy 1st Bn            

 

 

 

 

5th Captain’s

St George slaying the Dragon, all proper

First used by: George I

Pre-1913   No 4 Coy 2nd Bn

1913-43   No2 Coy 2nd Bn  (Coy 2IC)

1943-62   Support Coy 2nd Bn

Post 1962   HQ Coy 1st Bn

1918-19   No1 Coy 4th (Pioneer) Bn

 

 

 

6th Captain’s

A Rose gules seeded or, barbed vert, within the Garter

First used by: Henry IV

Pre-1913   No2 Coy 2nd Bn

1913-42   No1 Coy 2nd Bn  (Coy 2IC)

Post 1962   Spare

1918   No4 Coy 4th (Pioneer) Bn
Post 2003   No6 Coy Coldm Gds (formed on Battle Group Exercises)

 

 

 

 

 

7th Captain’s

On a Mount vert, a Centaur with a bow and arrow proper.

First used by: Stephen

Pre-1913   No3 Coy 2nd Bn

1913-62   No2 Coy 2nd Bn

1962-93   No1 Coy 2nd Bn

Post 1993   No7 Coy Coldm Gds

 

 

 

8th Captain’s

Two Sceptres in saltire.

First used by: George I

Pre-1913   No8 Coy 1st Bn

1913-62   No4 Coy 1st Bn  (Coy 2IC)

1962-93   No2 (Sp) Coy 2nd Bn

2000-02   No8 Coy Coldm Gds

 

 

 

 

9th Captain’s

The Knot of the Collar of the Order or, within the Garter.

First used by: George I

Pre-1913 No8 Coy 2nd Bn

1913-62   No4 Coy 2nd Bn  (Coy 2IC)

1962-93   No3 Coy 2nd Bn

1918-19   Commanding Officer 4th (Pioneer) Bn

 

 

 

 

 

10th Captain’s

An Escarbuncle.

First used by: Henry II

Pre-1913   No5 Coy 1st Bn

1913-62   No3 Coy 1st Bn

1962-93   No4 Coy 2nd Bn

 

 

 

 

 

11th Captain’s

On a Mount vert, a Boar passant, argent, armed, tusked, and bristled.

First used by: Richard III

Pre-1913   No1 Coy 2nd Bn

1913-62   No1 Coy 2nd Bn

1962-93   HQ Coy 2nd Bn

 

 

 

12th Captain’s

On a Mount vert, a Bull passant, argent, armed.

First used by: Henry VII

Pre-1913   No1 Coy 1st Bn

1913-1962   No1 Coy 1st Bn

Post 1962   Spare

 

 

 

13th Captain’s

A rose gules, surmounted by another argent, barbed and seeded proper, empaled with a Pomegranite or, stalked also proper.

First used by: Queen Mary

Pre-1913   No7 Coy 1st Bn

1913-62   No4 Coy 1st Bn

Post 1962   No13 Coy Coldm Gds

 

 

 

 

 

 

14th Captain’s

On a Mount vert, a Horse current, argent.

First used by: George I

Pre-1913   No6 Coy 2nd Bn

1913-23   No3 Coy 2nd Bn  (Coy 2IC)

1923-62   HQ Coy 2nd Bn

Post 1962   Spare

1918-19   No2 Coy 4th (Pioneer) Bn

 

 

15th Captain’s

The Crown of Charlemagne, all proper.

First used by: George I

Pre-1913   No6 Coy 1st Bn

1913-23   No3 Coy 1st Bn (Coy 2IC)

1913-62   HQ Coy 1st Bn

Post 1962   No15 Coy Coldm Gds

 

 

 

16th Captain’s

Out of a Ducal Coronet a pillar proper, the top adorned with a Coronet and Plume of three Peacock’s Feathyers proper, charged with a Star argent; on either side of the Pillar, out of the Coronet, a Sickle argent, handles gules, the backs adorned with small tufts of Peacocks Feathers, and between the sickles before the pillar a Horse current argent.

First used by: George III

Pre-1913   No7 Coy 2nd Bn

1913-62   No4 Coy 2nd Bn

Post 1962               Spare

 

 

 

17th Captain’s

The Royal and Imperial Monogram of Her late Majesty Queen Victoria, Empress of India in Gold letters.

First used by: Queen Victoria

Pre-1913   No1 Coy 3rd Bn

1913-62   No1 Coy 3rd Bn

Post 1962   No1 Coy 3rd Bn

 

 

 

18th Captain’s (Picture shown is a Regimental Colour with Battle Honours).

On a Mount vert, an Heraldic Tiger argent, armed, unguled, tufted, ducally gorged and chain reflexed over back.

First used by: Henry IV

Pre-1913   No2 Coy 3rd Bn

1913-62   No4 Coy 3rd Bn

Post 1962   No2 Coy 3rd Bn

 

 

 

 

 

19th Captain’s

A Rose gules, seeded or, barbed vert (the Badge of King Henry IV) within the collar of the Most Noble Order of the Garter with the George appendant, all proper.

Pre-1913   No3 Coy 3rd Bn

1913-62   No2 Coy 3rd Bn

Post 1962   No3 Coy 3rd Bn

 

 

 

 

 

20th Captain’s

A representation of the Lesser George pertaining to the Most Noble Order of the Garter or, encircled within the Garter and Motto of the Order in their proper colours.

Pre-1913   No4 Coy 3rd Bn

1913-62   No3 Coy 3rd Bn

Post 1962   No4 Coy 3rd Bn

 

 

 

 

 

21st Captain’s

An Eagle, wings expanded sable, beaked and legged or, with a Glory around the head.

First used by: Henry VIII

Pre-1913   No5 Coy 3rd Bn

1913-23   No3 Coy 3rd Bn  (Coy2IC)

1923-62   HQ Coy 3rd Bn

Post 1962    HQ Coy 3rd Bn

 

 

 

22nd Captain’s

Two laurel branches, in saltire vert, enfiled with the Circle of the Crown proper.

Pre-1913   No6 Coy 3rd Bn

1913-23   No2 Coy 3rd Bn  (Coy 2IC)

1923-62   Support Coy 3rd Bn Post

1962   Spare

 

 

 

23rd Captain’s

The Crest of general George Monck, Duke of Albermarle, first Colonel of the Regiment, viz, on a Chapeau gules, turned up Ermine, a Cat-a-mounain statant guardant perpale sable and argent, between two branches of broom vert, fructed proper.

Pre-1913   No7 Coy 3rd Bn

1913-62   No4 Coy 3rd Bn  (Coy 2IC)

Post 1962   Spare

 

 

 

 

24th Captain’s

The Crest of His late Royal Highness Aldophus Frederick Duke of Cambridge, sometime Colonel of the Regiment, viz, a Lion stantant guardant upon the Circle of the Coronet on its head, all or, the Lion charged on the breast with a Label of three points argent, the centre point charged with St George’s Cross, and each of the others with two hearts in pale gules.

Pre-1913   No8 Coy 3rd Bn

1913-62   No1 Coy 3rd Bn (Coy 2IC)

Post 1962   Spare

 

 

 

 

NOTE

Although the 3rd Battalion was placed into suspended animation in 1959, it’s companies were still allocated badges in 1962 for use should the Battalion be reformed.  Likewise, when the 2nd Battalion was placed into suspended animation in 1993, the Company Badge of No1 Company was used for No7 Company, Coldstream Guards which is a Public Duties incremental company, based in London, which carries the colours of the 2nd Battalion.  The Company Badges of the Battalion remain allocated to its companies should the Battalion be reformed.