Colours, standards and guidons - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

In military organizations, the practice of carrying colours, standards or Guidons, both to act as a rallying point for troops and to mark the location of the commander, is thought to have originated in Ancient Egypt

Ancient Egypt

Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...

some 5,000 years ago. It was formalized in the armies of medieval Europe, with standards being emblazoned with the commander's coat of arms

Coat of arms

A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...

.

As armies became trained and adopted set formations, each regiment's

Regiment

A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...

ability to keep its formation was potentially critical to its, and therefore its army's, success. In the chaos of battle, not least due to the amount of dust and smoke on a battlefield, soldiers needed to be able to determine where their regiment was.

Colours may be inscribed with the names of battles or other symbols representing former achievements (see battle honours). As a symbol of a regiment they are always guarded, and paid compliments.

Colours are usually treated with reverence. They are never capriciously destroyed - when too old to use they are replaced and then laid-up in museums, religious buildings and other places of significance to their regiment. However, in most modern armies, standing orders now call for the Colours to be intentionally destroyed if they are ever in jeopardy of being captured by the enemy.

Due to the advent of modern weapons, and subsequent changes in tactics, Colours are no longer carried into battle, but continue to be used at events of formal character.

Argentina

The Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic's military colors of the Argentine Army

Argentine Army

The Argentine Army is the land armed force branch of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic and the senior military service of the country.- History :...

, Argentine Navy

Argentine Navy

The Navy of the Argentine Republic or Armada of the Argentine Republic is the navy of Argentina. It is one of the three branches of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic, together with the Army and the Air Force....

and Argentine Air Force

Argentine Air Force

The Argentine Air Force is the national aviation branch of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic. , it had 14,606 military and 6,854 civilian staff.-History:...

are the Flag of Argentina

Flag of Argentina

The national flag of Argentina is a triband, composed of three equally wide horizontal bands coloured light blue, white and light blue. There are multiple interpretations on the reasons for those colors...

as the National War Color and the Unit Color. The National War Color is a variation of the Argentine national flag made for military use, while the Unit Color differs per service arm and unit.

Brazil

Units of the army of Brazil

Brazil

Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...

carry two Colours. The standard of the Army measures 80 × 120 cm, white with the Army coat of arms

Coat of arms

in the centre, trimmed with gold fringe. The name of the service is inscribed in gold letters on a green scroll beneath the shield. Above the shield is a knight's helmet with red and sky blue mantling. The staff is topped by a nickel-plated lance-head finial, 32 cm high. Below the lance-head, there is a cravat (laço militar) divided lengthwise, sky blue and red, with a gold fringe at the end, tied in a bow and fastened with a cockade of blue with the Southern Cross in white stars, red, and blue. Ten red streamers with campaign honors inscribed in sky blue letters are also attached below the lance-head. The staff is 212 cm long, not including the lance-head, and 3.5 cm in diameter. It is covered in sky blue velvet with a red spiral strip. The colour belt is 10 cm in width, covered with sky blue velvet with red velvet stripes.

Brazilian army units also carry the national flag

Flag of Brazil

The national flag of Brazil is a blue disc depicting a starry sky spanned by a curved band inscribed with the national motto, within a yellow rhombus, on a green field. Brazil officially adopted this design for its national flag on November 19, 1889, replacing the flag of the second Empire of Brazil...

as a Colour. This is in the dimensions 90 × 128 cm. It is mounted on the same size staff and with the same finial as the Army standard, but the cravat is divided lengthwise yellow and green, with a gold fringe at the end, tied in a bow and fastened with a cockade of blue with the Cruzeiro do Sul in white stars, yellow, and green. The staff is covered in green velvet with a yellow spiral strip. The colour belt is 10 cm in width, covered with green velvet with yellow velvet stripes of width and number varying with the rank of the organization's commander.

Chile

Units of the Chilean Army

Chilean Army

The Chilean Army is the land arm of the Military of Chile. This 45,000-person army is organized into seven divisions, a special operations brigade and an air brigade....

carry one main Colour, known as the estandarte de combate (combat standard). This is the same as the national flag

Flag of Chile

The national flag of Chile, consists of two unequal horizontal bands of white and red and a blue square the same height as the white band in the canton, which bears a white five-pointed star in the center. It was adopted on October 18, 1817...

, but with an embroidered star and with the unit designation, honorific title, founding date and place, and, depending on the unit, other historic information and honours embroidered diagonally across the fly in gold. The flag is also trimmed with gold fringe. It is mounted on a staff with a gilt condor finial; below the finial is a cravat in the national colours with decorations attached. In addition to the military Colour, particularly distinguished units, and long serving units may carry a second Colour known as a bandera coronela (colonel’s colour). This is a red field with a large white five-pointed star. In the angles of the star are the names and dates of battle honors surrounded by laurel wreaths, all in gold, while in an arc above the star is the designation of the unit, also in gold. The flag is also surrounded by gold fringe.

The Chilean Air Force

Chilean Air Force

The Chilean Air Force is the air force of Chile, a branch of the Chilean military.-History:The first step towards the current FACh was taken by Teniente Coronel Pedro Pablo Dartnell, when he founded the Servicio de Aviación Militar de Chile on December 20, 1910, being trained as a pilot in France...

, the Chilean Navy

Chilean Navy

-Independence Wars of Chile and Peru :The Chilean Navy dates back to 1817. A year before, following the Battle of Chacabuco, General Bernardo O'Higgins prophetically declared "this victory and another hundred shall be of no significance if we do not gain control of the sea".This led to the...

, the Carabineros de Chile

Carabineros de Chile

thumb|250px|Carabineros de Chile, patrolling a street in [[Santiago, Chile|Santiago]]The Carabiniers of Chile, are the uniformed Chilean national police force and gendarmerie, created on April 27, 1927. Their mission is to maintain order and create public respect for the laws of the country...

and the Chilean Gendarmerie

Chilean Gendarmerie

The Chilean Gendarmerie, in Spanish Gendarmería de Chile, is the title of Chile's uniformed national prison service. The title is historic, and the service is not an actual gendarmerie. The service evolved out of Chilean Army units which were given police and prison duties.It is an armed service...

all use the estandarte de combate as their main color, and do not use the bandera coronela at all.

Colombia

The main state colors of the Military Forces of Colombia is the Flag of Colombia

Flag of Colombia

After Miranda later designed his flag based on this conversation, he happily recalled seeing a fresco by Lazzaro Tavarone in the Palazzo Belimbau in Genoa that depicted Christopher Columbus unfurling a similar-coloured flag in Veragua during his fourth voyage....

with the Coat of arms of Colombia

Coat of arms of Colombia

The coat of arms of Colombia contains a shield with numerous symbols. Perched on top of the shield is an Andean Condor holding an olive crown and the condor symbolizing freedom. The national motto, Libertad y Orden , is on a scroll in between the bird and the shield in black font over golden...

in the center inside a circle with a red border, in a larger size (used by the National Army of Colombia and the Colombian Air Force

Colombian Air Force

The Colombian Air Force or FAC is the Air Force of the Republic of Colombia.The Colombian Air Force is one of the three institutions of the Armed Forces of Colombia, charge according to the 1991 Constitution of the work to exercise and maintain control of Colombia's airspace to defend the...

) and the same flag, this time with a smaller circle with the coat of arms (used by the Colombian National Armada

Colombian National Armada

The Colombian Navy , also known as the "Armada Nacional" or just the "Armada" in Spanish, is the naval branch of the military forces of Colombia....

). These flags also carry medals and decorations attached to the flag. The MFC also uses unit regimental colors, two in all, that differs accordingly per service.

United States

In the United States military, each branch has its own flag

Flags of the United States armed forces

The several branches of the United States Armed Forces are represented by flags, among other emblems and insignia. Within each branch, various flags fly on various occasions, and on various ships, bases, camps, and military academies....

, an organizational color, sometimes also called a ceremonial flag. Each of these is 4 ft 4 in × 5 ft 6 in, some using 2.5 in gold fringe during specific instances. The ceremonial flag is paraded with a National Color

Flag of the United States

The national flag of the United States of America consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the canton bearing fifty small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars alternating with rows...

of equal dimensions in a color guard

Color guard

In the military of the United States and other militaries, the color guard carries the National Color and other flags appropriate to its position in the chain of command. Typically these include a unit flag and a departmental flag...

, with gold fringe as necessary. The National Color is never dipped in salute, but remains vertical at all times, while the organizational colors and any guidons are dipped as necessary. When the National Color is not cased, all persons salute the Colors. The finial

Finial

The finial is an architectural device, typically carved in stone and employed decoratively to emphasize the apex of a gable or any of various distinctive ornaments at the top, end, or corner of a building or structure. Smaller finials can be used as a decorative ornament on the ends of curtain rods...

is a nickel

Nickel

Nickel is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. Nickel belongs to the transition metals and is hard and ductile...

or chrome-plated

Chrome plating

Chrome plating, often referred to simply as chrome, is a technique of electroplating a thin layer of chromium onto a metal object. The chromed layer can be decorative, provide corrosion resistance, ease cleaning procedures, or increase surface hardness.-Process:A component to be chrome plated will...

spearhead, though the Navy uses different finials on occasion.

Each service attaches campaign/battle streamers

Campaign streamer

Campaign streamers are decorations attached to military flags to recognize particular achievements or events of a military unit or service. Attached to the headpiece of the assigned flag, the streamer often is an inscribed ribbon with the name and date denoting participation in a particular battle,...

, sometimes known as battle honors, for actions in which the service as a whole has taken part. These can either be war service streamers, which are in the colors of the appropriate campaign medal

Campaign medal

A campaign medal is a military decoration which is awarded to a member of the military who serves in a designated military operation or performs duty in a geographical theater...

and have the name of the campaign embroidered; or unit citation

Unit citation

A unit citation is a formal, honorary mention by high authority of a military unit's specific and outstanding performance, notably in battle.Similar mentions can also be made for individual soldiers....

streamers, which have the name of the action embroidered and signify that the unit's performance in a specific action has been worthy of special mention. Units are also permitted to wear streamers of overseas awards they may have been presented with. These streamers are in the colors of the appropriate medal ribbon. The streamers are 3 ft × 2.75 in. The Army

United States Army

The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...

, for instance, currently has 178 service streamers, embroidering the name of each battle on each, as does the Air Force

United States Air Force

The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...

. The Marine Corps

United States Marine Corps

The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...

and Navy

United States Navy

The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...

instead embroider award devices

United States military award devices

United States military award devices are attachments which may be worn on various awards and decorations of the United States military. Such attachments denote special upgrades to include bravery in combat, participation in a particular operation or service in a geographical area, or multiple...

onto streamers to consolidate them, having 62 and 34, respectively.

United States Army

In the Army, most regiments, battalions of regiments, and separate battalions also have a stand of colors. The first is the National Color, which is a 36 in × 48 in version of the national flag

Flag of the United States

trimmed with a 2.5 in wide gold fringe, and is the equivalent of the Queen's Colour in the British Army. The second is the Organizational Color, which is the equivalent of the Regimental Color; this is the same dimensions as the National Color, but is of a single color representing the branch of the service that the unit is from; each branch also has its own fringe color, which the Organizational Color is trimmed with. In the center of the Color is the eagle

Eagle

Eagles are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 60 species occur in Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just two species can be found in the United States and Canada, nine more in...

from the Great Seal of the United States

Great Seal of the United States

The Great Seal of the United States is used to authenticate certain documents issued by the United States federal government. The phrase is used both for the physical seal itself , and more generally for the design impressed upon it...

, but with the regimental coat of arms in the shield. The eagle has in its beak a scroll bearing the regimental motto, with the crest of the regiment's coat of arms above it and the regiment's name below. Attached to the Organizational Color will be the campaign and unit citation streamers awarded to the individual unit - these are equivalent to the battle honours embroidered directly onto the colours of British and Commonwealth units. The Organizational Color was carried in lieu of a National Color until shortly before the Civil War, when the Stars and Stripes became the National Color.

United States Marine Corps

In the Marine Corps, each battalion-sized unit or larger maintains a set of colors. The organizational color identical to the Marine Corps battle color, excepting that the scroll will have the unit's name instead of "United States Marine Corps". It will also bear the streamers authorized to the unit, or scarlet and gold tassels if none are authorized.

Fringe is generally not seen on the National Colors when carried by Marine Corps unit (the exception being indoor parades). Instead, a red, white, and blue tassel is used to decorate.

United States Navy

While the Navy uses a number of maritime flag

Maritime flag

A maritime flag is a flag designated for use on ships, boats, and other watercraft. Naval flags are considered important at sea and the rules and regulations for the flying of flags are strictly enforced...

s, such as the Ensign and Jack of the United States

Jack of the United States

The jack of the United States is a maritime flag representing United States nationality flown on the jackstaff in the bow of its vessels. The U.S. Navy is a prime user of jacks, but they are also used by ships of the Coast Guard, Military Sealift Command, National Oceanic and Atmospheric...

, the Flag of the United States Navy

Flag of the United States Navy

The flag of the United States Navy consists of the Seal of the Department of the Navy in the center, above a yellow scroll inscribed "United States Navy" in dark blue letters, against a dark blue background....

is normally seen only at ceremonies and parades. The display of streamers and fringe is consistent with that of the Marine Corps.

United States Air Force

U.S. Air Force

United States Air Force

(USAF) groups have the same National Color as the Army; the Organizational Color is ultramarine blue, with the group's coat of arms beneath the USAF crest

Crest (heraldry)

A crest is a component of an heraldic display, so called because it stands on top of a helmet, as the crest of a jay stands on the bird's head....

, which is an eagle on a cloud

Cloud

A cloud is a visible mass of liquid droplets or frozen crystals made of water and/or various chemicals suspended in the atmosphere above the surface of a planetary body. They are also known as aerosols. Clouds in Earth's atmosphere are studied in the cloud physics branch of meteorology...

background. The fringe is in gold.

Uruguay

Aside from the three state colors (the Flag of Uruguay

Flag of Uruguay

The national flag of Uruguay has a field of nine equal horizontal stripes alternating white and blue. The canton is white, charged with the Sun of May, from which 16 rays extend, alternating between triangular and wavy...

, the Flag of Artigas

Flag of Artigas

The Flag of Artigas pays homage to José Gervasio Artigas, national hero of Uruguay. It has three horizontal stripes, the top and bottom being blue, and the central one white...

and the Flag of the Treinta y Tres

Flag of the Treinta y Tres

The Flag of the Treinta y Tres is an official flag in use in Uruguay.-Historical background:It pays homage to the disembarkation of the Thirty-Three Orientals at Agraciada Beach, on April 19, 1825.-Features:...

), the Uruguayan military also has regimental colors that differ per service and unit.

China

This details the two Chinas (People's Republic of China

People's Republic of China

China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...

and Republic of China

Republic of China

The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...

)

People's Republic of China

The People's Liberation Army

People's Liberation Army

The People's Liberation Army is the unified military organization of all land, sea, strategic missile and air forces of the People's Republic of China. The PLA was established on August 1, 1927 — celebrated annually as "PLA Day" — as the military arm of the Communist Party of China...

is the overall body for the entire armed forces of the People's Republic of China, and is represented by a single flag, which serves as a ceremonial colour for all regiments and larger formations. This is based on the national flag

Flag of the People's Republic of China

The flag of the People's Republic of China is a red field charged in the canton with five golden stars. The design features one large star, with four smaller stars in a semicircle set off towards the fly...

, but has instead of the four smaller gold stars the Chinese characters for the numerals '8' and '1', which stands for the 1 August

Nanchang Uprising

The Nanchang Uprising was the first major Kuomintang-Communist engagement of the Chinese Civil War, in order to counter the anti-communist purges by the Nationalist Party of China....

, which was the date in 1927 that the PLA was founded. When paraded, the flag is fringed with gold, and is mounted on a red and gold pole. However, each branch of the PLA has its own flag, based on the Army Flag:

Ground forces: This is the Army Flag with the lower 40% coloured green.
Navy: This is the Army flag except that the lower 40% has three blue and two white horizontal stripes of equal width.
Air Force: This is the Army Flag with the lower 40% coloured air force blue.
Banners of the PLA

Republic of China

The army

Republic of China Army

The ROC Army's current operational strength includes 3 armies, 5 corps. As of 2005, the Army's 35 brigades include 25 infantry brigades, 5 armoured brigades and 3 mechanized infantry brigades...

of the Republic of China

Republic of China

(Taiwan) also has a single flag that it uses, which is red, with a blue rectangle in the centre and the white sun from the national flag

Flag of the Republic of China

The Flag of the Republic of China is red with a navy blue canton bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays. In Chinese, the flag is commonly described as Blue Sky, White Sun, and a Wholly Red Earth to reflect its attributes....

. It has a red flagpole with silver spearhead finial and red tassels immediately underneath.
Individual units use a variation of the Army Flag as their own identifying Colour; this features a white strip next to the hoist, which has the unit's name in black characters, as well as yellow fringe.

Philippines

Philippine military colors are the Flag of the Philippines

Flag of the Philippines

The national flag of the Philippines is a horizontal flag bicolor with equal bands of royal blue and scarlet red, and with a white equilateral triangle at the hoist; in the center of the triangle is a golden yellow sun with eight primary rays, each containing three individual rays, which represent...

as the National Color, the Organizational Colors, and the Unit Regimental Color. The Flag of the Philippines is the National Color of the Armed Forces of the Philippines

Armed Forces of the Philippines

The Armed Forces of the Philippines is composed of the Philippine Army, Philippine Navy and Philippine Air Force...

, but unlike the US color has no markings on the flag. The Organizational Colors are the flags of the AFP's four Major Service Commands while the Unit Regimental Color differs per service arm and unit. Like the US, it also has 2nd order guidons for companies and troops, but these are also based on the Spanish military guidons.

Thailand

Each unit of the Royal Thai Armed Forces is given a colour called the "Thong Chai Chalermphol" or Victory Colours. These are presented to each unit personally by the King of Thailand. The flags are divided into four different designs, for: Royal Thai Army, Royal Thai Navy

Royal Thai Navy

The Royal Thai Navy is the navy of Thailand and part of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, it was established in the late 19th century. Admiral Prince Abhakara Kiartiwongse is "The Father of Royal Thai Navy". Similar to the organizational structure of the United States, the Royal Thai Navy includes the...

, Royal Thai Air Force

Royal Thai Air Force

The Royal Thai Air Force or RTAF is the air force of the Kingdom of Thailand. Since its establishment in 1913, as one of the earliest air forces of Asia, the Royal Thai Air Force had engaged in many major and minor battles. During the Vietnam war era, the air force has been developed with USAF-aid...

and Royal Guard units.

Before their presentation the colours are ceremonially blessed in a religious ceremony attended by Buddhist monks and other high ranking dignitaries inside the Temple of the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok

Bangkok

Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...

. During the ceremony amidst the chanting of the monks, the King will personally hammer the brass nails into the staff of each colour using a silver hammer. Each colour contains about 32-35 nails, in which the cloth is attached to the wooden staff. Within the same ceremony, the King will also take a strand of his own hair and conceal it within a compartment at the top of the staff, which is closed by a round silver screw top. The King will also attach each colour with its own ceremonial Buddha image, and bless each colour with holy water. The ceremony is steeped in Buddhist and Brahmic heritage, it symbolizes and cements the King's role as Chief Kshatriya

Kshatriya

*For the Bollywood film of the same name see Kshatriya Kshatriya or Kashtriya, meaning warrior, is one of the four varnas in Hinduism...

(กษัตริย์) or Warrior ruler of his realm. It also emphasizes his constitutional role as Head and Chief of the Thai Armed Forces (จอมทัพไทย: Chomthap Thai).

Commonwealth realms

The Colours of the Infantry are a set of large flags, unique to each regiment, that the ordinary soldier would be able to identify straight away.

Line infantry and foot guards

In regiments of infantry

Infantry

Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...

of the British Army

British Army

The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...

and the armies of other Commonwealth

Commonwealth of Nations

The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...

countries, each battalion

Battalion

A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...

carries two colours, which collectively are called a stand. These are large flags, usually 36 in × 45 in, and mounted on a pike

Pike (weapon)

A pike is a pole weapon, a very long thrusting spear used extensively by infantry both for attacks on enemy foot soldiers and as a counter-measure against cavalry assaults. Unlike many similar weapons, the pike is not intended to be thrown. Pikes were used regularly in European warfare from the...

which is 8 ft 7½ in long; the King's/Queen's Colour (or President's Colour in non-Commonwealth Realm

Commonwealth Realm

A Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state within the Commonwealth of Nations that has Elizabeth II as its monarch and head of state. The sixteen current realms have a combined land area of 18.8 million km² , and a population of 134 million, of which all, except about two million, live in the six...

s) is usually a version of the country's national flag

National flag

A national flag is a flag that symbolizes a country. The flag is flown by the government, but usually can also be flown by citizens of the country.Both public and private buildings such as schools and courthouses may fly the national flag...

, often trimmed with gold

Gold

Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...

fabric, and with the regiment's insignia

Cap badge

A cap badge, also known as head badge or hat badge, is a badge worn on uniform headgear and distinguishes the wearer's nationality and/or organisation. The wearing of cap badges is a convention commonly found among military and police forces, as well as uniformed civilian groups such as the Boy...

placed in the centre. The Regimental Colour is a flag of a single colour, usually the colour of the uniform facings (collar/lapels and cuffs) of the regiment, again often trimmed and with the insignia in the centre. Most regiments that are designated as 'royal' regiments (that is either have the word 'Royal' or the sponsorship of a royal personage in their name) have a navy blue Regimental Colour. Irish regiments - today the Royal Irish Regiment - have a dark green Regimental Colour.

The colours of the five regiments of Foot Guards

Foot Guards

-British Army:The Foot Guards are the Regular Infantry regiments of the Household Division of the British Army. There have been six regiments of foot guards, five of which still exist. The Royal Guards Reserve Regiment was a reserve formation of the Household Brigade in existence from 1900-1901...

have the pattern of the line infantry

Line infantry

Line infantry is a type of infantry which composed the basis of European land armies from the middle of the 17th century to the middle of the 19th century....

reversed, with the Queen's Colour being crimson with the regimental insignia and honors and the Regimental Colour a variation of the Union Flag

Union Flag

The Union Flag, also known as the Union Jack, is the flag of the United Kingdom. It retains an official or semi-official status in some Commonwealth Realms; for example, it is known as the Royal Union Flag in Canada. It is also used as an official flag in some of the smaller British overseas...

with the battle honours embroidered.

Additional Colours

The Guards regiments each have at least one State Colour; this is usually crimson with various regimental devices and honours. They are only used by Guards of Honour, not found by the Queen’s Guard, mounted on State occasions when the Queen
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...

is present. They are only lowered to the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh is the husband of Elizabeth II. He is the United Kingdom's longest-serving consort and the oldest serving spouse of a reigning British monarch....

. They are also lowered on other State occasions only when the Queen is present, even if the Guard of Honour is mounted in honour of some other personage.
The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment
Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment
"PWRR" redirects here. For the railroad with these reporting marks, see Portland and Western Railroad.The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment is the senior English line infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Queen's Division...

: The 1st Battalion, Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, as the linear descendant, bears the Third Colour initially born by the 2nd Regiment of Foot, later renamed the Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey) which, for one reason or another, was never taken away from the regiment in the 18th century when new regulations on colours were implemented.
The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers is an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Queen's Division.The regiment was formed on April 23, 1968, as part of the reforms of the army that saw the creation of the first 'large infantry regiments', by the amalgamation of the four English fusilier...

: The 1st Battalion, Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, which is the direct descendant, bears the Drummer's Colour awarded after the Battle of Wilhelmsthal to the 5th Regiment of Foot (Royal Northumberland Fusiliers).
The Yorkshire Regiment
Yorkshire Regiment
The Yorkshire Regiment is one of the largest infantry regiments of the British Army. The regiment is currently the only line infantry or rifles unit to represent a single geographical county in the new infantry structure, serving as the county regiment of Yorkshire covering the historical areas...

: The 3rd Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment (Duke of Wellington's), as the linear descendent, carries the honorary Queen's and Regimental Colours that were given to the 76th Regiment of Foot by the Honourable East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...

following their actions at Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...

and Allyghur.
The Royal Highland Fusiliers
Royal Highland Fusiliers
The Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland....

: The Royal Highland Fusiliers (2nd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland) carries the Assaye Colour awarded as an honorary colour to the 74th Regiment of Foot following the Battle of Assaye
Battle of Assaye
The Battle of Assaye was a major battle of the Second Anglo-Maratha War fought between the Maratha Confederacy and the British East India Company...

, which is paraded every year on Assaye Day.

Rifle regiments

By tradition, rifle regiments

Light infantry

Traditionally light infantry were soldiers whose job was to provide a skirmishing screen ahead of the main body of infantry, harassing and delaying the enemy advance. Light infantry was distinct from medium, heavy or line infantry. Heavy infantry were dedicated primarily to fighting in tight...

do not carry colours; this goes back to their formation, when they were used as skirmishers and sharpshooters. While individual units may have had banners or pennants to distinguish themselves from other units, regiments as a whole never needed a full stand of Colours. Today, the two rifle regiments in the British Army, The Rifles

The Rifles

The Rifles is the largest regiment of the British Army. Formed in 2007, it consists of five regular and two territorial battalions, plus a number of companies in other TA battalions, Each battalion of the Rifles was formerly an individual battalion of one of the two large regiments of the Light...

and the Royal Gurkha Rifles carry their battle honours on their drum

Drum

The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...

s, while the Royal Green Jackets also had theirs inscribed on their cap badge

Cap badge

; this tradition is maintained by The Rifles, who wear the Maltese Cross

Maltese cross

The Maltese cross, also known as the Amalfi cross, is identified as the symbol of an order of Christian warriors known as the Knights Hospitaller or Knights of Malta and through them came to be identified with the Mediterranean island of Malta and is one of the National symbols of Malta...

badge of the Royal Green Jackets, inscribed with the regimental honours, as the belt badge. In place of a Regimental Colour, the Gurkhas carry the Queen's Truncheon

Queen's Truncheon

The Queen's Truncheon is a ceremonial staff carried by the Royal Gurkha Rifles that serves as the equivalent of and is carried as the Colour. It is made of bronze and silver. The top represents the minaret of Delhi Palace with three Gurkhas standing on it supporting the Queen's crown above their...

Colours in the cavalry regiments

In the British Army's cavalry units, the Queen's Cavalry Standard and the Regimental Standard (for the heavy cavalry) and the Queen's and Regimental Guidons (for the light cavalry) are the equivalents to the line infantry colours. The former is crimson with the Royal coat of arms and cypher, plus the regimental honors, while the latter has an adaptable background colour per unit (the colour is sometimes scarlet) and is swallow-tailed (for the light cavalry only), and includes the regimental coat of arms and honors. Before the 1950s however Timpani in the drumhorses (and later snare, bass and tenor drums in the dismounted bands) carried the regimental honors of the light cavalry regiments.

The Honourable Artillery Company

Honourable Artillery Company

The Honourable Artillery Company was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1537 by King Henry VIII. Today it is a Registered Charity whose purpose is to attend to the “better defence of the realm"...

is today an artillery regiment and has both a stand of Colours (Queen's and Regimental) and Guns. The latter are also regarded as colours and accorded the same compliments just as the Royal Artillery

Royal Artillery

The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...

regard their guns as their Colours.

Embellishments

Woven onto the colours are battle honour

Battle honour

A battle honour is an award of a right by a government or sovereign to a military unit to emblazon the name of a battle or operation on its flags , uniforms or other accessories where ornamentation is possible....

s; the Queen's Colour has honours from the First World War

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

and Second World War, while the Regimental Colour has honours from other campaigns. The Regimental Colour will also have other distinctions, including antecedent emblems and unique honours; one significant example is the Sphinx

Sphinx

A sphinx is a mythical creature with a lion's body and a human head or a cat head.The sphinx, in Greek tradition, has the haunches of a lion, the wings of a great bird, and the face of a woman. She is mythicised as treacherous and merciless...

emblem carried by regiments who took part in the Egypt campaign of 1801. If the regiment has more than a single battalion, then there will be identifying marks on the colours to show which battalion they belong to.
There are various other embellishments that can be added to the colours on various occasions:

On anniversaries of various battle honours, and certain other events, a laurel wreath is added to the top of the pike.
Battle honour equivalents awarded by foreign countries may be added to the colours, subject to permission being given by the head of state
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...

. In the Commonwealth, three infantry battalions are permitted to display the four-foot-long blue streamer that signifies the Presidential Unit Citation/Distinguished Unit Citation
Presidential Unit Citation (US)
The Presidential Unit Citation, originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to units of the Armed Forces of the United States and allies for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy on or after 7 December 1941...

, which is the highest collective award given by the United States of America:
- 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
  Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
  Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry is one of the three regular force infantry regiments of the Canadian Army. The regiment is composed of four battalions including a primary reserve battalion, for a total of 2,000 soldiers...
- 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
  Royal Australian Regiment
  The Royal Australian Regiment is the parent regiment for regular infantry battalions of the Australian Army and is the senior infantry regiment of the Royal Australian Infantry Corps...
- 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
  Royal Australian Regiment
  The Royal Australian Regiment is the parent regiment for regular infantry battalions of the Australian Army and is the senior infantry regiment of the Royal Australian Infantry Corps...

In the UK, 41 Commando, Royal Marines

Royal Marines

The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...

and the 1st Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment were also awarded the PUC and permitted to display the streamer of their regimental colours.

Because of their importance to the regiment, prior to a new stand of colours being presented, they are consecrated

Consecration

Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...

Royal Hospital, Chelsea

The Royal Hospital, Chelsea had neither colours nor other distinctive device during its entire history, until 2002 when Her Majesty the Queen

Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom

Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...

presented the Hospital with the Sovereign's Mace

Ceremonial mace

The ceremonial mace is a highly ornamented staff of metal or wood, carried before a sovereign or other high official in civic ceremonies by a mace-bearer, intended to represent the official's authority. The mace, as used today, derives from the original mace used as a weapon...

. This is now paraded by a party of In-Pensioners

Chelsea pensioner

A Chelsea pensioner is an in-pensioner at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, a retirement home and nursing home for former members of the British Army located in Chelsea, London...

at all of the Royal Hospital's ceremonial events

Royal Marines

The Corps of Royal Marines

Royal Marines

has a single pattern Queen's Colour, which is the Union Flag with the foul anchor and the reigning sovereign's cypher interlaced in the centre. Above is a scroll with the single battle honour Gibraltar surmounted by St Edward's Crown. Below is the globe (which represents the many Battle Honours the Royal Marines had earned) surrounded by a laurel wreath (which represents the Battle of Belle Isle) and below this is a scroll with the Corps' motto. Each of the three commandos (the battalion-sized formations that make up the bulk of the corps) has a Queen's Colour, with the only difference being the colour of the cords and tassels. Each commando also has its own Regimental Colour. The Regimental Colour is a dark blue flag (because the Corps is classed as a 'royal regiment') with a small Union Flag at the pike head. The Colour carries similar central embellishments as the Queen's Colour, with the exception that the cypher of George IV replaces that of the reigning monarch and the unit numeral is below. The Royal Cypher is at the other corners. The Regimental Colours also have the coloured cords and tassels, which are gold combined with the following colours:

40 Commando: Light Blue
42 Commando: White
Fleet Protection Group
Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines
The Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines , formerly Comacchio Company Royal Marines and Comacchio Group Royal Marines , is a commando-sized specialist unit of the Royal Marines responsible for guarding the United Kingdom's Naval nuclear weapons and other security-related duties.-History:On 1 May...

: Old Gold and Scarlet
45 Commando: Red

NB: The Fleet Protection Group

Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines

The Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines , formerly Comacchio Company Royal Marines and Comacchio Group Royal Marines , is a commando-sized specialist unit of the Royal Marines responsible for guarding the United Kingdom's Naval nuclear weapons and other security-related duties.-History:On 1 May...

carries on the traditions of 43 Commando, and has custody of the unit's Colours.

The former 41 Commando was awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation

Presidential Unit Citation (US)

The Presidential Unit Citation, originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to units of the Armed Forces of the United States and allies for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy on or after 7 December 1941...

for its service in the Korean War

Korean War

The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...

, and was thus permitted to carry the streamer on its Regimental Colour.

Colours of the Royal Marines

The Royal Navy

The Colours of Her Majesty's ships in the Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

consist of:

a White Ensign
White Ensign
The White Ensign or St George's Ensign is an ensign flown on British Royal Navy ships and shore establishments. It consists of a red St George's Cross on a white field with the Union Flag in the upper canton....

(worn at the stern, or from the gaff or main yardarm when at sea);
a Union Flag
Union Flag
The Union Flag, also known as the Union Jack, is the flag of the United Kingdom. It retains an official or semi-official status in some Commonwealth Realms; for example, it is known as the Royal Union Flag in Canada. It is also used as an official flag in some of the smaller British overseas...

(worn at the ship's jackstaff at the bow when not underway or when the ship is dressed);

In addition, each principal command in the Royal Navy also has its own Queen's Colour which is a variation of the White Ensign

White Ensign

The White Ensign or St George's Ensign is an ensign flown on British Royal Navy ships and shore establishments. It consists of a red St George's Cross on a white field with the Union Flag in the upper canton....

, with its dimensions altered to mirror those of the Colours of infantry regiments. In the centre is the Royal Cypher

Royal Cypher

In modern heraldry, a royal cypher is a monogram-like device of a country's reigning sovereign, typically consisting of the initials of the monarch's name and title, sometimes interwoven and often surmounted by a crown. In the case where such a cypher is used by an emperor or empress, it is called...

of the reigning monarch within the Garter

Order of the Garter

The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...

, surmounted by the crown.

Unlike the Colours of regiments in the Army, every Queen's Colour of the Royal Navy is identical. The following units hold a Queen's Colour of the Royal Navy:

Naval Aviation Command (ACOS(AV), HMS Heron
HMS Heron
Several ships of the Royal Navy has been named HMS Heron after the wading bird.* HMS Heron, an 18 gun 340 ton sloop purchased June 1804 . Renamed HMS Volcano in 1810 following conversion to a bomb vessel...

)
Submarine Command (CAPTFASFLOT, HMS Neptune
HMS Neptune
Nine ships and a naval base of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Neptune after the Roman god of the ocean: was a 90-gun second rate launched in 1683. She was rebuilt in 1710 and 1730 before being renamed HMS Torbay in her new incarnation as a third rate in 1750. She was sold in 1784. was a...

)
Fleet (CINCFLEET
Commander-in-Chief Fleet
Commander-in-Chief Fleet is the admiral responsible for the operation, resourcing and training of the ships, submarines and aircraft, and personnel, of the British Royal Navy...

HQ)
Britannia Royal Naval College
Britannia Royal Naval College
Britannia Royal Naval College is the initial officer training establishment of the Royal Navy, located on a hill overlooking Dartmouth, Devon, England. While Royal Naval officer training has taken place in the town since 1863, the buildings which are seen today were only finished in 1905, and...
Surface Flotilla (MWS, HMS Collingwood
HMS Collingwood
Three ships and one shore establishment of the British Royal Navy have been named HMS Collingwood, after Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood, 1st Baron Collingwood....

)
Royal Naval Reserve
Royal Naval Reserve
The Royal Naval Reserve is the volunteer reserve force of the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom. The present Royal Naval Reserve was formed in 1958 by merging the original Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve , a reserve of civilian volunteers founded in 1903...

(COMMARRES, HMS Vivid)

The Royal Air Force

RAF Colours are made of sky blue silk and measure approximately 36" x 36". The following colours have been awarded:

RAF College, Cranwell, approved 27 December 1947, presented 6 July 1948.
The RAF in the UK, approved 27 December 1947, presented, 16 May 1951.
No. 1 School of Technical Training
No. 1 School of Technical Training
No.1 School of Technical Training is the Royal Air Force's aircraft engineering school, based at RAF Halton from 1919 to 1993, as the Home of the Aircraft Apprentice scheme...

, approved 27 December 1947, presented 25 July 1952.
RAF Regiment
RAF Regiment
The Royal Air Force Regiment is a specialist airfield defence corps founded by Royal Warrant in 1942. After a 32 week trainee gunner course, its members are trained and equipped to prevent a successful enemy attack in the first instance; minimise the damage caused by a successful attack; and...

, presented 17 March 1953.
Near East Air Force, presented 14 October 1960, laid up 31 May 1976.
Far East Air Force
RAF Far East Air Force
The former Royal Air Force Far East Air Force, more simply known as RAF Far East Air Force, was the Command organisation that controlled all Royal Air Force assets in the east of Asia . It was originally formed as Air Command, South East Asia in 1943...

, presented 13 July 1961, laid up 30 January 1972.
Central Flying School
Central Flying School
The Central Flying School is the Royal Air Force's primary institution for the training of military flying instructors. Established in 1912 it is the longest existing flying training school.-History:...

, presented 26 June 1969.
RAF Germany
Royal Air Force Germany
The former Royal Air Force Germany was a command of the Royal Air Force and part of British Forces Germany, consisting of those units located in Germany initially as part of the occupation following World War II, and later as part of the RAF's commitment to the defence of Europe during the Cold...

, presented 16 September 1970, laid up 27 June 1993.
Royal Auxiliary Air Force
Royal Auxiliary Air Force
The Royal Auxiliary Air Force , originally the Auxiliary Air Force , is the voluntary active duty reserve element of the Royal Air Force, providing a primary reinforcement capability for the regular service...

, presented 12 June 1989.
RAF Halton
RAF Halton
RAF Halton is one of the largest Royal Air Force stations in the United Kingdom, located near the village of Halton near Wendover, Buckinghamshire.HRH The Duchess of Cornwall is the Honorary Air Commodore of RAF Halton.-History:...

, presented 31 October 1997.

The Queen's Colour for the Royal Air Force

Royal Air Force

The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...

in the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

is a variation of the RAF Ensign with its dimensions altered. The RAF Roundel is moved to the lower fly, with its place in the centre again taken by the Royal Cypher surmounted by the crown. Other colours feature the unit's badge in the centre with the Royal Cypher and crown in the first quarter.

The RAF's Squadron Colours are its counterpart to the Regimental Colors. They are in air force blue with a gold fringe surrounding it, with the regimental insignia and honors.

Australia and Canada

The naval and air forces of both Australia and Canada also have similar Colours based on their own ensigns. Rules stipulated by the Canadian Department of Defence

Department of National Defence (Canada)

The Department of National Defence , frequently referred to by its acronym DND, is the department within the government of Canada with responsibility for all matters concerning the defence of Canada...

state that the First, or Senior Colours symbolizes the unit's loyalty to the Crown

The Crown

The Crown is a corporation sole that in the Commonwealth realms and any provincial or state sub-divisions thereof represents the legal embodiment of governance, whether executive, legislative, or judicial...

; authorization to possess a Queen's Colour may only be granted, and the Colour presented, by the Queen or her vice-regal representative. The design based on the flag of Canada

Flag of Canada

The national flag of Canada, also known as the Maple Leaf, and , is a red flag with a white square in its centre, featuring a stylized 11-pointed red maple leaf. Its adoption in 1965 marked the first time a national flag had been officially adopted in Canada to replace the Union Flag...

reflects the custom established for infantry line regiments in the mid 18th century, when the Sovereign's Colour was based on the national flag.

Navy

Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...

: The Queen's Colour of the RAN is a variation of the Australian White Ensign - it is a reverse of the Australian flag
Flag of Australia
The flag of Australia is a defaced Blue Ensign: a blue field with the Union Flag in the canton , and a large white seven-pointed star known as the Commonwealth Star in the lower hoist quarter...

(white with blue stars), with the Royal Cypher and Garter band positioned between the Commonwealth Star and the stars representing the Southern Cross. (See former Colours at Naval Chapel, Garden Island NSW
Naval Chapel, Garden Island NSW
The Naval Chapel at Garden Island dockyard is the oldest Christian chapel of the Royal Australian Navy . It was established in 1902 after conversion from the former sail loft., and has stained glass windows and plaques from that era to the present. The building is the oldest on Garden Island, two...

)

The RAN possesses two Colours, the first is the Fleet Colour held on behalf of the fleet units by Fleet Headquarters, HMAS KUTTABUL. The second, known as the Establishment Colour, is held by HMAS CERBERUS on behalf of the shore establishments.

Royal Canadian Navy
Royal Canadian Navy
The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...

: The Queen's Naval Colour is a variation of the Canadian Naval Jack - it is white, with the Canadian flag
Flag of Canada
The national flag of Canada, also known as the Maple Leaf, and , is a red flag with a white square in its centre, featuring a stylized 11-pointed red maple leaf. Its adoption in 1965 marked the first time a national flag had been officially adopted in Canada to replace the Union Flag...

in the canton, the Royal Cypher for Canada in the centre and the symbol of the navy in the lower fly. The edge of the Colour is trimmed in gold.

Air Force

Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...

: The Queen's Colour of the RAAF is similar to that of the RAF - however, in addition to the RAAF roundel, which is in the lower fly, it has the Commonwealth Star in the lower hoist and the stars of the Southern Cross in the upper fly, with the Royal Cypher in the centre. The flag has a border of golden wattle
Acacia
Acacia is a genus of shrubs and trees belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae, first described in Africa by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1773. Many non-Australian species tend to be thorny, whereas the majority of Australian acacias are not...

as well as golden fringe.
Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...

: The Queen's Air Force Colour is significantly different from the standard in that it is not based on the ensign but instead is similar to the Queen's Colour of infantry regiments: it is a silk national flag of Canada with a red circlet on the maple leaf inscribed with the name of the command, surrounding the royal cipher, and ensigned with the royal crown. Uniquely among Commonwealth air forces, the Canadian air force also has a Command Colour, analogous to an infantry Regimental Colour. This is light blue with the command badge in the centre and a gold maple leaf in each corner, stems outward.

Sri Lanka

When Sri Lanka declared itself a republic in 1972 the units that had a Queen's Colour retired them. These were replaced by the new President's Colour, which was first awarded in 1972.
The following colours have been awarded:

Army

Regiments
- Sri Lanka Light Infantry
  Sri Lanka Light Infantry
  The Sri Lanka Light Infantry is the oldest regiment in the Sri Lanka Army and the oldest infantry regiment in the army. It is made up of ten regular battalions, five volunteer battalions. Headquartered at Panagoda Cantonment, Panagoda...
  
  - 1978
- Gemunu Watch
  Gemunu Watch
  The Gemunu Watch was formed with troops from the Ceylon Light Infantry and the Ceylon Sinha Regiment in 1962. It has been deployed in many major operations against the LTTE. It is made up of 9 regular units and 4 volunteer units. Headquartered at Kuruwita Army Camp, Ratnapura...
  
  - 1980
- Gajaba Regiment
  Gajaba Regiment
  The Gajaba Regiment was formed when 1st Battalion the Rajarata Rifles and 1st Battalion the Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment were amalgamated in 1983 to counter the threat from the LTTE. It is made up of six regular battalions and five volunteer battalions. Headquartered at Saliyapura Camp, Anuradhapura...
  
  - 2007
Establishments
- Army Training Centre
  Sri Lanka Military Academy
  The Sri Lanka Military Academy , commonly known simply as Diyatalawa, is the Sri Lanka Army's officer initial training centre located in the garrison town of Diyatalawa in the central highlands of Sri Lanka....
  
  - 1972, laid up 20 August 1992
- Sri Lanka Military Academy
  Sri Lanka Military Academy
  The Sri Lanka Military Academy , commonly known simply as Diyatalawa, is the Sri Lanka Army's officer initial training centre located in the garrison town of Diyatalawa in the central highlands of Sri Lanka....
  
  - 1997

Air Force

Sri Lanka Air Force - 1976
SLAF Regiment
Sri Lanka Air Force Regiment
The Sri Lanka Air Force Regiment is a specialized ground combat corps within the Sri Lanka Air Force , responsible for capturing and defending airfields and associated installations. Its members are the SLAF Regiment Officers and the airmen of operations ground specialization...

- 2009
Squadrons
- No. 1 Flying Training Wing
  No. 1 Wing SLAF
  No. 1 Flying Training Wing currently based at SLAF China Bay, carries out basic pilot training of the Sri Lanka Air Force. Its the oldest flying formation in the SLAF.-History:...
  
  - 2001
- No. 2 Heavy Transport Squadron
  No. 2 Squadron SLAF
  No. 2 "Heavy Transport" Squadron is a squadron of the Sri Lanka Air Force. It currently operates the C-130 Hercules and Antonov 32 from SLAF Ratmalana.-History:...
  
  - 2009
- No. 4 (VIP) Helicopter Squadron
  No. 4 Squadron SLAF
  No. 4 Helicopter Squadron is a squadron of the Sri Lanka Air Force. It currently operates Bell 412s from SLAF Katunayake for VIP Air transport.-History:...
  
  - 2009
- No. 9 Attack Helicopter Squadron
  No. 9 Squadron SLAF
  No. 9 "Attack Helicopter" Squadron is a squadron of the Sri Lanka Air Force. It currently operates the air force's fleet of Attack Helicopter of Mil Mi-24s & Mil Mi-35s from SLAF Hingurakgoda for Close Air Support...
  
  - 2009
- No. 10 Fighter Squadron
  No. 10 Squadron SLAF
  No. 10 "Fighter" Squadron is a squadron of the Sri Lanka Air Force. It currently operates the IAI Kfir from SLAF Katunayake. The squadron is tasked with providing offensive support for ground & maritime operations, air interdiction and interception...
  
  - 2009
Stations
- SLAF Katunayake - 2001

Navy

Naval and Maritime Academy
Naval and Maritime Academy
Naval and Maritime Academy , Trincomalee, is the location of initial officer training in the Sri Lanka Navy, and is located within SLN Dockyard, Trincomalee. It received university status in 2001...

- 2000

Malaysia

The same format of Sovereign's and Regimental Colours also apply in Malaysia. The King's Colours and Regimental Colours of the Malaysian Armed Forces are the flags given by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong

Yang di-Pertuan Agong

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is the head of state of Malaysia. The office was established in 1957 when the Federation of Malaya gained independence....

in his responsibilities as Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and by the 8 other state monarchs, to units recognized as Royal units and to flags of large formations (the King's Colour) and to units now receiving their new regimental colours (the Unit Regimental Colour).

The King's Colour is yellow with the national arms surrounded by paddy on the center, thus Malaysia is the only Commonwealth country that does not use its national flag for use as a senior Colour (the flag is the senior color of the entire Armed Forces establishment). The sides are emblazoned with the battle honors of the unit. On the canton the service emblem of either service of the Armed Forces (Army, Navy and Air Force) can be seen. The Regimental Colour, however, differs by service arm and unit. Both flags have gold fringes surrounding them.

Singapore

Singaporean military colours of the Singapore Armed Forces

Singapore Armed Forces

The Singapore Armed Forces is the military arm of the Total Defence of the Republic of Singapore; as well as the military component of the Ministry of Defence. The SAF comprises three branches: the Singapore Army, the Republic of Singapore Air Force and the Republic of Singapore Navy...

are divived today into Service State Colours and Unit Regimental Colours. Until 1997 there were also Service Regimental Colours and Unit State Colours. The State Colours are similar to the Flag of Singapore

Flag of Singapore

The national flag of Singapore was first adopted in 1959, the year Singapore became self-governing within the British Empire. It was reconfirmed as the national flag when the Republic gained independence on 9 August 1965...

but differ per service. But Regimental Colours are different, and they differ per unit or service arm (save for the flags of the Air Force and Navy that show their respective service colours instead and some SAF service-wide commands). Their common design is that of the regiment arms at the center.

Belgium

Infantry units have a drapeau / vaandel, a square vertical tricolour of black, yellow, and red within a 15 mm wide gold border, the whole being 90 cm square. The names of battle honours for which the unit was cited are embroidered in gold in French

French language

French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...

on the obverse and in Dutch

Dutch language

Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...

on the reverse, in straight lines.

Denmark

Danish infantry units carry a regimentsfane or bataljonsfane, which measures 105 × 140 cm. The flag is a variation of the Dannebrog

Flag of Denmark

The national flag of Denmark, Dannebrog is red with a white Scandinavian cross that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side...

, with a curvilinear white Dannebrog cross, set with its center about 1/2 the width of the hoist from the hoist edge. The royal cypher is embroidered in gold over the center of the cross, the unit badge in gold in the upper hoist, and the unit number and/or name in gold in the lower hoist. Some regiments have additional marks in the upper and lower fly. The Prince's Life Regiment

Prinsens Livregiment

Prinsens Livregiment was a Danish Army infantry regiment. It was named for Prince Henrik, the husband of Queen Margrethe II. The motto of the regiment was "Gloria Finis" .-History:...

, for instance, has Prince Henrik's cipher in the upper fly and the Queen Mother's in the lower, as one of its antecedents was the Queen's Life Regiment. The finial is an ornate gold openwork spearhead with the royal cypher in the center. Attached below the spearhead are one or more fanebander, lengths of red silk with gold fringe at each end, knotted around the pike, with the regiment's battle honors inscribed in gold. The colour is decorated with a gold cord with two tassels and bordered with a thin strip of gold cord. The sleeve holding the colour to the pike is attached with ornamental nails, the first three of which represent the sovereign, the Fatherland, and the Union.

Finland

Units of Finnish Defence Forces

Finnish Defence Forces

The Finnish Defence Forces are responsible for the defence of Finland. It is a cadre army of 15,000, of which 8,900 are professional soldiers , extended with conscripts and reservists such that the standard readiness strength is 34,700 people in uniform...

have a single Colour. The Colours are either active or traditional. An active Colour belongs to a brigade or a separate regiment. A traditional Colour belongs to a battalion or a regiment that has formerly been separate but is now part of a brigade. The difference between an active and traditional Colour is the way of presenting them. The active Colour has always a guard of two officers, while a traditional Colour is borne without one. The military oath

Oath

An oath is either a statement of fact or a promise calling upon something or someone that the oath maker considers sacred, usually God, as a witness to the binding nature of the promise or the truth of the statement of fact. To swear is to take an oath, to make a solemn vow...

is always given in the presence of the active Colour of the unit.

The Finnish military vexillology is a mixture of Scandinavian and Russian tradition. The Colours are usually modelled after Swedish regimental flags of the 17th century, but some units carry flags modelled after Russian or German flags. The Colour usually bears the emblem of the province where the unit is located with an appropriate symbol of the service branch. No battle honours were awarded for units during the Second World War but some units have battle honours from the Finnish Civil War

Finnish Civil War

The Finnish Civil War was a part of the national, political and social turmoil caused by World War I in Europe. The Civil War concerned control and leadership of The Grand Duchy of Finland as it achieved independence from Russia after the October Revolution in Petrograd...

France

The Pope decided English crusaders would be distinguished by wearing a white cross on red, and French crusaders a red cross on white (Italian knights were allocated a yellow cross on a white background, etc.), English knights soon decided to claim "their" cross of red on white, like the French. In January 1188, in a meeting between Henry II of England

Henry II of England

Henry II ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the...

and Philip II of France

Philip II of France

Philip II Augustus was the King of France from 1180 until his death. A member of the House of Capet, Philip Augustus was born at Gonesse in the Val-d'Oise, the son of Louis VII and his third wife, Adela of Champagne...

, the two rivals agreed to exchange flags (France later changed its new white cross on red for a white cross on a dark blue flag). Some French knights carried on using the red cross however, and as English knights wore this pattern as well, the red cross on white became the typical crusader symbol regardless of nationality.

Background

As the use of regimental colours spread in Europe, the habit developed of using a symmetric white cross as the basis of the design of the French regimental flags, and by the 18th c. almost every regiment had a white cross. The regiments were distinguished by the colours of the cantons

Flag terminology

Flag terminology is a jargon used in vexillology, the study of flags, to describe precisely the parts, patterns, and other attributes of flags and their display.-Description of standard flag parts and terms:...

After the French Revolution

French Revolution

The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...

and the appearance of the new Tricolore, crosses disappear in 1794 and various arrangements of the tricolor come into use. Napoleon standardizes first in 1804 to a white field chape-chausse of red and blue, and in 1812 to the modern French flag.

About battle honours on current colours

Somehow, the French Armed Forces of today are not officially considered to be the successors of the Royal Army and Navy, although many of their individual units are de facto. Accordingly, battles fought and won by the Royal Army and Navy

Ancien Régime in France

The Ancien Régime refers primarily to the aristocratic, social and political system established in France from the 15th century to the 18th century under the late Valois and Bourbon dynasties...

before the French Revolution

French Revolution

(such as Patay

Battle of Patay

The Battle of Patay was the culminating engagement of the Loire Campaign of the Hundred Years' War between the French and English in north-central France. It was a decisive victory for the French and turned the tide of the war. This victory was to the French what Agincourt was to the English...

, Fontenoy

Battle of Fontenoy

The Battle of Fontenoy, 11 May 1745, was a major engagement of the War of the Austrian Succession, fought between the forces of the Pragmatic Allies – comprising mainly Dutch, British, and Hanoverian troops under the nominal command of the Duke of Cumberland – and a French army under Maurice de...

, Chesapeake

Battle of the Chesapeake

The Battle of the Chesapeake, also known as the Battle of the Virginia Capes or simply the Battle of the Capes, was a crucial naval battle in the American War of Independence that took place near the mouth of Chesapeake Bay on 5 September 1781, between a British fleet led by Rear Admiral Sir Thomas...

, Porto Praya

Battle of Porto Praya

The Battle of Porto Praya was a naval battle which took place during the American Revolutionary War on 16 April 1781 between a British squadron under Commodore George Johnstone and a French squadron under the Bailli de Suffren....

and so on) do not appear as battle honours on regimental colours. The names of battles of the old times, however, which are rightly still considered as most glorious by the modern French Army, are honoured by being given to ships or armoured vehicles, and remembered by anniversaries.

As a paradoxical example, the 1st Infantry Regiment Picardie (founded 1479, during the reign of Louis XI

Louis XI of France

Louis XI , called the Prudent , was the King of France from 1461 to 1483. He was the son of Charles VII of France and Mary of Anjou, a member of the House of Valois....

) which is the oldest regiment with continuous service of all European armies, has fought an impressive number of fierce battles since the 15th century, as one may imagine... yet, officially, its battle honours record starts only in 1792:

Valmy 1792
Fleurus 1794
Moeskirch 1800
Biberach 1800
Miliana 1842
Guise 1914
Verdun - L'Yser 1916-1917
La Somme 1916
L'Ourcq 1918
Résistance Berry 1944
AFN 1952-1962.

Latest official regulations

The following official documents relate to the colours of the Land Army

French Army

The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...

(armée de Terre) :

recommendation (circulaire) 808 EMM/CAB of December 5, 1985 rules what sorts of units can be given colours, abiding to previous regulations of joint services ;
decision 12350/SGA/DPMA/SHD/DAT of September 14, 2007 deals with the inscriptions of battle honours upon the flags and standards of the units of the Army, the Defence Health service
French Defence Health service
French Defence Health Service is in charge of medical and sanitary support of the French Military and of all institutions placed under the authority of the French Ministry of Defence....

and the Military Fuel Service
Military Fuel Service (France)
The Service des essences des armées , which translates as the Military fuel service is an inter-service branch of the French Army subordinate to the head of the defence staff.-History:...

;
government order of November 19, 2004 relates to the award of the AFN 1952-1962 battle honour to flags and standards of Army and Services units.

Land Army in general

Regimental colours of units which are traditionally on foot, such as Infantry regiments of the line, Marine
Troupes de marine
The or Infanterie de marine, formerly Troupes coloniales, are an arm of the French Army with a colonial heritage. The Troupes de marine have a dedicated overseas service role. Despite their title they have been a part of the Army since 1958...

Infantry, Foreign Legion
French Foreign Legion
The French Foreign Legion is a unique military service wing of the French Army established in 1831. The foreign legion was exclusively created for foreign nationals willing to serve in the French Armed Forces...

Infantry, Paratroops Infantry, Engineers, Signal Corps and Military Colleges) are called drapeaux (flags).
Regimental colours of the (traditionally) mounted units of the Armoured Cavalry Branch
Armoured Cavalry Branch
The Armoured Cavalry Branch is a component of the French Army. It was formed after the World War II by merging tank and cavalry branches. It operates the majority of France's armoured vehicles, though a small minority of France's armour is still operated by infantry regiments. It continues the...

and other cavalry units such as Dragoon Paratroopers, Hussar Paratroopers, Legion Cavalry, Artillery (including Marine Artillery, Legion Artillery, etc.), Transportation, Army Aviation
French Army Light Aviation
The French Army Light Aviation is the aviation service of the French Army.-History:The French Army Light Aviation was established on 22 November 1954 for observation, reconnaissance, assault and supply duties.-Composition:...

, and Materiel, are called étendards (standards).

Regimental colours are 90 cm × 90 cm Tricolore silk square flags - standards are smaller: 64 cm × 64 cm - surrounded by a golden fringe. Both are set on a stave (2.11 m long and 32 mm diameter - staves for standards are slightly shorter) ended by a 38 cm pike-shaped finial with a cartouche bearing the initials "RF" for République française

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

on one side, and the name or number of the unit on the other side.

The cravate hanging from the pike is made of two tricolour silk ribbons, 90 cm long and 24 cm wide, ended by a 8 cm gold fringe on which the unit number or monogram is embroidered in gold, encircled by a oak and laurel wreath. French decorations and fourragère

Fourragère

The fourragère is a military award, distinguishing military units as a whole, that is shaped as a braided cord. The award has been firstly adopted by France, followed by other nations such as the Netherlands, Belgium and Portugal.- History :...

s awarded to the unit are pinned or tied to the cravate; foreign awards and decorations are borne on a red velvet cushion.

All writings on the colour are embroidered in gold, as well the unit number (or monogram) encircled in antique oak and laurel wreath in each corner of the flag.

Obverse of a colour:

RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE
(NAME OF THE UNIT)

Reverse of a colour:

HONNEUR (Honour)
ET (and)
PATRIE (Fatherland)
(BATTLE HONOURS)

Rifle battalions (chasseurs à pied)

By tradition, all the battalions of the rifles (the bataillons de chasseurs à pied together with the chasseurs alpins) share a single collective colour. Individual battalions have pennants (fanions) and the flag of the rifles (Drapeau des chasseurs) is given to be held each year in turn to a different rifle battalion. As a result, the single flag displays all the battle honours earned by every rifle battailon.

Other specific colours

Since 1844, the obverse of Foreign Legion
French Foreign Legion
The French Foreign Legion is a unique military service wing of the French Army established in 1831. The foreign legion was exclusively created for foreign nationals willing to serve in the French Armed Forces...

regimental colours do not carry the motto "Honneur et Patrie" but "Honneur et Fidélité" (Honour and Fidelity). This motto was originally written on the flags of the Swiss regiments in French service, such as the Régiment de Diesbach (85th Infantry of the line).
The École polytechnique
École Polytechnique
The École Polytechnique is a state-run institution of higher education and research in Palaiseau, Essonne, France, near Paris. Polytechnique is renowned for its four year undergraduate/graduate Master's program...

, as a military college, also has a colour which does not carry "Honneur et Patrie" but instead "Pour la Patrie, les Sciences et la Gloire" (For the Fatherland, Sciences and Glory). The reverse of École polytechnique's colour has one battle honour written under the motto: Défense de Paris - 1814, awarded in 1901 by President Émile Loubet
Émile Loubet
Émile François Loubet was a French politician and the 8th President of France.-Early life:He was born the son of a peasant proprietor and mayor of Marsanne . Admitted to the Parisian bar in 1862, he took his doctorate in law the next year...

.
Since 1880, the motto of the Paris Fire Brigade
Paris Fire Brigade
The Paris Fire Brigade , is a French Army unit which serves as the fire service for Paris and certain sites of national strategic importance....

(which is a military unit belonging to the Engineering Arm), "Dévouement et Discipline" (Devotion and Discipline), is written under "Honneur et Patrie".
The reverse of the Saint-Cyr Military College
École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr
The École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr is the foremost French military academy. Its official name is . It is often referred to as Saint-Cyr . Its motto is "Ils s'instruisent pour vaincre": literally "They study to vanquish" or "Training for victory"...

's colour has seven lines: Honneur / et / patrie / Ils s'instruisent pour vaincre / Premier / bataillon / de France (Honour / and / Fatherland / They study for victory / First / battalion / of France).

The National Navy

The Colours worn by the ships of the National Navy

French Navy

The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military. It includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching...

(Marine nationale) consist of the National Ensign and the jack:

the National Ensign is flown at the stern and at the bowsprit if not replaced there by the FNFL jack or a military award jack;
the FNFL jack is flown at the ship's jackstaff if the ship has fought with the Free French Naval Forces
Free French Naval Forces
Les Forces Navales Françaises Libres were the naval arm of the Free French Forces during the Second World War. They were commanded by Admiral Emile Muselier.- History :...

, or is named after such a ship;
military award jacks may also be flown at the ship's jackstaff if the ship has received mention in dispatches (in which case crew members wear the corresponding fourragère).

Currently, only eight individual National Navy units do have colours other than the National Ensign or the FNFL jack. Under recommendation 808 EMM/CAB of December 5, 1985, naval units to which colours can be bestowed must be those with manpower equivalent to that of a regiment, which are specialised in combat or services on land (or corps which have inherited their traditions from such units), and naval instruction centres or colleges. The flags are quite similar to those of Land Army units, the difference being the wreaths in corners which encircle anchors instead of name of unit, except for the Naval Gunners (initials CM) and the Fleet Engineering Cadets College (initials EAMF).

As of today, these units are (between brackets is where the colours are currently kept):

the 1^er régiment de fusiliers marins (École des fusiliers marins) - the 1st Naval Fusiliers Rgt. (Naval Fusiliers College);
the Demi-brigade de fusiliers marins (Compagnie de fusiliers marins de Cherbourg) - the Naval Fusiliers Half-Brigade (Cherbourg Naval Fusiliers Company);
the Canonniers marins (Centre d' instruction naval de Saint-Mandrier) - the Naval Gunners (Saint-Mandrier Naval Instruction Centre);
the École navale (Groupe des écoles du Poulmic) - the Naval College
École Navale
The École Navale is the French Naval Academy in charge of the education of the officers of the French Navy.The academy was founded in 1830 by the order of King Louis-Philippe...

(Poulmic Schools Group);
the École militaire de la flotte (Groupe des écoles du Poulmic) - the Fleet Military College (Poulmic Schools Group);
the École des mousses (Centre d'instruction naval de Brest) - the Cabin Boys
Cabin boy
A Cabin boy or ship's boy is a boy who waits on the officers and passengers of a ship, especially running errands for the captain....

College (Brest Naval Instruction Centre);
the École des apprentis mécaniciens de la flotte (Centre d' instruction naval de Saint-Mandrier) - the Fleet Engineering Cadets College (Saint-Mandrier Naval Instruction Centre);
the Bataillon de marins pompiers de Marseille (Bataillon de marins pompiers de Marseille ) - the Marseille Marine Fire Battalion
Marseille Marine Fire Battalion
The Marseille Marine Fire Battalion, or in French le Bataillon de marins-pompiers de Marseille or BMPM, is the fire and rescue service for the city of Marseille....

(The Marseille Marine Fire Battalion).

The Air Army

The colours of Air Army

French Air Force

The French Air Force , literally Army of the Air) is the air force of the French Armed Forces. It was formed in 1909 as the Service Aéronautique, a service arm of the French Army, then was made an independent military arm in 1933...

(armée de l'Air) units are by all means similar to those of the Land Army from which it separated as an independent military arm in 1933. Colours are generally not bestowed to Air Army units smaller than escadres (wings), land combat regiments, air force bases, instruction centres or air colleges.

The National Gendarmerie

The units of the National Gendarmerie (Gendarmerie nationale) have colours which are very similar to those of the Land Army. Each region (formerly legion), instruction centre, college or Republican Guard Regiment has its flag or standard, altogether 56 flags and 2 standards. The reverse of colours of the Departmental Gendarmerie units and Gendarmerie instruction centres have the same motto as the Land Army units (Honneur et Patrie) but the colours of the Mobile Gendarmerie have their own particular motto: Valeur et Discipline (Valour and Discipline). Most subordinate or smaller units use 50 cm large x 40 cm high pennants.

The National Gendarmerie also has a common flag, under the guard of the Director-general, on which five battle honours are registered:

Hondschoote 1793;
Villodrigo 1812;
Taguin 1843;
Sébastopol 1855;
Indochine 1945-1954.

Nations of the former French Empire

Many of today's armed forces of independent countries that once were part of the French Empire

French colonial empire

The French colonial empire was the set of territories outside Europe that were under French rule primarily from the 17th century to the late 1960s. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the colonial empire of France was the second-largest in the world behind the British Empire. The French colonial empire...

share customs and traditions closely similar if not identical to those of the French military regarding organisation of military arms, army

Ranks in the French Army

See Ranks in the French Navy for more details about the Navy Ranks.The ranks in the Armée de Terre :Rank insignia in the French army depend on whether the soldier belongs to an "infantry" or "cavalry" unit...

and navy rank structures

Ranks in the French Navy

The rank insignia of the French Navy are worn on shoulder straps of shirts and white jackets, and on sleeves for navy jackets and mantels....

and uniform

Military uniform

Military uniforms comprises standardised dress worn by members of the armed forces and paramilitaries of various nations. Military dress and military styles have gone through great changes over the centuries from colourful and elaborate to extremely utilitarian...

styles. Indeed, in countries where the decolonisation process had been conducted through peaceful political negociations (chiefly French West Africa

French West Africa

French West Africa was a federation of eight French colonial territories in Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, French Sudan , French Guinea , Côte d'Ivoire , Upper Volta , Dahomey and Niger...

and French Equatorial Africa

French Equatorial Africa

French Equatorial Africa or the AEF was the federation of French colonial possessions in Middle Africa, extending northwards from the Congo River to the Sahara Desert.-History:...

), French colonial units were sometimes directly inherited by the former colonies where they had been raised to form the basis of the new national armies. This legacy not only included colour etiquette (the way colours are respected, taken care of and paraded), but also design, adapted to new national flag designs.

On the contrary, in countries where independence came as the aftermath of bloody wars of liberation, such as in Vietnam

First Indochina War

The First Indochina War was fought in French Indochina from December 19, 1946, until August 1, 1954, between the French Union's French Far East...

and Algeria, due to the Cold War

Cold War

The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...

context, French military culture was strongly rejected often only to be replaced by communist

Communist state

A communist state is a state with a form of government characterized by single-party rule or dominant-party rule of a communist party and a professed allegiance to a Leninist or Marxist-Leninist communist ideology as the guiding principle of the state...

Soviet

Soviet Army

The Soviet Army is the name given to the main part of the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union between 1946 and 1992. Previously, it had been known as the Red Army. Informally, Армия referred to all the MOD armed forces, except, in some cases, the Soviet Navy.This article covers the Soviet Ground...

or Chinese

People's Liberation Army

style military culture (colours, ranks, uniforms, parade pace, etc.).

Other Nations

As one of the World's great power

Great power

A great power is a nation or state that has the ability to exert its influence on a global scale. Great powers characteristically possess military and economic strength and diplomatic and cultural influence which may cause small powers to consider the opinions of great powers before taking actions...

s together with Great Britain, France did not only exercise its influence by conquest but also by the prestige of its military. At the height of European colonial expansion in the 19th century, France's army and Britain's navy were each regarded as the most powerful forces ever on land and at sea. This lead many a military to copy both powers' military and naval cultures. As most navies in the World adopted the British naval looks (double-breasted navy blue jacket and peaked cap for officer, blue jean collar for ratings, etc.), numerous land armies adopted French-inspired uniforms during the 1860s and 1870s (both Union and Confederate armies during the American Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

, the Chilean Army of the War of the Pacific

War of the Pacific

The War of the Pacific took place in western South America from 1879 through 1883. Chile fought against Bolivia and Peru. Despite cooperation among the three nations in the war against Spain, disputes soon arose over the mineral-rich Peruvian provinces of Tarapaca, Tacna, and Arica, and the...

, the Russian Imperial Army

Imperial Russian Army

The Imperial Russian Army was the land armed force of the Russian Empire, active from around 1721 to the Russian Revolution of 1917. In the early 1850s, the Russian army consisted of around 938,731 regular soldiers and 245,850 irregulars . Until the time of military reform of Dmitry Milyutin in...

, etc.) and even sometimes imported types of French units (e.g. Zouave

Zouave

Zouave was the title given to certain light infantry regiments in the French Army, normally serving in French North Africa between 1831 and 1962. The name was also adopted during the 19th century by units in other armies, especially volunteer regiments raised for service in the American Civil War...

regiments). France's influence on military fashion dimmed for the time being after the most unexpected French defeat ending the Franco-Prussian War

Franco-Prussian War

The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...

of 1870-1871 and many armies then changed to adopt Prussian military style (as a perfect example of this trend, Chilean soldiers traded their kepi

Kepi

The kepi is a cap with a flat circular top and a visor or peak . Etymologically, the word is a borrowing of the French képi, itself a respelling of the Alemannic Käppi: a diminutive form of Kappe, meaning "cap"....

s for pickelhaube

Pickelhaube

The Pickelhaube , also "Pickelhelm," was a spiked helmet worn in the 19th and 20th centuries by German military, firefighters, and police...

n!).

As far as regimental colours are concerned, French influence was mainly to to be seen in armies of smaller European powers with strong cultural, economical or political ties to France, notably in such countries whose national flag itself was patterned after the French national flag, such as Belgium or Romania.

Germany

Units of the Bundeswehr

Bundeswehr

The Bundeswehr consists of the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities...

have only a single Colour. The Truppenfahne is a square version of the national flag

Flag of Germany

The flag of Germany is a tricolour consisting of three equal horizontal bands displaying the national colours of Germany: black, red, and gold....

with the Bundesadler

Coat of arms of Germany

The coat of arms of Germany displays a black eagle on a yellow shield ....

(national shield) overall in the center. The flag is surrounded by a black, red, and gold lacework border and edged on three sides by gold fringe. The finial is a gilt bronze openwork spearhead surrounding a black and silver Iron Cross

Iron Cross

The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....

. Below the finial, a streamer is attached with the unit badge at the top and its designation embroidered in gold at the end. These streamers are red for army (Heer) units, blue for the navy (Marine), and white for the air force (Luftwaffe). The streamer is the same length as the hoist of the flag.

Greece

Traditionally, Army

Hellenic Army

The Hellenic Army , formed in 1828, is the land force of Greece.The motto of the Hellenic Army is , "Freedom Stems from Valor", from Thucydides's History of the Peloponnesian War...

infantry and tank/cavalry regiments have a single colour or war flag . This is blue, with a white cross and features St George and the Dragon

Saint George

Saint George was, according to tradition, a Roman soldier from Syria Palaestina and a priest in the Guard of Diocletian, who is venerated as a Christian martyr. In hagiography Saint George is one of the most venerated saints in the Catholic , Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and the Oriental Orthodox...

in the centre. The flag has no distinguishing features for individual regiments, although battle honours are sometimes added to the flag; the regiment's identity is inscribed on the flagstaff. The pattern has been in use since the 1830s, with no changes between the periods of monarchy

Kingdom of Greece

The Kingdom of Greece was a state established in 1832 in the Convention of London by the Great Powers...

or republic

History of the Hellenic Republic

The history of the Hellenic Republic constitutes three discrete republican periods in the modern history of Greece: from 1822 until 1832; from 1924 until 1935; and from 1974 through to the present...

. The Hellenic Army Academy has also been awarded a war flag, its cadets having participated in the Battle of Crete

Battle of Crete

The Battle of Crete was a battle during World War II on the Greek island of Crete. It began on the morning of 20 May 1941, when Nazi Germany launched an airborne invasion of Crete under the code-name Unternehmen Merkur...

in 1941. Similar flags exist also for the Air Force

Air force

An air force, also known in some countries as an air army, is in the broadest sense, the national military organization that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army, navy or...

, featuring the archangel

Archangel

An archangel is an angel of high rank. Archangels are found in a number of religious traditions, including Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Michael and Gabriel are recognized as archangels in Judaism and by most Christians. Michael is the only archangel specifically named in the Protestant Bible...

s Michael

Michael (archangel)

Michael , Micha'el or Mîkhā'ēl; , Mikhaḗl; or Míchaël; , Mīkhā'īl) is an archangel in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic teachings. Roman Catholics, Anglicans, and Lutherans refer to him as Saint Michael the Archangel and also simply as Saint Michael...

and Gabriel

Gabriel

In Abrahamic religions, Gabriel is an Archangel who typically serves as a messenger to humans from God.He first appears in the Book of Daniel, delivering explanations of Daniel's visions. In the Gospel of Luke Gabriel foretells the births of both John the Baptist and of Jesus...

. Recently war flags were assigned to the Army NCO Academy and the Police Academy.

Holy See

The flag of the Swiss Guard

Swiss Guard

Swiss Guards or Schweizergarde is the name given to the Swiss soldiers who have served as bodyguards, ceremonial guards, and palace guards at foreign European courts since the late 15th century. They have had a high reputation for discipline, as well as loyalty to their employers...

, the army of the Vatican City

Vatican City

Vatican City , or Vatican City State, in Italian officially Stato della Città del Vaticano , which translates literally as State of the City of the Vatican, is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, Italy. It has an area of...

, consists of four quarters. The Coat of Arms of the current pope

Pope

The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...

is in the first quarter, while the arms of Pope Julius II

Pope Julius II

Pope Julius II , nicknamed "The Fearsome Pope" and "The Warrior Pope" , born Giuliano della Rovere, was Pope from 1503 to 1513...

are in the fourth quarter. In the second and third quarters are horizontal stripes of red, yellow and blue, the colours of the unit's uniforms.

The flag also has the coat of arms of the commander within a wreath, on a background of the colour of his canton. The design of the flag changes with the election of a new pope and the appointment of a new commander.

Italy

The Colour (bandiera di guerra) for army units (other than cavalry) is a square version of the national tricolour

Flag of Italy

The flag of Italy is a tricolour featuring three equally sized vertical pales of green, white, and red, with the green at the hoist side...

in silk, 99 cm × 99 cm. It is mounted on a pike 2.2 m long, made of wood covered with green velvet and decorated with ornate brass nails arranged in a spiral. The pike is topped by a 35 cm high finial consisting of an ornate gilt brass spearhead chased with a five pointed star and the monogram RI (for Repubblica Italiana), which is in turn mounted atop a gilt brass ball on which is the name and date of establishment of the unit. The pike is adorned with two silver cords 67 cm long, each with a 10 cm long silver tassel and a blue silk cravat 8 cm × 66 cm with an 8 cm silver fringe at each end, to which the unit’s decorations are pinned, the ribbons of the decorations overlapping so that the medals hang down the cravat.

Netherlands

In the Dutch armed forces, the Colour is orange. On the obverse is the royal cypher of the monarch that gave the regiment its (original) colour, with the unit's name underneath, both in gold; around the four edges is a laurel branch. On the reverse is the arms of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Kingdom of the Netherlands

The Kingdom of the Netherlands is a sovereign state and constitutional monarchy with territory in Western Europe and in the Caribbean. The four parts of the Kingdom—Aruba, Curaçao, the Netherlands, and Sint Maarten—are referred to as "countries", and participate on a basis of equality...

without the mantle. The shield is blue and is strewn with small upright rectangles; the main device is a crowned rampant lion, holding a sword in its upper paw. The lion and rectangles are gold, whilst the blade of the sword is silver. Supporting the shield on either side is a gold rampant lion, facing outwards towards the viewer. There is a gold crown above the shield; whilst below it is a blue scroll with the motto Je Maintiendrai in gold. The shield and lions are surrounded by a wreath of green palm and oak leaves, and there is another wavy gold laurel wreath around the edge. Battle honours are added in the corners of the obverse; if additional honours are awarded, they are placed on streamers that are attached to the pike until the presentation of a new Colour. The Military Order of William or other decorations are attached to the pike when awarded. The pike has a finial of a lion on a block holding a sword and a bunch of seven arrows. Traditionally a colour is 87 cm x 87 cm (with a pike of 2.50 m in length), but armoured infantry regiments carry colours that measure 60 cm x 60 cm (with a pike of 2.20 m in length). Guards regiments carry the same colour, with some differing details.

Norway

Norwegian infantry units have a stand of colours - the first (King's Colour) is the national flag

Flag of Norway

The flag of Norway is red with an indigo blue Scandinavian cross outlined in white that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog, the flag of Denmark.- History :...

, while the second (Regimental Colour) is unique to each unit:

Infantry: Norwegian line infantry units carry regimental colours, either of a solid colour or divided vertically into two or three stripes, with the Norwegian lion in the centre, the name of the unit, and battle honors embroidered on the field. The colours vary by regiment and derive either from historic associations with predecessor regiments or from the colours of the regiment's oldest known uniform.
Guards: The Royal Norwegian Guards regiment has a regimental colour that is all white, again with the lion in the centre, and with the Royal Cypher of the reigning monarch in each corner.

Portugal

All regiments of the Portuguese Army

Portuguese Army

The Portuguese Army is the ground branch of the Portuguese Armed Forces which, in co-operation with other branches of the Portuguese military, is charged with the defence of Portugal...

have a National Colour - Estandarte Nacional - which is based on the National Flag of Portugal

Flag of Portugal

The flag of Portugal is the national flag of the Portuguese Republic. It is a rectangular bicolour with a field unevenly divided into green on the hoist, and red on the fly. The lesser version of the national coat of arms is centered over the colour boundary at equal distance from the upper and...

. Regiments and battalions also have regimental heraldic colours based on the unit's coat of arms.

National Colours are also carried by major units of the Portuguese Navy

Portuguese Navy

The Portuguese Navy is the naval branch of the Portuguese Armed Forces which, in cooperation and integrated with the other branches of the Portuguese military, is charged with the military defence of Portugal....

, Portuguese Air Force

Portuguese Air Force

The Portuguese Air Force is the air force of Portugal. Formed on July 1, 1952, with the Aeronáutica Militar and Aviação Naval united in a single independent Air Force, it is one of the three branches of the Portuguese Armed Forces and its origins dates back to 1912, when the military aviation...

and Portuguese National Republican Guard

Portuguese National Republican Guard

The Portuguese National Republican Guard is the gendarmerie of Portugal. Members of the GNR are soldiers, who, unlike the agents of the Public Security Police , are subject to military law and organisation...

.

The official standard for the National Colours was established in 1911 and states that they should measure 120 cm in the hoist by 130 cm in the fly, the National Arms being surrounded by two olive branches tied by a scroll with the motto "Esta é a Ditosa Pátria Minha Amada - This is My Loved Happy Motherland".

Romania

According to the Romanian General Staff

Romanian Armed Forces

The Land Forces, Air Force and Naval Forces of Romania are collectively known as the Romanian Armed Forces...

, “The military colors (drapel de luptă) are the symbol of military honor, bravery and glory. They evoke the past struggle of the Romanian people for national liberty and the traditions of unity, reminding each soldier of his sacred duty to serve the Fatherland with trust, and to defend at all costs the unity, sovereignty and independence of Romania”.

The military colors are granted to military units by presidential decree, on the advice of the Minister of National Defense, the Minister of Internal Affairs or the director of the Romanian Intelligence Service

Serviciul Român de Informatii

The Romanian Intelligence Service is the Romanian domestic intelligence service. It is considered the descendant of the former Departamentul Securităţii Statului , of the Socialist Republic of Romania. The official decree The Romanian Intelligence Service (', SRI) is the Romanian domestic...

. According to the Ministry of National Defense, the complete description of this military insignia is as follows:

The military colors of Romania are made of double silk cloth and have dimensions of 100 × 66 cm (2:3 ratio). The canvas has the colors of the Romanian flag and its obverse is identical with the reverse. The national coat of arms, measuring 29 × 21.5 cm, is applied in the middle of the yellow stripe, 18 cm above its base. In each corner, 5 cm from the edge of the canvas, is sewed a wreath of oak leaves, which surrounds the weapon signs, all of golden thread:

two crossed swords for land forces
a helicopter blade juxtaposed over a pair of wings in downward flight, a radar and a crossed rocket and telescope for aerial forces
an anchor for naval forces.
the letter J in a rhombus over two crossed swords for gendarmerie
Jandarmeria Româna
Jandarmeria Română is the military branch of the two Romanian police forces .The gendarmerie is subordinated to the Ministry of Interior and Administrative Reform and does not have responsibility for policing the Romanian Armed Forces...

units
the emblem of the Romanian Intelligence Service for its units

The three sides of the flag not attached to the pole are decorated with fringes of golden thread (5–7 cm long) and tassels of the same material (10–12 cm long) hang from the corners of the fly. The flag is attached to the pole by an antioxidant metal rod 70 cm long.

The pole, of brown wood, is 240 cm high and 3.5 cm in diameter. A brass cylinder is at the base, 4 cm long and closed on the bottom. The rod is attached to the pole by a brass ring, gilt on its lower part, and a 6 cm high cylindrical protective tube of the same material and gilt on its upper part. The ring (3.2 cm high) is inscribed with the name of the unit. Another brass cylinder is placed on the tip of the pole, 6 cm long and of brass. The eagle, of gilt copper, sheet, 15 cm high and 11.5 cm wide, is placed over this. Looking rightward, the eagle’s wings are pointed downward and it holds the thunderbolts of Jupiter

Jupiter (mythology)

In ancient Roman religion and myth, Jupiter or Jove is the king of the gods, and the god of the sky and thunder. He is the equivalent of Zeus in the Greek pantheon....

in its talons. It is placed on a parallelepipedic support of the same metal (10 × 3.5 × 2 cm), which has a 3.4 cm high ornament on its lower part. The support is screwed onto the brass cylinder and has inscribed into the front the motto “Onoare şi Patrie” (“Honor and Fatherland”). The name of the respective unit is engraved into the reverse.

Other features of the military colors are a tie for attaching decorations, six sashes for the troops in the flag’s guard and a protective cover of impermeable fabric.

The military colors of navy vessels are identical to their ensign. The ensign is in turn identical to the national flag, being made of ordinary canvas in various dimensions, according to the ship’s rank, size and place of hoisting.

Russia and Soviet Union

From 1942 onwards, each regiment in the armed forces

Red Army

The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...

of the Soviet Union

Soviet Union

The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

(especially the Army and Air Force) had its own colour, which was produced to a standard design:

Obverse: red field, a red star yellow bordered and the full name and number of a military unit/school below. Each unit has its own inscription.
Reverse: red field, a gold hammer and sickle and the motto "For our Soviet Motherland!" (За нашу советскую родину!, Za nashu sovyetskuyu rodinu)

The colour was gold fringed.

The former design had a red star on the reverse with the name of the Central Executive Committee and later, the Supreme Soviet of the USSR surrounding it, and the obverse had the unit inscription below the coat of arms of the Soviet Union

Coat of arms of the Soviet Union

The State Emblem of the Soviet Union was adopted in 1923 and was used until the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Although it technically is an emblem rather than a coat of arms, since it does not follow heraldic rules, in Russian it is called герб , the word used for a traditional coat of...

, which had the Soviet Union state motto and the red star

Red star

A red star, five-pointed and filled, is an important ideological and religious symbol which has been used for various purposes, such as: state emblems, flags, monuments, ornaments, and logos.- Symbol of communism :...

with the hammer and sickle

Hammer and sickle

The hammer and sickle is a part of communist symbolism and its usage indicates an association with Communism, a Communist party, or a Communist state. It features a hammer and a sickle overlapping each other. The two tools are symbols of the industrial proletariat and the peasantry; placing them...

inside (both were on the flag of the Soviet Union

Flag of the Soviet Union

The flag of the Soviet Union consisted of a plain red flag, with a setting or cross-peen hammer crossed with a sickle and a red star in the upper canton...

) above it (the latter was near the hoist).

The Soviet Navy colours had the 1935 official design with them (it was later revised in 1950), with additions for units honored with the Order of the Red Banner, but in 1964 the Suprme Commander's and Defense Minister's own naval colour and the colours of the Navy Commander-in-Chief (formerly the Minister for the Navy) and Chief of Naval Operations were issued with different designs used, with the addition of the Armed Forces General Staff's own naval colour. The first colour was red with the USSR state arms, the next two had the arms with blue stripes indicating office rank, and the final two were adaptations of the naval ensign (with a different ensign with the rank) plus the stripes. The 1935 design (that of a white field with a blue lower stripe and the red star plus the hammer and sickle above the blue stripe) replaced a much earlier, post-revolutionary naval colors design adopted in 1925. In 1944 a different flag was issued to the Navy for its units – the same design used by the Army with a different obverse having the unit name below the naval ensign.

Early flags even had the RKKA and RKKF insignia (the Army General Staff, represented by crossed blue rifles and later became the General Staff's naval colour until 1964, the Naval General Staff and the Army Naval Operations Staff, later the flag of the People's Comissariat for the Navy on its 1938 creation and was issued with two new colors for the Navy Commissar and Deputy Comissar) beside the hammer and sickle, even the flags of the People's Commissar for National Defense and that of the Navy General Staff and the various flags of naval officers which had the ensign on a canton surrounded by a red field, derived from the Navy Commissar's. The cruiser Aurora since 1968 has had a different version of the ensign, flanked by the Orders of the Red Banner and of the October Revolution

October Revolution

The October Revolution , also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution , Red October, the October Uprising or the Bolshevik Revolution, was a political revolution and a part of the Russian Revolution of 1917...

on the top sides of the star, as the Aurora was the only naval recipient of the latter order in 1967 while in 1918, the Order of the Red Banner was conferred to the ship.

Regimental colours of the Guards units

The colours of those regiments that were classed as "Guards" was slightly different as per 1942 regulations. These had the portrait of Lenin, the Za nashu motto and the abbreviation "USSR" (СССР, SSSR) on the obverse and the small star with hammer and sickle in its centre, unit's name and a motto on the reverse of the colour. The mottoes were different for every regiment (for example, those regiments made Guards in the Great Patriotic War bore the motto "Death to the German invaders", Смерть Немецким захватчикам, Smyert' Nyemyetskim zahvatchikam). In some Guards units, different designs on the obverse and reverse were used. Even the Lenin portrait was differet in these colours. All of them were gold fringed.

The Navy's Guards units still had the 1935 design, with the addition of the Guards ribbon below, except for units which were honored with the Order of the Red Banner and became Guard units later.
The difference is in the red five-pointed star, in which Red Banner Guard unit flags had applied the Guards ribbon below aside from the Order of the Red Banner on the star for units that had the order bestowed on their colours earlier. These units also used the 1944 regimental colour design but adapted for the navy's guards units.

Colors of the present-day Russian Armed Forces

Since the birth of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in the aftermath of the dissolution of the USSR, the old Soviet unit colours were retained. Starting in 1998, the traditional Imperial Russian Armed Forces flag designs were reinstated; however, the new designs began to appear in the early years of the 21st century in the Army and Air Force. But the Russian Navy's old naval color (St. Andrew's cross in blue on a white field) began to be used again in 1992. It has several variations, and the old jack color of the Soviet Navy (pre-1935) soon became its jack color, with the red star with the hammer and sickle removed. The unit colors (especially those of the Navy honor guards) have the same design with the unit insigia at the center of it while Guards units and bemerited and decorated units apply a different version of the colour.

The new Army and Air Force unit colors are square shaped, have St. Andrew's cross in the service or arm color, and with the unit insignia in the middle.

Spain

Standard Colours: Units of the Spanish Army have a single colour based on the national flag
Flag of Spain
The flag of Spain , as it is defined in the Spanish Constitution of 1978, consists of three horizontal stripes: red, yellow and red, the yellow stripe being twice the size of each red stripe...

. This has the coat of arms in the centre of the flag, surrounded by the regiment's name in black. Red and yellow tassles are attached to the finial which have battle honours embroidered on them. Formerly a white regimental color with the unit insignia on the middle of a red Burgundy Cross was used by these units until the adoption of the present colours in 1843.
Coronelas: Up until the early years of the 20th century, some Spanish regiments had a coronela, or King's Colour in addition to their Regimental Colour based on the national flag. Although officially the only colour is the standard one, some older regiments continue to carry a copy of their old coronela which are used on some occasions to maintain regimental traditions. However, the coronelas no longer have any official standing and are not used on official occasions. The design of such colours are white with the royal arms at the center and the unit insignia and honors at the sides.
Second Order Colours-Regimental/Wing Guidons and Banners:In the Spanish Armed Forces, Guidons and Banners are second order colours. Guidons are used by batallions, squadrons and groups (even vessels) in the Armed Forces while the banners are used by companies, troops, flights and batteries. All have designs of the coronelas and former regimental colors with some having the old Burgundy cross on them. These have also the unit insignia at the center.

Yugoslavia and post-Yugoslav nations

The first Yugoslav military colours came about when the Kingdom of Yugoslavia was established in 1918. These were the square versions of the Flag of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia

Flag of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia

The national flag of the former Kingdom of Yugoslavia was blue-white-red in the horizontal sense against a vertical staff. The common national civil flag was the same as historic Pan-Slavic flag approved at the Pan-Slavic Congress in Prague, 1848....

with the coat of arms and the motto of the Yugoslav Royal Army. The unit names were attached to a ribbon at the pole. The colours were inspired by the military colours of Serbia and of the Croat, Slovene and Bosnian military units of resistance against Austria-Hungary during the First World War.

With the birth of the communist Partisans in 1941 in time for the Second World War, their flags showed the same Pan-Slavic colors on them (arranged according to nationality) but this time a red star was added in the middle. The naval units had a different ensign used and these flags became the basis for the military colours of Democratic Federal Yugoslavia at the time of its 1943 proclamation.

By the time, these flags had the unit name on the pole pennants and were gold fringed. The Partisan General Staff had their own version of it.

Commonwealth of Nations

The standard is the colours-equivalent for the heavy cavalry (e.g., horse guards and dragoon guards). At 27 in × 30 in, on an 8 ft 6 in long pole, it is much smaller than infantry colours, so that it can be carried by a soldier on horseback.

The guidon is the equivalent for the light cavalry (e.g., dragoons, light dragoons, hussars and lancers). It is swallow-tailed, 27 in × 41 in, with an 8 ft 6 in long pole.

The word guidon is a corruption of the French guyde homme – 'the guide man'. Originally each troop had its own, but this was quickly reduced to a single, regimental one. With the increased dispersion of troops required in the light cavalry role, their operational function had ceased by the 1830s and they were discontinued. The regiment's kettledrums, with the battle honours woven onto the drum banners (with the exception of 3rd The King's Own Hussars

3rd The King's Own Hussars

The 3rd Hussars was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, first raised in 1685. It saw service for three centuries, before being amalgamated into The Queen's Own Hussars in 1958.-The Glorious Revolution:...

and its successors, where they are uncovered, with the battle honours engraved onto the kettledrums themselves) became the focal point of the regiment's loyalty. In 1952 King George VI reintroduced the guidons of the light cavalry for ceremonial purposes.

Both the standard and the guidon are usually of crimson trimmed in gold and with the regiment's insignia

Cap badge

in the centre. The regiment's battle honours are emblazoned on both the obverse and reverse

Obverse and reverse

Obverse and its opposite, reverse, refer to the two flat faces of coins and some other two-sided objects, including paper money, flags , seals, medals, drawings, old master prints and other works of art, and printed fabrics. In this usage, obverse means the front face of the object and reverse...

, up to a maximum of 22 on each side.

United States

In the United States armed forces

United States armed forces

The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...

, guidons are much more prevalent, with units below battalion size being authorized to use them. These are swallow tailed flags that are 20 in × 27 in, and are in the color of the branch of the service the unit is from, with the branch's insignia the most prominent device. Also on the guidon is included the unit's identifying letter, and the number(s) of its parent unit. War service and campaign streamers are not attached to these guidons, but unit citation streamers can be.

Denmark

Cavalry (armor) units carry an estandart (standard), of similar design to the infantry fane, but smaller and square, with the cross centered on the field. The royal cypher is in the upper hoist and the initials of the regiment in the lower hoist.

France

In the French Army

French Army

, mounted units carry étendards (standards). Mounted units include Armoured corps and Cavalry, Artillery, Transportation, Army Aviation, Supplies. The étendard is a 64 × 64 cm square flag similar to the drapeaux carried by the units of foot.

Italy

In the Italian Army

Military of Italy

The Italian armed forces are the military of Italy, they are under the command of the Italian Supreme Council of Defence, presided over by the President of the Italian Republic. The total number of active military personnel is 293,202...

, cavalry units carry a stendardo (standard) of the same pattern as the bandiera di guerra, but which measures 60 cm × 60 cm.

The Netherlands

The four Hussar regiments of the Royal Netherlands Army

Royal Netherlands Army

The Royal Netherlands Army is the land forces element of the military of the Netherlands.-Short history:The Royal Netherlands Army was raised on 9 January 1814, but its origins date back to 1572, when the so-called Staatse Leger was raised...

carry a standaard (standard), of similar design to the infantry colour, but smaller (50 cm x 50 cm).

Portugal

In the Portuguese Armed Forces

Portuguese Armed Forces

The armed forces of Portugal, commonly known as the Portuguese Armed Forces encompasses a Navy , an Army and an Air Force...

a flâmula (swallow-tailed or triangular guidon) is used by each unit bellow battalion size. Usually, the color of the field of these guidons is different from unit to unit, identifying it inside the mother battalion or regiment.

Guns

In regiments of the (British) Royal Artillery, and artillery regiments of other Commonwealth countries, the guns are afforded the status of colours. This is due to the difficulty of artillery regiments being able to carry flags onto the battlefield, and the fact that the guns themselves were the rallying points for the soldiers manning them. As a consequence, whenever artillery regiments parade, the etiquette that would normally be applied to the colours is applied to the guns. During the Battle of Balaclava

Battle of Balaclava

The Battle of Balaclava, fought on 25 October 1854 during the Crimean War, was part of the Anglo-French-Turkish campaign to capture the port and fortress of Sevastopol, Russia's principal naval base on the Black Sea...

gunners abandoned their guns, in effect abandoning their colours, causing disgrace.

Because the guns have the status of colours, gunners of commonwealth countries will attempt to prevent their guns falling intact into enemy hands both for practical reasons (so that the guns can not be turned and used against their own side) and for the honour of the regiment. For example the last action of gunners of the Royal Artillery during the fall of Singapore was to destroy their guns.

The Honourable Artillery Company

Honourable Artillery Company

The Honourable Artillery Company was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1537 by King Henry VIII. Today it is a Registered Charity whose purpose is to attend to the “better defence of the realm"...

, the oldest regiment in the British Army, and not part of the Royal Artillery

Royal Artillery

The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...

, is the only artillery regiment to have both colours and guns, which are treated with equal respect.

In Singapore, however since its independence the Singapore Army's artillery arm (the Singapore Artillery) uses Colours instead of Guns. But in the Venezuelan Army, Guns and Colors are both used, but the colors are attached to the lead gun of the unit.

Etiquette

The Regimental Colour (or Standard or Guidon) is always paraded whenever the regiment is on a formal parade. However, the Queen's Colour is only paraded on certain occasions.
Compliments (for example saluting and presenting arms) are always paid to the (uncased) Colours.
When the Colours are being paraded, they are carried either by a subaltern or warrant officer
Warrant Officer
A warrant officer is an officer in a military organization who is designated an officer by a warrant, as distinguished from a commissioned officer who is designated an officer by a commission, or from non-commissioned officer who is designated an officer by virtue of seniority.The rank was first...

, dependent on the regiment. On parade, the Colours always have an armed escort, the Colour Party, who would normally be non-commissioned officer
Non-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...

s. In the infantry this role usually falls to Colour Sergeant
Colour Sergeant
Colour sergeant or colour serjeant is a non-commissioned title in the Royal Marines and infantry regiments of the British Army, ranking above sergeant and below warrant officer class 2....

s.
When the Colours are not being paraded, most regiments house them in their Officers' Mess
Mess
A mess is the place where military personnel socialise, eat, and live. In some societies this military usage has extended to other disciplined services eateries such as civilian fire fighting and police forces. The root of mess is the Old French mes, "portion of food" A mess (also called a...

. They are cased and secured every night.
When a regiment is presented with new Colours, the old Colours, which will now never again be paraded, are laid up (i.e.: put on permanent display) in a place sacred to the Regiment (for example the Regimental Chapel
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...

).

Royal Navy

The British

United Kingdom

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

and other navies of the Commonwealth of Nations

Commonwealth of Nations

The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...

call the flag-raising ceremony that happens every morning when a ship is in harbour Colours. In British home waters, colours is conducted at 0800 (eight bells in the morning watch) from 15 February to 31 October inclusive, and at 0900 (two bells in the forenoon watch) during the winter.

When sunset is at or before 2100, flags are lowered at sunset at the ceremony of Sunset. When sunset is after 2100, the evening flag lowering ceremony is called Evening Colours and carried out at 2100.

Procedure

The general procedure for Colours in the Royal Navy is as follows. Note that in most ships Colours and Evening Colours/Sunset are usually conducted without a bugler, band or guard, except on special occasions.

Five minutes before Colours the controlling authority hoists the PREP and other ships repeat. The rating manning the ensign salutes and reports "Five minutes to Colours, sir" to the Officer of the Day.
Although this is not provided for in BR1834, one minute before Colours, the PREP is commonly moved up and down two to three times, and the rating on the ensign staff salutes and reports "One minute to Colours" to the Officer of the Day. Around this time, the Officer of the Day brings the Colour Party to attention. If a guard is present, the guard commander brings it to attention and orders "Slope arms".
At Colours the controlling authority dips the PREP halfway, and the rating on the ensign staff salutes and reports "Eight (or nine) o'clock, sir" (this is the report stipulated by BR1834, but the report is more commonly simply "Colours, sir"). The Officer of the Day orders "Make it so" and the bell is struck eight times, in four pairs of strikes, (if at 0800), or twice (if at 0900).
The Officer of the Day orders the "Alert" to be sounded (or the "Still" to be piped, if no bugler is present). If a guard is present, the guard commander orders "General salute – present arms". The upper deck broadcasts "Attention on the upper deck, face aft and salute – Colours". All personnel on the upper deck and not formed up are required to face the ensign and salute.
The ensign
Ensign
An ensign is a national flag when used at sea, in vexillology, or a distinguishing token, emblem, or badge, such as a symbol of office in heraldry...

and jack are then hoisted in silence, or to the "General Salute" (if a bugler is present) or the National Anthem
God Save the Queen
"God Save the Queen" is an anthem used in a number of Commonwealth realms and British Crown Dependencies. The words of the song, like its title, are adapted to the gender of the current monarch, with "King" replacing "Queen", "he" replacing "she", and so forth, when a king reigns...

(if a band is present).
On completion, if a guard is present, the guard commander orders "Slope arms". The Officer of the Day in the controlling authority orders the 'Carry on' to be sounded/piped and the PREP is hauled down. In other ships, the PREP is hauled down in conformity, and the rating on the ensign staff reports "PREP hauled down, sir", and the Officer of the Day then orders the "Carry On" to be sounded/piped. The upper deck broadcasts "Carry on".
If a guard is present, the guard commander marches it off. The Officer of the Day then dismisses the Colour Party.

The general procedure for Evening Colours/Sunset is the same as for Colours (with the replacement of "Evening Colours/Sunset" for "Colours" or "Eight/nine o'clock"), except that the bell is not rung, and the ensign and jack are lowered, in silence or to the sound of "Sunset" if a bugler or band is present. At Ceremonial Sunset, when a band is present, Sunset is usually preceded by an Evening Hymn (e.g. "The Day Thou Gavest Lord Is Ended").

United States Navy

The United States Navy

United States Navy

performs the same ceremonies, called "Morning Colours" and "Evening Colours," at 0800 and sunset each day. When Colours is played aboard Navy and Marine Corps bases, those outdoors must stop to render proper courtesies by saluting if in uniform or, if out of uniform, by standing at attention, until "Carry On" is sounded. Marines and sailors driving on base during this time are expected to stop their vehicles and stand at attention until the ceremony is over. The Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor

Attack on Pearl Harbor

The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...

on 7 December 1941 occurred as the fleet was preparing for Morning Colours, though this had no bearing on the success or outcome of the attack.

Yacht Clubs

Many traditional Yacht Club

Yacht club

A yacht club is a sports club specifically related to sailing and yachting.-Description:Yacht Clubs are mostly located by the sea, although there are some that have been established at a lake or riverside locations...

s worldwide also conduct morning and evening colour ceremonies. At 0800 each morning and at sunset during the club's active sailing season the ceremony is performed by the launchmen or harbormaster.

First, a bell is sounded as an alert for all members and guests present to stand at attention.
A cannon is then shot and the national ensign hoisted (or lowered if sunset).
At the conclusion of the ceremony the most senior officer present says: "As you were" and members and guests may carry on.

Argentina

Brazil

Chile

Colombia

United States

United States Army

United States Marine Corps

United States Navy

United States Air Force

Uruguay

China

People's Republic of China

Republic of China

Philippines

Thailand

Commonwealth realms

Line infantry and foot guards

Additional Colours

Rifle regiments

Colours in the cavalry regiments

The Honourable Artillery Company

Embellishments

Royal Hospital, Chelsea

Royal Marines

The Royal Navy

The Royal Air Force

Australia and Canada

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Background

About battle honours on current colours

Latest official regulations

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Other specific colours

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See also

External links