Colours

Presentation of Colours

To The

First Battalion

THE SOMERSET AND CORNWALL
LIGHT INFANTRY

By

Field-Marshal
THE LORD HARDING OF PETHERTON
G.C.B., C.B.E., D.S.O., M.C.

Nominated by Her Majesty The Queen to make the Presentation

Gibraltar    17th May, 1962

nominated by The Queen to make the Presentation

Gibraltar 17th May 1962

Spectators are requested to stand and gentlemen to uncover

a) On the arrival and departure of His excellency the Governor and the Field Marshal

b) During General Salutes

c) During the Consecration Service

Spectators are requested to stand, gentlemen to uncover and those in uniform to salute when

a) The National Anthem is played

b) The Colours march off parade

c) The Colours pass during the march past

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PARADE STATE

Colonel
Major-General R.B.F.K. Goldsmith C.B. C.B.E.

Associate Colonel
Major-General C.L. Firbank C.B. C.B.E. D.S.O.

In Command of the Parade
Lieutenant-Colonel W. Hine Haycock

Second in Command
Major P.M. Salusbury-Trelawny M.C.

Adjutant
Captain W.H. White

Officers for the old Colours
Lieut. S.C. Firbank

Lieut.I.B. Loosemore

Lieut.G.A. Saunt

2nd Lieut. O.M.A. Carey

Officers for the New Colours
2nd Lieut. A.C. Carter

2nd Lieut. J.F. Taylor

Escort for the Colour
Major K.J. Shapland

Lieut. A.J. Ramsay

No 2 Guard
Major A.J. Collyns

2nd Lieut. B.A.H. Callaghan

No 3 Guard
Captain J.G. French

2nd Lieut. D.E.C. Wardlaw

No 4 Guard
Captain W.H. Stevens

Lieut S.G.S Rudd-Clarke

Regimental Sergeant Major
A.V.Worster

Bandmaster
P.W. Parkes, L.R.A.M., A.R.C.M.

Bugle Major
R. Smith

The following officers of the Battalion are performing other duties in connection with the parade.
Captain W.E. Whitburn (ADC to Field Marshal)

Lieut.A.I.H. Fyfe (ADC to Colonel of Regiment)

Major A.N.L.Thom

Major C.D.C. Frith

Major (QM) T. Meredith M.B.E.

Major B. Ridings R.A.P.C.

Captain E.R. Arundell

Captain D. Hancock

Captain J.L. Harvey

Captain O.W. Hughes R.A.E.C.

Captain J.F. St. C. Isbister R.A.M.C.

Captain R. Vyvyan-Robinson

Captain (QM) A.F. Frost

Lieut E.M. Edwards

Major M J. Ryall and 2nd Lieut. R.G. Barber are absent on detachment

Lieut D.K.W. Farrant and 2nd Lieut. P.A. Goddard are absent on courses

The Consecration Service conducted by
The Venerable Archdeacon I.D. Neill,

O.B.E., Q.H.C., M.A.

Assisted by
The Rev,. E.I. Morris, M.A. C.F. (D.A.C.G.)

The Rev. J. Aher, O.C.F. (R.C.)

The Rev. P.J.MacEwen, M.A. O.C.F.

(Ch of Scotland)

The Rev. P.H. Cleave, O.C.F. (Methodist)

THE OLD COLOURS

1st Battalion The Somerset Light Infantry (Prince Albert's)

These Colours were presented by Prince Arthur at Dover in 1864.

They are now not only the oldest pair of Colours still in service with the British Army, but are also almost certainly the last surviving Colours which have been carried in action. Carried throughout the Zulu War, they saw battle on the last occasions in history when the Infantry soldier literally fought "under the Colours".

In 1948, as the last representatives of the British Army to leave India, the 1st Battalion The Somerset Light Infantry slow-trooped these Colours through Bombay's triumphal arch, the Gateway of India. The Colours were thus the last of the British Army's to fly over the soil of that Continent, and were present throughout the closing of one of the most eventful chapters of British Military history.

2nd Battalion The Somerset Light Infantry (Prince Albert's)

Although these Colours have not yet been laid up, they are not on parade today, being in safe keeping at Regimental Headquarters.

They were presented in 1927 by Prince Albert, Duke of York, at Tidworth .

The original 2nd Battalion Colours, presented by the Prince Consort in 1859, had become so worn that at the presentation of new Colours in 1895, at Devonport, the Queen's Colour had completely disintegrated, and was represented by a small piece of silk from the old Regimental Colour which was attached to The Queen's Colour-pike.

After the amalgamation of the 1st and 2nd Battalions, Sir Edward Bolitho, Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall, presented these Colours at BORDON in 1948. They have seen service with the Regiment in Germany and the West Indies.

The Old Colours, those of the 1st and 2nd Battalions The Somerset Light Infantry (Prince Albert's) and of the 1 st Battalion The Duke of CornwaI l 's Light Infantry, will in due course join other Old Colours of their Regiments in their respective counties.

ORDER OF CEREMONY

The "Advance" is sounded and the Guards march on parade

The Guards form line, the Commanding Officer assumes Command of the Parade and the Officers take post.

His Excellency the Governor and Commander in Chief of Gibraltar, General Sir Charles Keightly, G.C.B. G.B.E. D.S.O. arrives.

Field Marshal the Lord Harding of Petherton, G.C.B. C.B.E. D.S.O. M.C. arrives

The Field Marshal carries out a review inspection of the Battalion.

The Band and Bugles troop in slow and quick time.

The Escort for the Colours advances to receive the Old Colours.

The Old Colours are trooped in slow time.

The Old Colours march off parade, the Battalion saluting as they do so.

The Battalion forms hollow square and the New Colours are made ready for the consecration.

The New Colours are consecreated.

The Field Marshal presents the New Colours.

The Battalion re-forms line and receives the New Colours with a salute.

The Battalion marches past in slow and quick time.

The Battalion advances in Review Order and salutes the Field Marshal.

The Commanding Officer reports to the Field Marshall.

The Battalion re-forms three ranks and marches off parade.

His Excellency the Governor and the Field Marshal leave.

The Field Marshal will be meeting all ranks of the Battalion informally after the parade.

PHOTOGRAPHS

click on images for a larger view

The New Colours

The big guy centre page is Sgt Major Lynas-Gray (nickname Big Bear!!) - Left Bac k : Colour Sgt Hill - Right back: C/Sgt Franks.

General Salute

Field-Marshal The Lord Harding of Petherton, G.C.B., C.B.E., D.S.O., M.C.

The Troop

The Old Colours March Off

The Presentation of the Regimental Colours

The New Colours immediately after Presentation

No. 1 Guard marches past in Quick Time

The New Colours March Past

Address by Field-Marshal Lord Harding