TROOPING THE COLOURS

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 91, 18 April 1929, Page 7

TROOPING THE COLOURS

PICTURESQUE CEREMONY.

NEXT SUNDAY'S PARADE.

NEW FLAGS FOR OLD

I; i* :>o yea re since Auckland has seen the picture-que ceremony of presenting colours To a regiment. Away back on May 24 of that year there were crowds in the Outer Domain to see the Auckland Infantry Regiment receive its first colours, which were banded over bv Lord Ranfurlv and blessed by Bishop Cowie. lhat was "(Queens Birthdav," for the good Queen Victoria was still alive. In those days Auckland generally used to hold some military or other "gathering on that day. "Queen's Weather" was proverbial, and it held good in Auckland as well as in the Old Land.

An old photograph possessed bv the regiment shows that ceremony of 30 years back, and it is very interesting to old Aucklanders. Lord Ranfurlv i« hidden by the venerable figure of Bishop Cowie with his flowing white beard, but the handsome Lady Ranfurlv can be seen, as well a* her eldest "daughter. Sir John Logan Campbell is there, and a number of other well-known Aucklanders. Of the militarv men who took part the only ones stili alive—at least that the photograph shows—are Colonel ■White. Colonel Major, and Major Cox. but no doubt there were manv men in the ranks who are still in the land of the liiing and may see a similar ceremony next Sundav. Host Fitting. Time and wear have left those original colours so frail that they are no longer serviceable, and thanks" to some ?ood friends of the regiment two beautifully worked new colours have been procured, and these will be presented to the rcimeut on Sunday next. His Excellencv the Governor-General. Sir Charles Fergusson. will perform the ceremony, and nothing could be more fitting. He i= a distinguished soldier, and fought right through the Great War. the war which was responsible for the imposing list of l>attle honours which are embroidered on the new flags. "South Africa" was the °nlj honour on the old colour*, and now the line traditions of that campaign have been supplemented by French" placenames that have become as familiar to us as the suburbs of our own town.

_ Each regiment carrie* two colour?, the Kin?'-; colour?, which consist of The I nion flag with the regimental had-e in t lie centre, and the regimental colours worked in black and red. the regimental colours, and on scrolls bears the names of the actions in which the regiment ha? fought. A? the regiment i? allied to the .Suffolk Regiment, the latter kindly undertook to see to the making of the colours, which were turned out by the Roval School of Needlework. Made of silk, with the badges and honours exquisitelr worked, the colours are perfect in everv detail' The old colours will most likely be deposited in the Town Hall, where" they will be an inspiration to future generations of Aucklanders.

Next Sunday's ceremonv should be most interesting. About 750 men of the Ist Battalion, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel T. H. Dawson. C.M.G., C.8.E., will take part. His Excellency will arrive on the ground at 3 p.m.. but the parade will start at 2.30. a,® there are certain preliminaries to go through. There is sure to be a large gathering of the public on the Cricket Ground, where the ceremonv takes place. As the procedure is unusual, it may be interesting to publish the details of the order of ceremonv, which is as follows:— Order of Ceremony. The four guards with the escort to Colours on the right- are drawn up in line. r The old Colour? are in front of the left of the line, guarded by sentries. The drums beat the "Assembly." and the officers fall in.

The adjutant (Captain J. G. C. Wale= M.C.h after fixing bayonets, hands over the parade to the commanding officer. The officer? inarch to their guard* in time/' The "Royal Salute" is given when His Excellency the Governor-General arrives. °° mmand "Troop!" the hand and the drums marr/i from right to the j of Thp lin< \ playing a .slow march. an^, rcturn pla.vinp a quick march. The escort for the Colours moves out preceded l.y the band and drums, and the subaltern? for the Colours receive the old Colours from the regimental sergeant-major. The old Colours are trooped along the drums pUar<ls ' P receded h 7 the band and The old Colours are marched to the rear in slow time to the tune of "Auld Lang Syne." The battalion forms three sides of a square. ne *T Colour s are brought forward and placed on piled drums. The consecration service takes nlaee conducted bvthe Right Rev. ArchttsW | A. W. Aver ill. D.D. y *" pr " CII, " i * =« Address by His Excellency. Reply by commanding officer The battalion reforms line, and after the new Colours have been giren a •general salute," they rejoin the line in ■slew time.