AN ANCIENT CEREMONY

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21744, 28 March 1936, Page 21

AN ANCIENT CEREMONY

PRESENTATION OF COLOUR GOVERNOR-GENERAL TO BE PRESENT One of the most colourful military ceremonies which has yet been held in the South Island will take place at Fairhall, six miles from Blenheim. on Easier Sunday. This will be. the'pre-. sentation of a “guidon"—a form of banner—to the Nelson-Marlborough Mounted Rifles. Tne presentation Will be made by the Governor-General of. New Zealand, Lord Galway, who will travel by air from Wellington , for the ceremony. . The regiment will be in camp from April 5 to April 13. The actum ceremony will be held on Easter Sunday, Ar>ril 12. The ground oh which the ceremony will be performed at Fairhall will be equipped with loud-speakers for the benefit of spectators, and an explanation of different steps in the ceremony will be given with this help. Trooping of Old Colours Before the guidon is presented, thetrooping of the old'colours of the regiment will take place, . Immediately after this-ceremony |s finished, the new guidon will- be consecrated by the Bishop of Nelson, Dr. Hilliard, and presented to the regiment by Lord Galway. The regiment will then march past three times; first walking,then trotting, and lastly galloping. . It is anticioated that the regiment will be practically at full strength, and much interest will be taken in the ceremony, particularly >as Lord Galway himself was a -member - of a cavalry regiment. .. .. The Nelson-Marlborough Mounted Rifles has a distinguished record, and a list of the battles in which they have participated will be embroidered on the guidon. History of Guidon' - ' Standards and guidons have evolved from the banners borne-■ by the knights in the middle ages. The Standard (a square banner) in those days was carried by a the guidon, which was tailed or pointed, was carried by a knight. * When, a knight,was created ,av“ban-v ■ nerer,” the point or tail .of tho was cut off, thus transforming it into a standard. The standard is .the senior. ' symbol andl is carried, by ,the. .senior regiments of the corps of cavalry. The guidon is carried .by the junior regiments. . Hussars and Lancers,-being formerly light q feature ' of '. whoso original was concealment, did not carry either or standards, which migbt'-quile ctsi& .ha.yf exposed their position. ’’ , . v ‘ ' r ',4 ;;