Red sash of honour
Mr Gordon Lennox of Christchurch who was once a colour sergeant in the Royal Leicestershire Regiment, adds some interesting information about the ceremony known as Trooping the Colour, described on this page last week. It was not just for the benefit of foreign soldiers paid to fight in British ■ regiments, he says. The colours were the rallying point for all infantrymen, and the distinctive colours of each regiment were regularly trooped before the men so that they would rally to
the right flag in the turmoil of a battle. The red sash which Mr Lennox had to wear on parade also had a colourful history. It dates from the battle of Talavera in the Peninsula Wars during Napoleon’s invasion of Spain and Portugal. So fierce was the battle that the white sashes worn by stretcher-bearers for supporting the stretcher handles became stained red with blood. The red sash was made a mark of honour, and has been worn by sergeants and warrant officers on oarade ever since.
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Press, 10 June 1980, Page 18
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171Red sash of honour Press, 10 June 1980, Page 18
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