OLD ARMY COLOURS

Evening Post, Issue 12, 14 July 1936, Page 5

OLD ARMY COLOURS

QUEST IN BRITAIN

All over Britain Army officers are searching for the old colours of their regiments, says the "Daily Telegraph." As a result many situations have been revealed similar to that of the South Wales Borderers, who are seeking a faculty to remove their colours from St. Mary's Church, Warwick, to the cathedral in Brecon, their depot town.

j..; The aim is to draw up a complete list of all old colours still in existence: Retired and serving officers have volunteered for the task. They are touring, the country, visiting mansions and village churches.

The search began six years ago, and is still in progress. ' ■' ::

Recent colours are hung in cathedrals or kept in regimental depot towns. But the search for old ones'is complicated by the fact that up to about the middle of last century the colonel kept them when his regiment received new ones. Sometimes' he hung them in his home or presented them to the parish church.

An officer taking'part in the present search found old colours of his regiment hanging, in a very dilapidated condition, in a country church.

The regiment wished to have the colours removed to its depot, but the vicar refused permission. Then the regiment asked that they should be renovated and kept in good condition.

The parish council sent the colours for repair,, but objected to paying the bill. It costs anything up'to £20 to renovate badly-worn colours.

The council therefore forwarded the account to the present head of the family which had presented the colours to the 'church. Although in greatly reduced circumstances, he paid it.