TRADITIOXS OF THE ARMY

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12868, 17 May 1905, Page 2 (Supplement)

TRADITIOXS OF THE ARMY

SOME HUMOURS DEAR TO SOLDIERS. The history of Great Britiam is largely tlia history of the British army, writes Mr. Horace Wyndham, in Chambers' Journal. "Every regiment lias contributed thereto: ' Perhaps the two corps with the -■ longest"." ' list of '.battle honours' are the King's Royal /r Rifles and' the Rifle Brigade. The former of these has earned 34 and the latter 29. *>£;-'> When first raised, in 1755. the King's Royal Rifles Mere known as the 62nd Royal Ameri-. can Regiment. Their present title was not conferred until 1830, and during the interval they answered to three others, for then v was just as many chops and changes in military administration then as there are now. i In their early days the green-coated, hardfighting riflemen saw a good deal of active .service in America, and it- was on account ;. of their gallant conduct at the capture of - v r Quebec (when they won the heart of the ■' heroic Wolfe) that they were granted the * motto. ' Celer et Audax.'"' The Rifle Brigade was formed in 1800, and..for more than a hundred years it has been lighting well-nigh all over the world, -/U* from Copenhagen to Cape Colony: '" In' ii.je recent Boer campaign the, brigade -;\ distinguished itself in an exceptional manner, one of its officers winning the first Victoria Cross mauled during thfljhostilities. This was Colonel Congrevc (then a, captain \ ; serving with; the Ladysmith relief force), • s .: who received the coveted decoration for a -• ■' brave attempt to save the .life of Lieutenant Roberts at the battle of Colenso." None of the four rifle regiments carry' colours, but all other infant corps" are provided with two'sets: ; ,^' "These are known respectively as the 'Royal' or 'King's' colour, and the 'regi- - " ', menial." The former of these is of the same pattern throughout the service— - ■ namely, the Union Jack, on a ground of blue" ; silk: the latter, on the olhei hand, matches '*■; the facings of the regiment concerned. Timfor 'royal' ones it is blue, while for the , other English ones it is white; hut with *. Scotch and Irish corps it is respectively yel- i low and green. The only exception is in the case of the East Kent Regiment, where it is buff. One corner of the 'regiment*!' -| colour has the blue Union embroidered on. it, with a wreath of roses, shamrocks, ami thistles in the centre, surmounting the title. '.. . crest, and motto of the corps. Bound this ■$' wreath arc emblazoned the various cam- ,**-"} paigns in which the regiment has taken part '; since its formation. In English battalions *"_'• of the line the St. George's Cross appears in red, on a. white ground." 7 , Most regiments have earned for them--, / •: selves nickname-—in which they rejoice: "The most famous of these is'the'" Death or Glory Boys,' of the 17th Lancers, a tilting accompaniment to the regiment's grim skull and cross-bones crest. Raised in 1759 as the TBih Light Dragoons, thev were con- ~«> verted into lancers in 1823. The 10th Hussars arc known (in recognition of their exclusiveness) as 'the t'hainy Tenth,' whilethe 11th Hussars are equally proud of being , caned the 'Cherry-Bickers.'" Then the 14tl 'Sfr Hussars are nicknamed the "Ragged Brer ; gade.' and the 7th Hussars the 'Saucy Seventh, tho sth Dragoon Guards are tm' < Green Horse,' and the 7th Dragoon Guards are the ' Black Horse.' " Before the days of Queen Anne colonels -■ ■■.. ■ equipped their regiments verv much as they" ;,-..-';;, pleased. It was only in '1808 that pig-;. -, tails were abolished, and that trousers were first adopted: . "A survival of the hair-powder period is _ seen to this dav in the 'flash' worn by oy* ;• fleers of (.he Rnral Welsh Fusiliers. 'low A ; c is a triangular piece of black silk, that hangs _.;.-. '■ between the shoulder-blade*. A still older ;,.:/; distinction is the 'worm.' or black border, .-■_..-;.. added to the gold lace of the Somerset Light Infantrv. The privilege is supposed to be -ranted onlv to a regiment that takes part ' . in a. campaign in which a commander-m- _ > .hiet is killed. the l;i.->t eorps to he hulomU'weiV'thvsc Hut 'tough' at Quebec.-.. r _o To a civilian ill.-.- distinctions may ><■*>« ~ , (titling; to i. M,!.iici. iio«cvci', they «>''•«' >, a great deal."