HISTORIC COLOURS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21263, 17 August 1932, Page 11

HISTORIC COLOURS

FIFTY-EIGHTH regiment

; SUCCESSFUL RESTORATION

•J WORK AT THE MUSEUM '

The restoration of the old colours of Ike 58th Regiment, lately removed from the vestibule of the City Library to the jft'ar Menorial Museum, has been practically completed by Mr. W. Iv. Hounsell- They will be mounted in due course in a suitf.ble case, and an unveiling ceremony will bo held.

Of the Kirfg's colour only a tattered jpmnant remains, little more than sufficient to show that it was a Union Jack, jjus remnant, however, was found to be jn such good condition that little had to done to it beyond removing tho dust of many years.

The regimental colour, on the other hand, proved to bo so brittle and decayed that many small pieces of the silk j, a d broken away and were lying at tho bottom of tho'case. Mr. Hounsell applied 8 treatment very similar to that used for preserving fabrics taken from ancient Egyptian tombs. He first removed tho clust by very gentle brushing and then applied a cleaning mixture of benzine and methylated spirits. The flag was then spread upon fine black not and the detached fragments were used to fill some of tho gaps. Tho whole was then sprayed .with a solution of cellulose acetate in acetono by means of an air-brush. This penetrated tho fabric and made it sufficiently strong for further repair by j stitching. The silk is now virtually proof against further decay. Old-time Vandalism Tho flag is no less than 6ft. square—much larger than a regimental colour of the present day. It consists of a St. George',; cross in crimson upon a black I ground, with the Union Jack in tho upper corner nearest the staff. In the centre of the cross is tho Roman numeral liVin., in gold thread, surrounded by the word " Rutlandshire." Above this are embroidered the arms and name of Gibraltar, indicating that the regiment took part in tho famous defence of tho fortress against/ the French from 1779 to 1783. Below thero was once a figure of the Sphinx and tho word " Egypt," but this ''device has been cut out, apparently by some cDnscienceless souvenir-hunter, many i years ago. Possibly the removed portion is still in existence. If so, it is not beyond hope that tho present owner may tee fit to return it. The crest of the Gibraltar coat-of-arms is also missing, but ■ whether it was torn out by a musket bullet or cut out like tho other device cannot now be determined. The other battle-honours, seven in num- • ber, relate to the Pensinsular War, and includo Salamanca, Vittoria and tho Pyrenees. It is probable that the colour dates from shortly after the close of the campagn in 1814, when these honours were awarded* Tho flag would thus be about 117 years old. - Service in Heke's War , The 58th arrived at Auckland in 'April. 3845, from Syf/iey, 500 strong, shortly before tho outbreak of Heke's War. It played a gallant part in the unsuccessful/'assault on the pa at Ohaeavai and the capture of the rebel stronghold at Ruapekapeka. Most appropriately, the North Auckland Regiment is allied with its present-day successor, the Northamptonshire Regiment. Later, the 58th took part in fighting around Wanganui in 1847, and formed part of the garrison of New Plymouth in 1855. It departed from New Zealand befpre the outbreak of the Tararaki and Waikato wax's, leaving behind several hundred of all ranks whose term of service had expired and who had decided to settle in the colony. Many of these rendered notiable service in the colonial forces throughout, the later campaigns. Before regiment sailed from Auckland, Lieutenant-Colonel Cyprian Bridge, who had commanded it throughout, gave the old colours into the keeping of the citizens of Auckland. They were housed in the present Supreme Court some time after its completion in 1868, and were p removed later to the City Library. The colonel of the Northamptonshire Regiment has been communicated with regarding the colours, and has offered to forward a history of the regiment when certain researches have been completed. It is hoped that this will be available when the colours are restored to public .view.