It is unnecessary here to speak of the splendid work performed by the overseas regiments in combating the war lust of the Central European Powers, for the fame of these gallant bodies of men is now world-wide. Many of the units of our far-flung Empire which in 1914 were unborn or unknown in the Mother Country are as household words to us now, and we reckon them as much a part of the British Army as we do the Buffs or the Black Watch. Thus it is imperative in a work of this nature to write of the colours of our overseas as well as our home regiments.

The Army of the Indian Empire, many units of which came into such prominence in the early part of the War, possesses a very fine array of regimental flags. In the main these emblems follow the rules as we have given them when dealing with the home forces. Each regimental colour, for instance, bears a central crimson badge bearing an appropriate device, number or title, and the whole is surmounted by the usual imperial crown. Surrounding this is the regulation union wreath composed of roses, thistles and shamrocks, whilst honorary distinctions are arranged upon a circular laurel wreath, or, when few in number, on either side of the union sprays. The ground colour of these flags is controlled by the regimental facings in exactly the same way as they are at home. Also, it may be said that the King’s colours are Union flags, each with a central crimson badge.

Most of the regimental flags bear no distinctive device but a few display a motto. The following possess one or other of these features:

2nd Queen Victoria’s Own Rajput Light Infantry.—Facings, blue. The Royal and Imperial Cypher of Queen Victoria within the Garter as central badge. Fourteen battle honours are given upon an outer laurel wreath.

7th Duke of Connaught’s Own Rajputs.—Facings, yellow. The Duke of Connaught’s Crest and Cypher. Eight battle honours.

12th Pioneers (the Kelat-i-Ghilzie Regiment).—This unit carries a special regimental colour, the groundwork of which is red, yellow and blue in three horizontal bars. A mural crown superscribed “Invicta,” and the names of eight battle honours appear on this flag. (Fig. 43).

14th King George’s Own Ferozepore Sikhs.—Facings, yellow. The Plume of the Prince of Wales appears in the central badge and the Royal and Imperial Cypher is given in each of the four comers. There are five battle honours.

16th Rajputs (the Lucknow Regiment).—Facings, white. There are three battle honours, of which one, “Lucknow,” is placed above a turreted gateway.

32nd Sikh Pioneers.—Facings, blue. No device on the central badge, but the motto “Aut vivam inveniam aut faciam,” on a scroll beneath the union wreath. Four battle honours are given.

61st King George’s Own Pioneers.—Facings, white. The Plume of the Prince of Wales in the centre and the Royal and Imperial Cypher in each of the four corners. Eleven battle honours appear.

62nd Punjabis.—Facings, emerald green. An elephant, a golden dragon wearing an Imperial Crown and five battle honours appear on these colours. (Fig. 44).

63rd Palamcottah Light Infantry.—Facings, emerald green. These colours bear no special device, but carry the motto “Now or Never,” and seven honorary distinctions.

64th Pioneers.—Facings, white. The central badge bears a numeral, but the elephant of India is given below the union wreath. Five distinctions appear.

66th Punjabis.—Facings, emerald green. A golden dragon, wearing an Imperial Crown, and six battle honours are depicted on these colours.

69th Punjabis.—Facings, emerald green. A galley with the motto, in Persian characters, signifying “By Sea and Land,” and five honours ornament these colours.

74th Punjabis.—Facings, emerald green. On this flag appears a dragon with the motto, in Persian, “Ready and True,” and six battle honours.

83rd Wallajahbad Light Infantry.—Facings, emerald green. The motto “Now or Never,” and three battle honours are the distinctive features of these colours.

84th Punjabis.—On an emerald green flag, the elephant of India and three battle honours appear.

91st Punjabis.—The motto “Now or Never,” and two honours are given on a cherry coloured flag.

101st Grenadiers.—Facings, white. The White Horse appears in the central circle and two honours are given on the three lowest limbs of the St. George’s Cross.

102nd King Edward’s Own Grenadiers.—Facings, white. The Plume of the Prince of Wales, the Sphinx, the Royal and Imperial Cypher of King Edward VII., and four battle honours are the special features of this flag.

113th Infantry.—Facings, yellow. The Sphinx appears below the central badge. Five honours are mentioned.

121st Pioneers.—Crossed axes and seven honorary distinctions are given on a white flag bearing the red St. George’s Cross.

127th Queen Mary’s Own Baluch Light Infantry.—Facings, scarlet. In each of the four corners of these colours appears the Cypher of Her Majesty the Queen. Five battle honours.

128th Pioneers.—Facings, white. The motto, “Progredior,” and six honours are the special features of this flag.

The Canadian Military Colours are also planned on the lines set down for those of the Mother Country. The King’s colours are Union flags with central badges and the regimental colours depend for their hue upon the facings of the uniforms. The union wreaths, however, are not always of the strict standard pattern, though they vary but slightly; also, Arabic numerals are often used instead of Roman numerals to give the regimental number. In a few cases, a complete departure has been made from the regulation pattern in the case of certain regimental colours. Instead of the union wreath, a large and beautiful maple leaf is spread across the flag, and placed upon it centrally is a badge bearing the usual particulars.

[Further details of the Canadian military colours are given in an appendix at the end of this book.]

Unfortunately, there are no colours to record of the Australian Imperial Force, as none of the units are in possession of these emblems.

The West India Regiment is placed in the Army List almost following on the London Regiment (Territorial Force). The facings are white and, consequently, the regimental colours are white with the red cross of St. George. The design follows the standard pattern of the home infantry, and the battle honours, which testify to splendid services in various parts of the world, are: Dominica; Martinique, 1809; Guadaloupe, 1810; Ashantee; West Africa, 1887, 1892–3–4; Sierra Leone, 1898. The Dominica and Sierra Leone honours refer to the French attack between 1778 and 1805. (Fig. 47).

The King’s Own Malta Regiment of Militia.—This regiment possesses a King’s colour of usual type, and a regimental colour of blue material, with a central badge bearing the Royal Cypher, surrounded by the standard union wreath and surmounted by the imperial crown. A Maltese Cross is placed in each of the four corners. A battle honour, “MDCCC,” refers to the French surrender of the island to the British on September 5th, 1800.