Among the grandest and most attractive flags which are flown in any part of the world, those of the British Cavalry must be assigned a high position, for, without being gaudy, they are beautiful, elaborate, gaily coloured and full of historic detail. The reader is invited to turn to the second plate, and examine the five examples given thereon. He will see that the badges—the relics of the old baronial days—are steeped in historical fact and military tradition, that the battle honours are reminiscent of the glorious fights of other days; and that the reds and blues and greens are judiciously blended without offending the eye.

Cavalry flags are known as standards when they are square and guidons when swallow-tailed. The Household Cavalry and the Dragoon Guards possess standards and the Dragoons fly guidons. To the student of military emblems, it is somewhat disappointing to find that Hussars and Lancers have no flags with which to display their splendid traditions. In their case, we must be content to examine the cloths or banners hung around their drums. Before taking each regiment separately, it may be useful to state that a standard, without the red and gold fringe, measures 2 ft. 6 ins. by 2 ft. 3 ins.; a guidon, 3 ft. 5 ins. by 2 ft. 3 ins.; and the lance of either is 8 ft. 6 ins. long.

1st Life Guards.—The King’s Standard is crimson and bears a fairly large representation of the Royal Arms. The King’s Cypher figures in the two upper corners. Below the Arms are placed the battle honours: Dettingen; Peninsula; Waterloo; Egypt, 1882; Tel-el-Kebir; South Africa, 1899-1900; Relief of Kimberley; Paardeberg.

Three other standards are carried, each very similar to the above, the central device being the chief point of difference. (See Fig. 9.)

2nd Life Guards.—As for the 1st Life Guards, with slight technical differences. (See Fig. 9.)

Royal Horse Guards (The Blues).—As for the 1st Life Guards with slight technical differences. With this regiment the battle honours are: Dettingen; Warburg; Beaumont; Willems; Peninsula; Waterloo; Egypt, 1882; Tel-el-Kebir; South Africa, 1899-1900; Relief of Kimberley; Paardeberg.

The Standard of Honour, in reality a guidon, which was presented by William IV. (described elsewhere) must be mentioned here.

1st King’s Dragoon Guards.—This standard of crimson silk damask bears in the centre the Royal Cypher within the Garter, and ensigned with the imperial crown. Around this is placed the union wreath bearing roses, shamrocks, and thistles growing upon the same stalk. In the four corners are placed small oval labels; the first and fourth revealing the White Horse of Hanover, on a green mount, the background of the horse is red; the second and third being devoted to the regimental initials I. K.D.G., on a blue ground. Along the vertical edges of the standard are placed a number of golden labels, each bearing one of the following battle honours: Blenheim; Ramillies; Oudenarde; Malplaquet; Dettingen; Warburg; Beaumont; Waterloo; Sevastopol; Taku Forts; Pekin; South Africa, 1879. Below the union wreath is placed a label inscribed: South Africa, 1901-02. This flag is given in Fig. 10.

The White Horse is shown in order to recall the part which this regiment took in suppressing the Jacobite Rebellions during the reigns of George I. and II.

2nd Dragoon Guards (Queen’s Bays).—This standard closely follows the design of the 1st (King’s) Dragoon Guards. The centre, however, is filled with the cypher of Queen Caroline, within the Garter. The first and fourth corners contain the White Horse, while the second and third bear the initials II. D.G., on a buff ground. The battle honours are: Warburg; Willems; Lucknow; South Africa, 1901-02.

3rd (Prince of Wales’s) Dragoon Guards.—The Dragoon Guard type of standard is followed in this case. The central badge is the Plume of the Prince of Wales. The first and fourth corners reveal the White Horse, as above; the second corner contains a small picture of the Rising Sun, and the third, a small Red Dragon. (All these three devices are the appropriation of the Prince of Wales.) The battle honours are: Blenheim; Ramillies; Oudenarde; Malplaquet; Warburg; Beaumont; Willems; Talavera; Albuhera; Vittoria; Peninsula; Abyssinia; South Africa, 1901-02. (Fig. 11.)

4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards.—The Dragoon Guard type of standard is again followed. The central badge contains the Harp and Crown, and the Star of the Order of St. Patrick; the second and third corners are filled with the initials IV. D.G. on a blue ground, and the battle honours are: Peninsula; Balaklava; Sevastopol; Egypt, 1882; Tel-el-Kebir. The motto, “Quis separabit,” is inscribed below the union wreath.

5th (Princess Charlotte of Wales’s) Dragoon Guards.—This standard follows the type for the Dragoon Guards. The central badge is merely the regimental designation, V. D.G. The four corners contain the White Horse and the Rose, Thistle and Shamrock on one stalk. The battle honours are: Blenheim; Ramillies; Oudenarde; Malplaquet; Beaumont; Salamanca; Vittoria; Toulouse; Peninsula; Balaklava; Sevastopol; South Africa, 1899-1902; Defence of Ladysmith. The motto of John Hampden, “Vestigia nulla retrorsum” (No going backwards), appears below the union wreath.

6th Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers).—This standard follows the type for the Dragoon Guards. The central badge is VI. D.G. The second and third corners have white labels also bearing the inscription VI. D.G. The battle honours are: Blenheim; Ramillies; Oudenarde; Malplaquet; Warburg; Willems; Sevastopol; Delhi, 1857; Afghanistan, 1879-80; South Africa, 1899-1902; Relief of Kimberley; Paardeberg.

7th (Princess Royal’s) Dragoon Guards.—The type as before. In the centre, the coronet of her late Majesty, the Empress and Queen Frederick of Germany and Prussia as Princess Royal of Great Britain and Ireland. As the facings are black, the letters VII. P.R.D.G. appear on a groundwork of this colour in the second and third corners. The battle honours are: Blenheim; Ramillies; Oudenarde; Malplaquet; Dettingen; Warburg; South Africa, 1846-7; Egypt, 1882; Tel-el-Kebir; South Africa, 1900-02.

1st (Royal) Dragoons.—A guidon of crimson silk, bearing in its centre the crest of England, within the Garter, is the flag of this regiment. The imperial crown ensigns the badge and the union wreath encircles it. The four corners contain small labels, as was the case with all the Dragoon Guard standards; the first and fourth are embellished with the White Horse, and the second and third with the initials I.D. on a blue ground. Below the union wreath is the motto, “Spectemur agendo” (Judge us by our deeds), and below this is a silver eagle, a replica of the one taken from the 105th Regiment of French Infantry at Waterloo. The battle honours are: Tangier, 1662-80; Dettingen; Warburg; Beaumont; Willems; Fuentes d’Onor; Peninsula; Waterloo; Balaklava; Sevastopol; South Africa, 1899-1902; Relief of Ladysmith.

2nd Dragoons (Royal Scots Greys).—A guidon as for the 1st Dragoons, but with the following badge: A thistle within the circle, and the motto of the Order of the Thistle, “Second to None,” below the circle. The second and third corners contain a blue label with the inscription II.D. The battle honours are: Blenheim; Ramillies; Oudenarde; Malplaquet; Dettingen; Warburg; Willems; Waterloo; Balaklava; Sevastopol; South Africa, 1899-1902; Relief of Kimberley; Paardeberg. The French eagle is placed below the motto. (Fig. 15.)

3rd (King’s Own) Hussars, 4th (Queen’s Own) Hussars, 5th (Royal Irish) Lancers—no guidons.

6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons.—A guidon as for the 1st Dragoons, but with the following badge: The castle of Inniskilling, flying the St. George’s Cross, and the word “Inniskilling” underneath. The second and third corners contain a primrose-coloured label with the inscription VI.D. The battle honours are: Dettingen; Warburg; Willems; Waterloo; Balaklava; Sevastopol; South Africa, 1899-1902. (Fig. 16.)

7th (Queen’s Own) Hussars, 8th (King’s Royal Irish) Hussars, 9th (Queen’s Royal) Lancers, 10th (Prince of Wales’s Own Royal) Hussars, 11th (Prince Albert’s Own) Hussars, 12th (Prince of Wales’s Royal) Lancers, 13th Hussars, 14th (King’s) Hussars, 15th (The King’s) Hussars, 16th (The Queen’s) Lancers, 17th (Duke of Cambridge’s Own) Lancers, 18th (Queen Mary’s Own) Hussars, 19th (Queen Alexandra’s Own Royal) Hussars, 20th Hussars, 21st (Empress of India’s) Lancers—none of these regiments fly guidons.

Almost as attractive as the standards and guidons are the drum banners, or drum cloths, of the cavalry. These appointments are usually made of brilliant coloured fabric, richly embroidered in gold, and bear the devices and, at times, the battle honours peculiar to each regiment. To our minds, it is unfortunate that the material chosen in making them does not always correspond with the facings of the unit. Hussars and Lancers, it is pleasing to know, have not been deprived of these banners or cloths.

The three sister regiments of Life Guards and Horse Guards have chosen very similar drum banners. They are crimson, and bear the Royal Arms, with two flying cherubs placed above. Gold embroidery enters largely into the decoration of these fine emblems. No battle honours are shown. The 1st Dragoon Guards carry a blue banner, richly embroidered, with the Royal Arms. The 2nd Dragoon Guards display their nickname, “Bays,” within a golden wreath, surmounted by an imperial crown, all on a cream-buff ground. The motto, “Pro Rege et Patria” (For King and Country), is inscribed on a red scroll. The 3rd Dragoon Guards have selected a banner of the same colour as their facings, namely, yellow. The Prince of Wales’s plume, the motto, “Ich Dien” (I serve), the White Horse, the Rising Sun, the Red Dragon of Cadwallader, and a union wreath all appear on this fine cloth. The 4th Dragoon Guards carry a blue banner bearing the Harp and Crown and the Star of the Order of St. Patrick, emblems showing the Irish origin of the regiment. The White Horse and a union wreath also enter into the scheme of decoration. The 5th Dragoon Guards display the White Horse, the regimental initials V. D.G., and the title, “Princess Charlotte of Wales,” on a blue scroll, all on a crimson cloth; (the facings are dark green). The 6th Dragoon Guards have a semi-circular banner of white material, tastefully decorated with a number of blue labels and a gold wreath encircling the regimental badge—a shield supported by a pair of crossed carbines, surmounted by an imperial crown. The 7th Dragoon Guards carry a neat blue banner decorated with the Royal Arms, a golden wreath and a scroll inscribed “The Princess Royal’s Dragoon Guards.” Turning now to the 1st Royal Dragoons, we have a dark blue cloth bearing, in gold, the Crest of England within the Garter, the Eagle, of which we spoke, a wreath of oak and laurel, the motto “Spectemur agendo,” and the regimental title. The 2nd Dragoons, the Scots Greys, show a light crimson banner, having in the centre the Thistle, around which is inscribed the motto, “Nemo me impune lacessit” (No one hurts me with impunity). The French Eagle, two flaming grenades, a wreath of golden thistles, and the motto, “Second to none,” are also given. The 3rd (King’s Own) Hussars have silver decorated drums, and possess no drum cloths. The 4th Hussars have the Royal Arms and a number of battle honours on their yellow banner. The 5th Lancers own a neat green cloth which bears the Harp and Crown, the motto, “Quis separabit” (Who shall separate?), a golden-brown wreath, two crossed lances, and a scroll inscribed with the words, “Fifth Royal Irish.” No battle honours appear. This cloth is shown in Fig. 13. The 6th Dragoons reveal their connection with Inniskilling by using the castle as a badge. A golden wreath and the imperial crown are also given, all on a yellow background. The 7th Hussars possess a dark blue banner, ornamented with the monogram Q.O. (i.e., Queen’s Own) interlaced within a garter, and surmounted by a crown. Battle honours are given on light blue scrolls. The 8th Irish Hussars display the harp and crown, a number of battle honours, and the regimental initials 8.K.R.I.H. (King’s Royal Irish Hussars) on a brownish-red cloth. The motto, “Pristinæ virtutis memores” (The memory of former valour), is given on a blue scroll. One of the most attractive designs is that used by the 9th Lancers. The cypher of Queen Adelaide, reversed and interlaced, within a garter, is surmounted by an imperial crown, and backed by a pair of crossed lances. The numerous battle honours are given in a circular ring, whilst the figures IX. are placed below the ring. The cloth is crimson. The 10th Hussars have the alternative title of the Prince of Wales’s Own. Their banner, accordingly, bears the Prince’s plume and motto. The honours are woven into a golden wreath which encircles the Rising Sun and Cadwallader’s Red Dragon. The material is royal blue. The 11th Hussars display the late Prince Consort’s crest and motto, “Treu und fest” (True and firm), the Egyptian Sphinx, the regimental initials, XI.H., all surmounted by a crown, and the inscription, “Prince Albert’s Own Hussars.” The cloth is crimson. The 12th Lancers also have a crimson banner, embellished by the plume of the Prince of Wales, the Egyptian Sphinx, the regimental number XII., a golden wreath, and a pair of crossed lances. The 13th Hussars wear the royal cypher enwreathed with leaves of laurel and oak, the imperial crown, and the usual array of battle honours. The motto, “Viret in Æternum” (Virile for ever), figures on this cream-buff banner. (Fig. 14). The 14th Hussars, being known as the 14th King’s Light Dragoons, bear this title on a golden scroll, which is placed above the royal crest within the Garter. The battle honours are inscribed upon the leaves of a laurel wreath. The cloth is crimson. Of the same colour is the drum banner of the 15th Hussars. This regiment displays the royal crest, the King’s cypher, the figures XV., the battle honours, and a golden wreath of laurel and oak. A royal blue cloth is carried by the 16th Lancers; it bears the crossed lances, which figure on all Lancer drum cloths, except those of the 17th Lancers. In this case, the well-known device of a skull and crossbones is placed within a garter, surmounted by a crown and enwreathed with a band of oak and laurel leaves. The cloth is deep blue. (Fig. 12.) The 18th Hussars are known by their deep crimson banner, bearing, among the battle honours, the inscriptions, XVIII. Hussars, Queen Mary’s Own, and the motto, “Pro rege, pro lege, pro patria conamur” (For king, for law, for country we strive). The 19th Hussars have a white cloth, showing the letter A, interlaced with the Dannebrog,^[9] below which is the White Elephant of Assaye, and around it a number of labels bearing battle honours, and the inscription, Queen Alexandra’s Own Royal Hussars. The 20th Hussars favour a crimson banner, which is embellished by a large golden wreath from which are growing roses, thistles and shamrocks. The royal cypher and the imperial crown are given the central position. The last cavalry regiment, the 21st (Empress of India’s) Lancers, owns probably the most fanciful drum banner. The letters V.R.I. are cleverly interlaced and supported by a pair of crossed lances, the whole encircled by a union wreath and the imperial crown. “Khartoum” is inscribed upon a dark blue scroll. The banner is French grey.