Coldstream Guards Living History Museum

COLOURS AND CUSTOMS OF THE COLDSTREAM GUARDS

Since earliest times, man has fought behind recognizable signs and symbols in order to have a mark distinguishing his own side and to have a rallying point during the melee of battle. These early symbols were often brightly colored and thus became known as ''Colours''. The size and design of ''Colours'' has changed much over the years. However the design used today throughout Britain dates from 1868. A Regiment's Colours are no longer carried into battle (the last time this occurred was in South Africa in 1881). Today, the Colours represent the spirit and history of a Regiment and display the Battle Honors to which it is entitled. They act as a potent focus for the loyalty and pride of past and present members of the Regiment.

The State Colours

King William IV is thought to have presented the Regiment with The State Colours of the Coldstream Guards. They are carried by Guards of Honor (not formed from the Queen's Guard) mounted on Her Majesty The Queen on State occasions. The State Colours are kept at Regimental Headquarters in London.

The First State Colour, which is crimson, bears the Order of The Garter and has a Sphinx in each corner. In the center, underneath the Garter Star, on a blue scroll, is the word ''Egypt''. The Battle Honors of Lincelles, Talavera, Barrosa, Peninsula and Waterloo are also shown.

The Second State Colour is similar. However, the word ''Egypt'' is not in blue and there are three additional Battle Honors: Alma, Inkerman and Sevastopol.

Colours of 1^st Battalion

Battalion Colours Battalions have two Colours. They are known as The Royal, or First (usually called the Queen''s) Colour, and The Second (usually called the Regimental) Colour. The Queen''s Colours for both the 1st and 2nd Battalions have a crimson background and bear the star of the Order of the Garter in the center with the Imperial Crown above The 2nd Battalion Colour has a small Union Flag in the upper left corner. 47 Battle Honors are arranged in vertical rows on either side of the center.

The Regimental Colours of both Battalions have as their background the Union Flag. In the center is one of 24 Company Badges designed with the Imperial Crown (these Badges are borne in rotation. Again, both bear the Sphinx in base with the word ''Egypt'' super scribed. A further 47 Battle Honors are arranged in vertical rows on either side of the central Company Badge. In the upper left corner, next to the pike is the Battalion''s number in Roman numerals. Each Regimental Colour has a different Company Badge in its center.

Colours of 2^nd Battalion

Each Company in the Regiment has its own Company Colour. These are small Union flags with the respective badges and numbers of the various companies. They do not carry Battle Honors or other honorary distinctions.

Customs

Over the centuries, a number of Customs, or traditions, have developed within the Regiment. Often mystifying to outsiders (and to young officers!), the origins of many of these Customs can be traced directly to events in the past; the causes of others are obscured by the passage of time. A number of the better-known Customs are shown below.

• Members of the Coldstream Guards are known as ''Coldstreamers'' and never as ''Coldstream''.
• The Regiment should either be called the '' Coldstream Guards'' or ''The Coldstream'' and never the ''Coldstreams''.
• The Regiment's formal title is: Her Majesty's Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards.
• Never say ''leave'' when you mean ''permission''.
• During a roll call answer ''Here'' if the person calling the roll is a Sergeant or below. Answer ''Here, Sir'' if he is above that rank.
• The Regimental Sergeant Major is always referred to as ''Sergeant Major'' and never as ''RSM''.
• The nickname of the Coldstream Guards is the ''Lilywhites''.
• Officers below the rank of Captain are referred to as ''Mr.''; Captains and above are referred to by their rank.
• The emblem of the Regiment worn in head-dress is called a ''Cap Star'' and never a ''Cap Badge''.
• Members of the Corps of Drums are known as ''Drummers''.
• Drummers ''sound'' bugle calls, they do not ''blow'' them.
• The Regiment celebrates St George's Day, the 23rd April.
• Coldstreamers always parade 5 minutes before the stated start time of any parade.
• Coldstreamers stand still on the following occasions:
• When the Point of War is sounded.
• At Last Post
• During the playing of the National Anthem.
• Coldstreamers do not recognize ''retreat''.

Numbering of Companies

Companies in the 1st Battalion are numbered, 1, 2 , 3, 4(Support) and Headquarter Company. The staff of Regimental Headquarters and the Regimental Band constitutes No 15 Company. Coldstreamers at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and at the Army Training Regiment Pirbright constitute No 13 Company and Coldstreamers at the Infantry Training Centre Catterick constitute No 14 Company.

Definitions

The Guards Division comprises the five Regiments of Foot Guards.

The Household Division comprises the Guards Division plus the two Regiments of Household Cavalry (the Household Cavalry Regiment and the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment).

The rank of Lance Corporals to wear two chevrons was granted by HM Queen Victoria, as only one chevron offended Her Majesty when seen on parade.

The designation ''Guardsman'' instead of ''Private'' was granted by HM King George V on November 22nd 1918 in recognition of the services of the Brigade of Guards in the Great War (1914 - 1918).

The Regiment holds a memorial service on the first Sunday in May each year when Coldstreamers Past and Present remember those Coldstreamers who have fallen in war or conflict. The Day is generally called ''Black Sunday''. A service is held in the Guards Chapel followed by a march of past and present Coldstreamers to the Guards Memorial at Horse Guards where the Colonel of the Regiment lays a wreath.

Uniform

The Bearskin Cap, which formerly was worn only by the Grenadier Company of each battalion in the army, was made the Full Head-dress of the Regiment in 1831. The red plume (eagle''s feathers for Officers, cock'' feathers for Warrant Officers and Senior NCOs and horse hair for Other Ranks) is worn on the right side and was instituted at about the same time, but for reasons now obscure.

The Forage Cap.The brass piping on the peak of the Forage Cap represents rank, with one band for Guardsmen and Lance Corporals, two for Lance Sergeants and three for Sergeants and Colour Sergeants. Warrant Officers wear gold braid instead of brass. The reason for the white band is obscure but is of much older date than the red plume.

 Coldstream Guards by D Anderson

The Cap Star is an eight-pointed star of the Order of the Garter. In the centre is the cross of St George surrounded by the words ''Honi soit qui mal y pense'', which translated means ''Evil be to he who evil thinks''.

Buttons are worn in pairs, in denotion of our place as second senior Regiment in the Foot Guards.

The Rose is worn on the collar of the tunic by all ranks below Officers. Its origins are obscure, but it is probably the rose from the collar of the Order of the Garter, as the Regiment was early associated with this Order.

The shoulder title, ''Coldstream Guards'', is worn at the top of the sleeve in No 2 dress.

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 Above information is from the Coldstream Guards web page.  For more information on the current Coldstream Guards, check out their web page: http://www.army.mod.uk/coldstreamguards/index.html

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