battle honours

Battle honours is the term applied to distinctions commemorative of battles which are placed, by order of government, on a regiment's colours, badges and insignia, drums, and other appropriate appointments. The origin of battle honours in the form of the names of battles is obscure but probably originated on the European continent in the early 18th century. Heraldic augmentations for gallant individuals are recorded as far back as the battle of Flodden in 1513, but the first British battle honour to be granted was that to the 18th Regiment of Foot for Namur in 1695. Battle honours on colours were rare in France before 1789 and Napoleon is credited with instituting them in 1796. Although the British practice has been widely emulated, some nations commemorate battle honours with streamers borne on the staff and some decorate their colours with medallions. Emblems have been used too, in the British army: the Sphinx signifies service in Egypt in 1801 and the tiger and elephant symbolize service in India in the 18th century. The battle honour Waterloo was shared by British and Prussian regiments, who found themselves enemies a century later.

Bibliography

• Edwards, T. J., Military Customs (Aldershot, 1950).
• Milne, Samuel M., The Standards and Colours of the Army (Leeds, 1893)

— Stephen Wood