The Keep Military Museum, Dorchester, Dorset |
Battle Honours & BadgesBattle Honours, Colours, Guidons and capbadges are the essence of a regiment and its identity. Battle HonoursBattle Honours were awarded from the early eighteenth century for the regiments' participation in major victories or successful campaigns. Only selection of the twentieth century honours are carried on the colours or guidon, as the scale and duration of the two world wars produced too many battle honours for the colours or guidon. Click here to find out more. Colours & GuidonsEach of the countys' infantry and cavalry units hold a distinctive stand of colours or a Guidon. They are very precious and are at the heart of much of a regiments ceremonial life. The last stand of colours was presented to the Regiment by the Duke of Kent in June 2001 at Wyvern Barracks Exeter. These colours have, on amalgamation into the Rifles, been laid up in Exeter Cathedral other stands are laid up in Sherborne Abbey. Click here to find out more. CapbadgesCapbadges originally just a numbered plate of a variety of designs from the middle of the eighteenth century to the end of Queen Victoria's reign were added to over the years with emblems specific to a regiment. In the 11th (Devonshire) Regiment's case, these were a star and Exeter Castle. The 39th also had a castle as a battle honour for the part they played in the Siege of Gibraltar and the 54th of Foot gained the Sphinx's for the battle of Marabout in 1801. Scrolls were added to the Queen's own Dorset Yeomanry after both the Boer War and the Great War (1914-1918). Click here for examples of capbadges at amalgamation of the Regiments or in 2007.
Queen's Own Dorset Yeomanry |
