History: Colours and Mottos

The Colours

Motto’s and Marches:

• Mottos: Ready aye ready; Nec aspera terrent
• Regimental Marches: British Grenadiers, Here’s To The Maiden

History of The Colours

The history of distinctive symbols to identify military units is as old as war itself. They were carried in the ancient armies of Egypt, Macedonia, Greece and Rome. In the armies of Japan and China, they were more colourful, as they usually took the form of a flag or banner.

The term "The Colours" is descriptive of the infantry flags which evolved in the British Army, and refers to the two flags of a battalion, the senior of which is called the Queen’s (or King’s) Colour, and the junior, the Regimental Colour. Together they are referred to as a "stand" of colours.

The design and form of colours of the Canadian Forces today traces its history to a document entitled "Regulations for the uniform Clothing of the Marching Regiments of Foot, their Colours, Drums, Bells of Arms, and Camp Colours, 1747." In general, the regulations put a stop to a former practice wherein Colonels of regiments had placed a device or coat of arms on colours and appointments of regiments under their command. The new instructions gave the design of colours as:

The King’s, or First Colour, of every Regiment or Battalion to be the Great Union. The Second Colour to be the colour of the Facings of the Regiment with the Union in the upper canton... In the centre of each Colour is to be painted or embroidered in gold Roman characters the number of the Rank of the Regiment within a wreath of Roses and Thistles on the same stalk...

This regulation of design, with modifications, is still the basis of the design of Regimental Colours in the British Army today. The design of colours of the Canadian Army, although basically following the same rules as the British, now use the National Flag of Canada as the Queen’s Colour (with the exception of Regiments of Guards).

The use of the term "King’s Colour" in the 1747 regulations is the first recorded instance where it is used to describe the "First Colour" of a regiment.