British Light Infantry Regiments

The Somerset & Cornwall Light Infantry

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Presentation of Colours

Thank you to Keith Scudamore for providing details on the Presentation of Colours to the First Battalion on 17th May, 1962.

Presentation of Colours

To The

First Battalion

THE SOMERSET AND CORNWALL
LIGHT INFANTRY

Field-Marshal
THE LORD HARDING OF PETHERTON
G.C.B., C.B.E., D.S.O., M.C.

Nominated by Her Majesty The Queen to make the Presentation

Gibraltar 17th May, 1962

INSIDE FRONT COVER

Spectators are requested to stand and gentlemen to uncover

(a) On the arrival and departure of His Excellency the Governor and the Field Marshal

(b) During General Salutes

Spectators are requested to stand, gentlemen to uncover and those in uniform to salute when

(a) The National Anthem is played

(b) The Colours march off parade

THE SOMERSET AND CORNWALL LIGHT INFANTRY

The Regiment was formed on 6th October, 1959, by the amalgamation of The Somerset Light Infantry (Prince Albert's) and the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry.

Immediately before amalgamation the 1st Battalions of these Regiments were stationed at Warminster and Osnabrück respectively. The 1st Battalion The Somerset and Cornwall Light Infantry served at Osnabrück until June, 1961, when it moved, by way of Plymouth, to Gibraltar.

It is interesting to note that as Barrymore's (13th) Foot and Fox's Marines, the two parent Regiments first met (and shared the same battle honour) at Gibraltar. Gibraltar Day is now celebrated annually on 6th October as the Regimental Day of the Somerset and Cornwall Light Infantry. The old Regimental Days of Jellalabad, Lucknow and Paardeburg are still remembered, with short histories published in Battalion Orders.

Among the distinctions brought from its parent Regiments, the Somerset and Cornwall Light Infantry has the Royal Blue Facings and Royal Bugle Cords of the Somerset Light Infantry, the red patch commemorating the read feathers of the Light Company of the 46th Foot (later 2nd Battalion the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry) and the privilege of wearing the sash knotted on the right side, a unique distinction usually associated with the gallantry of the 13th Foot at Culloden.

The green head-dress, whistle cord and No. 1 Dress Uniform are common to all Light Infantry Regiments.

The parent Regiments were raised: in 1685 as Huntingdon's Foot (now The Somerset Light Infantry); in 1702, as Fox's Marines, and 1740 as the 57th (later renumbered 46th)(1st and 2nd Battalions The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry). Their names remain the names of the two Territorial Army Battalions.

PARADE STATE

text to follow

THE OLD COLOURS

1st Battalion The Somerset Light Infantry (Prince Albert's)

These Colours were presented by Prince Arthur at Dover in 1864.

They are now not only the oldest pair of Colours still in service with the British Army, but are also almost certainly the last surviving Colours which have been carried in action. Carried throughout the Zulu War, they saw battle on the last occasions in history when the Infantry soldier literally fought "under the Colours".

In 1948, as the last representatives of the British Army to leave India, the 1st Battalion The Somerset Light Infantry slow-trooped these Colours through Bombay's triumphal arch, the Gateway of India. The Colours were thus the last of the British Army's to fly over the soil of that Continent, and were present throughout the closing of one of the most eventful chapters of British Military history.

2nd Battalion The Somerset Light Infantry (Prince Albert's)

Although these Colours have not yet been laid up, they are not on parade today, being in safe keeping at Regimental Headquarters.

They were presented in 1927 by Prince Albert, Duke of York, at Tidworth.

The original 2nd Battalion Colours, presented by the Prince Consort in 1859, had become so worn that at the presentation of new Colours in 1895, at Devonport, the Queen's Colour had completely disintegrated, and was represented by a small piece of silk from the old Regimental Colour which was attached to The Queen's Colour-pike.

1st Battalion The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry

After the amalgamation of the 1st and 2nd Battalions, Sir Edward Bolitho, Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall, presented these Colours at BORDON in 1948. They have seen service with the Regiment in Germany and the West Indies.

The Old Colours, those of the 1st and 2nd Battalions The Somerset Light Infantry (Prince Albert's) and of the 1st Battalion The Duke of CornwaIl's Light Infantry, will in due course join other Old Colours of their Regiments in their respective counties.