regimental colours
Preserved but no longer current.
The flags peculiar to Regiments, once earned into battle, on which they are entitled to embroider their battle- honours — the names of actions in which they distinguished themselves, and associated with the unit by permission of the King. These flags are now laid up on the outbreak of war in the Cathedral or great church of the territory from which the Regiment is raised.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “regimental colours” mean?
The flags peculiar to Regiments, once earned into battle, on which they are entitled to embroider their battle- honours — the names of actions in which they distinguished themselves, and associated with the unit by permission of the King. These flags are now laid up on the outbreak of war in the Cathedral or great church of the territory from which the Regiment is raised.
Is “regimental colours” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.