Battle honour
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A battle honour is a military tradition practiced in the Commonwealth countries of the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand and is an official acknowledgement rewarded to military units for their achievements in specific wars or operations of a military campaign.
A battle honour is granted through the British monarch's Royal Prerogative, and by the 20th century was done only after lengthy historical review of a particular conflict.
It is comparable to the citation in other traditions.
Entitlement
A battle honour may be granted to infantry/cavalry regiments or battalions, but with the exception of Royal Navy ships and Royal Air Force squadrons, they are rarely granted to sub-units such as companies, platoons and sections in the army.Battle honours are usually presented in the form of a name of a country, a region or a city where the regiment's distinguished act took place together with the year when it occurred. In the British Army, for instance, a unit's battles honours can normally be found engraved, painted or embroidered on:
- The Queen's Colour or King's Colour (in regiments of Foot Guards)
- The Regimental Colour (for infantry units) or the Regimental Guidon (for cavalry regiments)
- The Queen's Truncheon of the Royal Gurkha Rifles
- Drums of the regimental band and/or pipes and drums
- The baldric worn by the Drum Major of the regimental band/pipes and drums
- The Drum Major's band mace
- A regimental pipes and drums' pipe banners
A unit need not have defeated an adversary in order to earn a battle honour. For instance, although the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps were unable to stop the invading Japanese army from capturing Hong Kong in 1941 (also see the Battle of Hong Kong), the unit was nevertheless awarded the battle honour "Hong Kong" for its actions.
Supporting corps/branches such as medical, service, ordnance, artillery, engineer, or transport do not receive battle honours. Commonwealth artillery does not maintain battle honours as they carry neither Colours nor Guidons, though their guns by tradition are afforded many of the same respects and courtesies. However, both the Royal Artillery and Royal Engineers were granted by King William IV the right to use the Latin Ubique, meaning everywhere, as a battle honour. This is worn on the cap badge of both corps. The practice was later extended to:
- Royal Canadian Artillery
- The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery
- The Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers
- Canadian Military Engineers
The origin of battle honours
For the British Army, the need to adopt a system to recognize military units' battlefield accomplishments was apparent since its formation in the later part of the 17th century. Although the granting of battle honours had already been in place at the time, it was not until 1784 that infantry units were authorized to bear battle honours on their colours. Before then, a regiment's colours were practical tools for rallying troops in the battle field and not quite something for displaying the unit's past distinctions.The British Army awarded its first battle honour to the Royal Irish Regiment for the campaigns at Jemappes and Valmy in 1792. During that period, a regiment needed only to engage the enemy with musketry before it was eligible for a battle honour.
However, the need to develop a centralized system to oversee the selection and granting of battle honours soon arose in the 19th century following the increase of military engagements that British Army units were involved in around the globe. Thus in 1882, a committee was formed to adjudicate applications of battle honour claims. This committee, later called the Battles Nomenclature Committee in the Second World War, still maintains its functions in the British Army today.
The granting of battle honours in the Second World War
A special committee known as the Battles Nomenclature Committee was formed in Britain during the Second World War. Comprised of military representatives from all Commonwealth nations, it was the committee's responsibility to advise the Army Headquarters on matters pertaining to the granting of battle honours.At the end of the war, the committee submitted a report to the Army Headquarters containing:
- The definitions of war theatre, battle, action and engagement
- A detail list of all theatres, battles, actions and engagements throughout the entire war for which regiments may be granted battle honours
Upon a review of this list and based on the actions undertaken by the regiment during the war, the regimental honours committee may then submit an application to the Army Headquarters to claim their corresponding battle honours. In cases where regiments took part in actions which were not listed, the honours committees may also submit additional claims in their applications as well. Whatever the situation was, it was the honour committee's responsibility to submit evidence to proof that the regiment concerned was worthy of the battle honours they claimed.
Once the final approval was granted in Britain, an announcement will be publicly made. The ceremonial part of the granting of new battle honours will eventually be made in the form of the presentation of new Regimental and Sovereign's Colours to the regiment by the British monarch or an agent of the monarch's (such as the Governor General of Canada).
Display
Battle Honours are listed in choronological order, either in a single list, or in multiple even numbers of columns, reading left to right, and top to bottom. On drums, the honours are listed on scrolls, usually with the cap badge central, and other unit devices present (such as a representation of a unit distinction or motto.)
The honours for the First and Second World War were restricted in that only a certain number of honours could be selected for emblazonment - ie appear on colours or drums. This was due to the large number of Battle Honours awarded.
The Meaning of Battle Honours
In British and Commonwealth military customs, battle honours are something that are highly revered by all military personnel. Regiments are keen to earn new battle honours as they would enhance a unit's reputation to great extents. Once awarded a battle honour, the regiment would proudly display or mention them whenever possible or appropriate.It is still a tradition that whenever a military personnel comes across a Regiment or Queen's Colour, she or he must salute the Colour. This is not only because it was an object that represents the British monarch's authority, but also because the Colours contain a regiment's battle honours for which many have died. Simply put, this is not just a matter of army regulations or ceremonial practice, but an actual demonstration of respect towards those who have sacrificed their lives for others.
Even now, it is still not uncommon for army instructors to ensure that their recruits have memorized and are able to recite all of their regiment's battle honours. This has been the regiments' way to build pride and a sense of belonging among new army recruits for centuries. For example soldiers of the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment wear a cap badge on both the front and the rear of their hats. The back badge is unique in the British Army and was awarded to the 28th Regiment of Foot for their actions at the Battle of Alexandria in 1801. Knowledge of that battle honour, which was encapsulated in the back badge, encouraged the soldiers of the Gloucestershire Regiment in the defence of Gloster Hill during the Battle of the Imjin River in April 1951 during the Korean War.[The Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment: History]
Uniform Distinctions
In some cases, distinctions of dress have been awarded in lieu of battle honours.Sphinx
Several British regiments have a sphinx on their regimental colour to commemorate service in Egypt.Eagle
The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards have an eagle on their cap badge to commemorate the capture of a French Imperial Eagle at Waterloo by the Royal Scots Greys.Oak Leaf Shoulder Badge
The Calgary Highlanders and The Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's) were awarded a brass oakleaf shoulder badge in the 1930s to commemorate their action at Kitcheners' Wood during the Second Battle of Ypres. The award - the first of its kind in Canada - was made after unit commanders lobbied for recognition of their counterattack at St. Julien.External Link
Footnotes
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