Tangier, 1680; Namur, 1695; Gibraltar, 1704-5; Blenheim; Ramillies; Oudenarde; Malplaquet; Dettingen; Lincelles; Egmont-op-Zee; Corunna; Barrosa; Nive; Peninsula; Waterloo; Alma; Inkerman; Sevastopol; Egypt, 1882; Tel-el-Kebir; Suakin, 1885; Khartoum; South Africa, 1899-1902; Modder River.
The Lieutenant-Colonel’s or the King’s colour of the second battalion consists of a crimson silk banner bearing in the dexter canton, a small Union Jack, whilst in the centre of the crimson field is the Royal Cypher, reversed and interlaced, having above it an imperial crown, and, below, a flaming grenade. Battle honours also appear.
The Major’s colour, which serves as that of the King’s for the third battalion, is like the above, but from the sinister or bottom right hand corner of the small Jack issues a pile-wavy or, that is, a tongue of flame worked in gold.
In addition to the foregoing, there are three regimental colours, one for each of the three battalions. These flags bear the device of the Union Jack, full size, upon the four red centre limbs of which figure the Royal Crown, a flaming grenade, certain battle distinctions, and a special badge.
The special badge varies not only with each battalion, but with every new flag that is supplied to replace a discarded one. There is a series of thirty of these badges, each one of which is a company badge of the Grenadier Guards. They are as follows:—
1st Company.—A golden lion wearing a crown and standing upon another crown (i.e., the Royal crest as given on the current sixpenny piece). In the upper staff corner of the colour is placed in all these flags the company number in Roman numerals.
2nd Company.—A red Tudor rose with a white centre.
4th Company.—A portcullis with chains hanging from it. This device was taken by Henry VII. from the badge of the House of Somerset. His mother, it will be remembered, was Margaret, daughter of John, Duke of Somerset.
5th Company.—A white rose in a glory or sun. This was the badge of the Earldom of March.
6th Company.—A thistle and rose, stalked and leaved. It was the device adopted by James I. to signify the union which had been effected between England and Scotland.
8th Company.—The red dragon of Cadwallader, on a green mount. This device was used by the sovereigns of the united Houses of York and Lancaster. It was taken by Henry VII. to remind people of his descent from Cadwallader, whose shield bore the red dragon as a supporter.