The officers of the 1st Battalion pose for this group photo at Kamptee, India in 1865. Lieutenant-Colonel Montgomery, with grey whiskers, sits in the middle. The Colours loom large in the background, showing only a little of the detail but giving a good idea of their size. Regulations issued in 1855 reduced the size to 6 ft wide (flying) by 5 ft 6 ins deep (on the pike) but these Colours probably pre-date that. The centre of the Regimental Colour reveals the elaborate collar of the Order of the Thistle and the Union wreath, crown and VR cypher. Also the crown, thistle and motto in the top right corner. By 1865 the Royal Regiment had been awarded 20 battle honours. Three honours were granted for the Crimean War on 16 Oct 1855 and TAKU FORTS and PEKIN awarded on 4 Nov 1861. The Queen’s Colour is the Union Flag with a crown in the middle, above a Roman numeral I.
