EARLY COLOUR SERGEANTS BADGE
 

I have what I believe to be an early Colour Sergeants arm badge. However, it has just a single stripe underneath. Could a member explain to me the significance of a single stripe?

Kind regards, Malcolm.

Malcolm,

Pre 1868 one chevron of double lace was worn below the colour badge on the right arm and the usual 3 bar chevron on the left.

In 1868 when the Crossed Flags Colour Sergeant badge was introduced it was changed to a 3 bar chevron below the colour badge.

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regards

Hello Simon.

Many thanks for the helpful reply. Greatly appreciated.

Kind regards, Malcolm.

In some regiments the pre-1868 badge was worn on both arms so that those in Flank companies could be distinguished from the remainder. In other regiments it was worn on the right arm only, with nothing on the left arm. The variation was caused by orders differentiating flank from centre companies in all regiments (until they were discontinued around 1860) and further orders stating that Fusiliers, Light Infantry, Highlanders and Rifles NCOs of all ranks were to wear a badge on both arms, other Line were to wear badges on only the right arm (less the flank companies). As you can imagine this created a range of different appearances.

Hello Toby.

Thank you for the interesting information. For those regiments that wore them on both sleeves I assume they were facing pairs as the example I have has the flag facing the opposite to the one worn on the left hand side in your last photo.

Kind regards, Malcolm.

Yes, the ‘fly’ was always to the rear of the arm.