Quote:
Originally Posted by Davidjsch
I’ve bought a Scots Guards CSM rank insignia for a friend who’s father was a CSM in the Scots Guards during WW 2
She really doesn’t know much about him and so I’d like to explain the significance of each item in the badge.
I think I’ve worked out all expect the crossed sabers at the bottom. I would be grateful if someone could explain to me so I don’t make a fool of myself or insult the rank
Many thanks
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The rank of Colour Sergeant was first instituted across the Army as a whole in 1813 after it had been in use for a while beforehand by the Guards and the 95th Rifles that one sergeant in each company was appointed as the most senior and the link overall between officers and other ranks. From the outset it was his role to overwatch company duties and deliver orders from the chain of command and most specifically the company commander. He was also to escort Ensigns (the most junior officers) when they carried company level colours as the Guards did.
The Foot Guards regimental colours were different to the Line, in that they carried a special design of colour that represented the crown and dignity of the Sovereign (himself/herself) in vivid crimson, with each individual company colour bearing special devices associated with the regiment’s identity and associated iconography. This is why each of the colours with varied designs marking the history is rotated through use. The Star of the Order of the Thistle was appointed as one of 16 regimental badges with mottoes borne in rotation. Also the Sphinx and Egypt 1801 borne in commemoration of the regiments participatation at the Battle of Alexandria in that year, where it fought along with the Coldstream Guards, who also bear that honour.
One of the features of the Battle of Alexandria was the Mamelukes of the Imperial Guard, who were ethnically diverse slave-soldiers and freed slaves who fought as mercenaries for many rulers of the past and then for Napoleon. By his decree the Mamluks were subsequently organized into a unit attached to the Chasseurs-à-Cheval of the Imperial Guard. The officers were Frenchmen, the troopers were a mixture of Syrians, Greeks, Circassains, Crimeans, Armenians Egyptians, Georgians, Arabs and Turks. Individuals came from Albania, Hungary, Malta and Tunisia. Every Mameluk was armed with two brace of pistols, a very curved sabre, dagger, mace and eventually a battle-axe.
The deeply curved sabre that the Mamluks carried became iconic of the Egyptian campaign and, copying French officers, some British officers began to carry them too. Today they are used as part symbol of several rank badges of General Officer grades, and they were subsequently also adopted by the two Guards Regiments that fought in Egypt for their colour sergeant badges. The Grenadier Guards badge has different swords accordingly.
The badges designed and adopted for the then three Foot Guards regiments** subsequently formed the basis and inspiration for the Colour Badge adopted by all the combatant arms of the Army, including Line infantry, the Rifle Regiments and, initially, the Royal Artillery and the Royal Engineers. Each had their own design on a common theme, but unlike all others the Rifles device did not feature colours. Partly because of the expense of coloured silks and high quality bullion wire embroidery, all of them eventually abandoned the badge and the sole remaining regular units to wear colour badges of such splendid design are the Brigade of Guards and the Royal Marines.
**when the Irish and Welsh Guards were formed the Mamluk sword was so well embedded in British military culture that they quite naturally elected to incorporate them in the design of their own colour badges.