Battledress shoulder title colours

[Bill A]

Continuing my research on cloth shoulder titles, I am researching the origins / reasons for the choice of colours on the particular flash. For example, the white on scarlet of the PPCLI traces its origins to the British Coldstream Guards titles, while many other titles in scarlet on blue reflect the regiment's "Royal" designation. Some units made titles in the colours of their branch, for example, the Royal Canadian Artillery, and the RCAMC. Units, like the Loyal Edmonton Regiment, selected shoulder title colours based on their battle patches of the First World War. Other units, like the RCD appear to have based the choice on their dress uniform colours.
Some units are more difficult to explain the choice of colours. The Algonquins, yellow on blue, the South Sasks, purple, etc.
Should anyone have information about a unit or many units, please add a note or pm / email me.

[servicepub]

Originally Posted by Bill A

... the white on scarlet of the PPCLI traces its origins to the British Coldstream Guards titles...

My understanding was that many British Infantry regiments wore white on red titles in the days leading up to the war. Certainly it was not limited to the Coldstream but also the Grenadier Guards and the Scots Guards.

[Bill A]

Hi Clive, Hamilton Gault was impressed by the titles worn by the Coldstream Guards and decided to model the PPCLI insignia on them to create an esprit de corps in his new regiment. Certainly other British regiments wore embroidered titles, but Gault wanted his unit to develop regimental identity by modelling the best of the imperial regiments.

[54Bty]

Originally Posted by servicepub

My understanding was that many British Infantry regiments wore white on red titles in the days leading up to the war. Certainly it was not limited to the Coldstream but also the Grenadier Guards and the Scots Guards.

Do you have a white on red version of the SCOTS GUARDS cloth designation as I have not seen one?