The Shrine was dedicated on 11 November 1934. In 1940 the Shrine Trustees proposed that the Crypt would be an appropriate place in which to lay up the Colours of disbanded Victorian regiments. This idea came to fruition on 4 October 1953, when the 24 Battalion Colours were the first to be laid up. By December 1953 the Colours of the 21st, 22nd and 29rd Battalions had also been lodged in the Crypt.
The Colours of a cavalry regiment are traditionally in the form of a Guidon or swallow–tailed flag which derived its name from the French Guyd-Homme (Guide Man), who would lead by carrying the flag.
The Colours and guidons have been given into the custody of the Shrine Trustees at solemn ceremonies conducted in accordance with long established traditions. Light Horse guidons date from the 1850s and most recently, in 2006, five guidons were laid up. The Crypt Colours originate from 27 Victorian units of the Australian Army and represent some 25% of all Victorian Regimental Colours. Other Colours are laid up elsewhere in Victoria and five are held in the collection of the Australian War Memorial, Canberra.
Explore more about the Crypt colours and guidons:
- 60th Infantry Battalion (The Heidelberg Regiment) Regimental Colour
- 60th Infantry Battalion (The Heidelberg Regiment) King’s Colour
- 60th Infantry Battalion (Brunswick and Carlton Regiment) Regimental Colour
- 59th Infantry Battalion (The Shepparton Regiment) Regimental Colour
- 59th Infantry Battalion (The Shepparton Regiment) King’s Colour
- 58th Infantry Battalion (The Essendon Rifles Regiment) Regimental Colour
- 58th Infantry Battalion (The Essendon Rifles Regiment) King’s Colour
- 57th Infantry Battalion (The Merri Regiment) Regimental Colour
- 57th Infantry Battalion (The Merri Regiment) King’s Colour
- 52nd Infantry Battalion (The Gippsland Regiment) Regimental Colour
- 52nd Infantry Battalion (The Gippsland Regiment) King’s Colour
- 46th Infantry Battalion (The Brighton Rifles) Regimental Colour
- 46th Infantry Battalion (The Brighton Rifles) King’s Colour
- 39th Infantry Battalion (The Hawthorn and Kew Regiment) Regimental Colour
- 39th Infantry Battalion (The Hawthorn and Kew Regiment) King’s Colour
- 37th Infantry Battalion (The Henty Regiment) Regimental Colour
- 37th Infantry Battalion (The Henty Regiment) King’s Colour
- 29th Infantry Battalion (The East Melbourne Regiment) Regimental Colour
- 29th Infantry Battalion (The East Melbourne Regiment) King’s Colour
- 24th Infantry Battalion (The Kooyong Regiment) Regimental Colour
- 24th Infantry Battalion (The Kooyong Regiment) King’s Colour
- 22nd Infantry Battalion (The Richmond Regiment) Regimental Colour
- 22nd Infantry Battalion (The Richmond Regiment) King’s Colour
- 22nd Battalion The Royal Victorian Regiment Queen’s Colour
- 22nd Battalion The Royal Victorian Regiment Regimental Colour
- 21st Infantry Battalion (The Victorian Rangers) Regimental Colour
- 21st Infantry Battalion (The Victorian Rangers) King’s Colour
- 8th Infantry Battalion (The North West Victorian Regiment) Regimental Colour
- 8th Infantry Battalion (The North West Victorian Regiment) King’s Colour
- 6th Infantry Battalion (The Royal Melbourne Regiment) Regimental Colour
- 6th Infantry Battalion (The Royal Melbourne Regiment) King’s Colour
- 6th Infantry Battalion (The City of Melbourne Regiment) Regimental Colour
- 6th Infantry Battalion (The City of Melbourne Regiment) Queen’s Colour
- 2nd/6th Infantry Battalion (6th Bn 1st Australian Imperial Force) King’s Banner
- 1st/5th Aust Infantry Regiment (1st Bn Militia Infantry Brigade Vic) King’s Banner
- Melbourne University Rifle Regiment Regimental Colour
- Melbourne University Rifle Regiment King’s Colour
- 20th Light Horse Regiment (Victorian Light Horse) Guidon
- 19th Light Horse Regiment (Yarrowee Light Horse) Guidon
- 17th Light Horse Regiment (Bendigo Light Horse) Guidon
- 13th Light Horse Regiment (Gippsland Light Horse) Guidon
- 8th Light Horse Regiment (Indi Light Horse) Guidon
- 4th Light Horse Regiment (Corangamite Light Horse) Guidon
- 14th Infantry Battalion (The Prahran Regiment) Regimental Colour
- 14th Infantry Battalion (The Prahran Regiment) King’s Colour
The Sovereign’s Colour of every battalion is the flag of the Great Union Jack, the Imperial Colour of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (an amalgamation of the crosses of St George, St Andrew and St Patrick) on a blue field, as approved by Queen Victoria in 1900.
In the centre of the Queen’s Colour there is a crimson circle surmounted by the Imperial Crown. Upon the circle the gazetted title is embroidered in gold and also, if desired, the Territorial Title of the Battalion. This Colour is being progressively replaced in Australian units by a revised Colour based on the Australian National Flag and can be seen on the 22 Battalion Royal Victoria Colour, which hangs near the left rear wall in the Crypt.
This Sovereign Colour was presented to the 14th Battalion at a ceremony in Melbourne on 7 August 1920 by His Excellency The Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief, Sir Ronald Munro Fergusson. Army units are entitled to display up to ten Second World War (1939-45) Battle Honours on their Sovereign Colour, regardless of how many were awarded. Battle Honours for the 2nd Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF) were approved in 1961.
The ten Battle Honours displayed on this Sovereign Colour come from a combination of honours earned by the 2/14 and the 14/32 Infantry Battalion (2nd AIF).
14/32nd Battalion (Prahran/Footscray Regiment)
With Japan’s entry into the Second World War in 1941 the 14th was one of the Citizen Military Forces (CMF) Battalions called up and placed on defensive duties around Melbourne. In September 1942 the 14th and 32nd CMF Battalions merged and became the 14th/32nd Infantry Battalion (Prahran/Footscray Regiment).
When battalions were merged in this manner each unit continued to maintain its own traditions. This meant that when the 14th/32nd Battalion went on parade they presented with four Colours; the Sovereign and Regimental Colours for both the 14th and the 32nd Battalions.
The Regimental Colour for Royal regiments is dark blue and for all other regiments it is dark green. The Regimental Colour bears a centrally placed design comprising of:
- The regimental badge or crest embroidered in gold or silver (as appropriate) on a crimson background. The badge or crest is modified by omission of the gazetted or territorial title of the regiment, the Regimental motto and any wreath or crown incorporated in the design.
- A crimson circle surrounds the badge or crest, upon the circle the gazetted title is inscribed in gold (in addition, if desired, the Territorial title) of the battalion.
- The centre design is encompassed within a wreath of wattle (representing Australia) and it is tied with a gold knot at the bottom centre. The whole design is surmounted by an imperial crown.
In addition the following may appear on the Colour:
- The motto of the regiment embroidered in gold on a crimson scroll. The regimental colour patch as worn by the active service battalions of the regiment in WWI or WWII with a battleship grey edging where appropriate.
- The authorised Battle Honours of the regiment are embroidered in black lettering on gold scrolls and felled onto the colour.
Colours have been embroidered with Battle Honours since 1811, providing battalions and their forerunners with official acknowledgement for achievements in specific wars or operations.
Battle Honours for the First World War (1914-18) were awarded in 1927 and regardless of how many were awarded, a maximum of 10 Honours could be emblazoned on a Regimental Colour. The 14th Battalion displays an 11th Honour, South Africa 1899-1902, inherited from the 2nd Battalion Infantry Brigade (Victoria) for actions during the Boer War (1899-1902).
Although there are strict guidelines for the manufacture, display and parade of Colours there are often deviations from the rule. In 1928 the Adjutant General reported to the Military Board that the 14th Battalion was one of five which incorrectly displayed on the Colours the word ‘Battalion’ instead of ‘Infantry’ when parading before His Royal Highness, The Duke of York, when he opened Federal Parliament in Canberra in 1927. This detail remains incorrect.
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