A ‘battle honour’ is an officially awarded recognition of a regiment’s achievements and accomplishments, either at a particular battle or during a campaign.
In total, our antecedent regiments together with the current Regiment – The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys) – have earned 88 battle honours, 50 of which are borne on the Regiment’s Standard.
Since the late eighteenth century, battle honours have been borne on the flags and other appointments, such as the drums, of the regiments of the British Army. These battle honours, symbolising past campaigns and battles in which those regiments have distinguished themselves, have always acted as a source of great pride and inspiration for soldiers of later generations.
A ‘standard’ is a type of flag which is unique to regiments of heavy cavalry. Standards, as do other types of military flag, generally bear symbols reflecting the individual regiments’ national and Royal allegiances. Originally, standards were carried on the battlefield and played a crucial part in showing a regiment’s soldiers their place in relation to their regiment during the battle. Standards assisted in maintaining order in potentially chaotic situations, when smoke from cannons and firearms reduced visibility. The regimental standard was a source of pride for the soldiers and acted as a rallying point when needed.
*Please note, no battle honours were awarded to 25th Dragoons, which was disbanded in 1947.
