Army
Soldiers In Cyprus Remember Brave Forebears At Waterloo
Soldiers serving with the 1st Battalion Duke of Lancaster's Regiment held their annual Waterloo Day ceremony recently at their base in Episkopi, in Cyprus.
The Battalion's new commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Rob Driver explains the use of the colours during the ceremony:
"The colours represent the battalion and represent the regiment. They are personally blessed by the Queen and by the chaplain within the regiment itself... every soldier must know what the colours are, they must be dear to them, because that is the point where they will rally should communications break down."
Lt Col Driver also explained that the colours are equally dear to the battalion today as they were during the Battle of Waterloo.
The colours today are only handled by officers and are guarded at all times when outside of the Officers' Mess.
During the Waterloo Day ceremony, the colours are garlanded in laurel leaves to mark the bravery of the soldiers in the battalion's antedent units who fought at the battle in 1815.
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