Last modified: 2005-07-09 by ivan sache
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Regimental colours are called drapeaux (flags) for non mounted units: Infantry (including Marine Infantry, Legion Infantry,
Paratroops Infantry), Engineers, Transmissions and Military
Colleges.
They are called étendards (standards) for mounted
units: Armoured corps and Cavalry (including Dragoon Paratroopers and
Legion Cavalry), Artillery (including Marine Artillery, Legion
Artillery, etc.), Transportation, Army Aviation, Supplies.
Drapeaux and étendards are square tricolor flags differing by their side, 90 cm for drapeaux and 64 cm for étendards. They are set on a 2 m long staff ending by a pike-shaped finial with a cartouche (one side bears RF for République Française, the other side bears the name of the unit). A golden fringed tricolour cravate is tied to the pike.
The obverse of a colour carries in gold:
NAME OF THE UNIT
and the unit number or monogram encircled in antique oak and laurel crown, in gold too, in each corner.
The reverse of a colour carries in gold
(honour and fatherland), and the unit number or monogram in each corner as on the obverse.
Below honneur et patrie are:
Pierre Gay, 8 November 1998
National Navy has 11 similar flags for specialized units, such as Marseilles Fire Brigade or Naval Commando Rifles.
Pierre Gay, 8 November 1998
When the flag [or standard] must be displayed, a company from the regiment is ordered to fetch the flag. This company, preceeded by the sappers, the drum-major, the drums and bugles of its batallion, marches on four columns, without music. When arrived at the regimental commander's quarters, the detachment stops and stands as a line, facing the front door. Company captain then calls for bayonets (order is baïonnette au canon !).
The flag bearer, with the lieutenant and two non-commissioned officers, forms a temporary guard which takes the flag and returns to face the company.As soon as the flag arrives, the captain, placed before the centre of the company, facing the flag, calls for present arms (présentez arme !), orders "to the flag" honours (au drapeau!), and salutes with sword.
Drums and bugles play three times.
Music plays the refrain of the National Anthem. (Aux armes, citoyens...)The captain keeps his sword lowered until the music is finished.
Captain calls for arm on shoulder (portez arme !); the flag and its guard place themselves between the 2nd and 3rd sections; the lieutenant goes back to his place.The detachment then leaves with the flag, at the sound of music, and proceeds to the assembly ground. It stops when facing the centre of the regiment at about 50 paces. Music stops.
The colonel calls baïonnette au canon ! for the regiment. Then he calls présentez arme !. All watch the flag. Then he approches the flag about 10 paces, orders au drapeau !, and salutes with sword.
Drums and bugles play three times.
Music plays the refrain of the National Anthem. (Aux armes, citoyens...)The colonel keeps his sword lowered until the music is finished.
After this, he calls for ordering arms (reposez arme !) and disposing bayonet (remettez baïonnette !).The flag bearer takes his place, the two non-commissioned officers return to their company, and the detachment takes its place, skirting behind the regiment.
The flag is returned to the colonel's quarters in the order depicted above, and receives the same honours. The detachment then returns without music.
Source: Manuel d'infanterie à l'usage des sous-officiers et caporaux, 366th edition (1915).
Today's protocol hasn't changed much.
Pierre Gay, 8 November 1998
The French Army as a whole does not consider itself as legally continuous to the Royal Army. Such royal land or naval victories like Patay, Fontenoy, Chesapeake or La Praya are not authorized battle honors on flags. But these names, still considered glorious by the modern French Army, are honourd by being given to ships or armoured vehicles, and remembered by anniversaries. Some very old regiments like 6th Queen's Dragoons (which is currently an armourd regiment) still carry on traditions of prerevolutionnary armies, but these are specific cases, not official Army policy as a whole. Such a policy was decided in 1880, during the Third Republic.
The current Fifth Republic refers only to specific institutionnal changes : the flag, the anthem, the national symbols do not change. It is considered mythologically as one continuous Republic, from the Revolution to this day. Even the First and Second Empires and the Louis-Philippe monarchy are considered as part of this continuity (The constitution of the First Empire starts as "The Goverment of the Republic is entrusted to the Emperor of the French") : Battle honors on flags therefore include campaigns and victories such as Valmy, Austerlitz, Algeria, Magenta, Crimea, Madagascar, etc. and all these fought and won after the Revolution. If a regiment only has First World War honours, it is because it never fought colonial wars between its creation and First World War.
Pierre Gay, 8 November 1998