France: Regimental colours

Last modified: 2005-07-09 by ivan sache
Keywords: army flag | regimental colour |
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• Army regimental flags and standards
• Navy regimental flags
• Flag protocol
• Honours on flags

See also:

• France
• France: Military flags
• Military Colleges
  • Ecole Polytechnique
• Honour Diploma of Standard Bearer
• Kingdom of France: Regimental flags

Army regimental flags and standards

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:

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 patri