![[Royal Artillery Regiment Battery 214 flag]](../images/g/gb!^214bat.gif)
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by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 1 November 2010
Last modified: 2023-07-29 by rob raeside
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by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 1 November 2010
See also:
Artillery Flag(?) of 214 Battery
This is another doubtful one. I must
admit, I adapted it from a door plate at Dancox House in Worcester. Being a flag
it would be a red over blue horizontal bicolour, superimposed in the centre by a
bronze gun pointing to the hoist having a motto UBIQUE (above) QUO FAS ET GLORIA
DUCUNT (beneath) (Engl.: wherever (lit.: everywhere, where) fate and fame (will)
lead (us)).
I found out, there is but one Royal Artillery Regiment. In this case I
arbitrarily added a bronze number 214 in the upper hoist corner. There must have
been a distinguishing mark of the different batteries. On the plate was also a
white inscription 214 (WORCESTERSHIRE) BATTERY, above, and ROYAL ARTILLERY
(VOLUNTEERS) beneath, therefore I added the 214. But I don't know, whether this
would be correct.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 1 November 2010
The British Army is full of arcane obscurities that even the Brits have trouble understanding. The "Royal Regiment of Artillery" is a large family or "corps" that consists of numerous tactical regiments. These regiments were called "brigades" until 1922, and consist of 3 or 4 batteries.
The camp flag of all RA units (tactical regiments and batteries) would be the
red over blue RA corps flag without further distinguishing marks. RA regiments
do have standards since 1947 that are flown on flagpoles on special occasions.
These include the regimental number, and are covered at the Royal Artillery Association
page.
T.F. Mills, 1 November 2010
In fact, RA regiments do have camp flags as well as the standards we mention.
I was sent a copy of the RA Standing Orders in 2001 which stated:
"64 Other
flags: Rules governing flying flags are contained in QRs 1975 Chapter 8 Part 4.
Battery and regimental flags are permitted, but are to be flown only in unit
lines or at regimental parades on special occasions. They should be rectangular
and of a size similar to the Regimental Flag. There is no set format, but
designs are to be approved by RHQ RA. Designs should be historically correct,
dignified and simple."
At the time there were nine different designs of
regimental flags in use, two of which were red over blue - one with the badge,
the other with the script letters RA conjoined and reversed. There are three
sizes of RA flag - 24 inches x 36, 36x54 and 48x72. The main colours are
specified using British Standard colours, the red 20C49, the blue 04D45, the
badge is just 'gold'.
Battery flags do not always follow these rules - in
fact, of those I have seen, almost none of them do. So I don't think that you
can assume that every battery would adopt some variant of the RA flag. Many
batteries have their own history which they commemorate not only in the battery
name but also in an unofficial battery badge which is often repeated on the
flag. One Second World War battery (Q Battery, 128 Field Regiment) simply used a
flag consisting of the divisional arm patch and the vehicle tactical sign.
Ian Sumner, 2 November 2010
![[Royal Artillery Corps camp flag]](../images/g/gb^ab214.gif)
image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 11 November 2019
The ratio is 1:2. The flag is a red over dark blue horizontal bicolour,
superimposed by a golden gun having the number 214 instead of spokes. The gun is
superimposing a golden ramrod in bend sinister and its wheel is topped by a
coronet. Beneath the gun is a scroll with golden fimbriation and inscription
“WORCESTERSHIRE”. The whole is stylised.
Source: I spotted this flag in
Worcester on 7 September 2019
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 11 November
2019
