HISTORIC “colours”, which have represented Yorkshire soldiers for more than 100 years will be laid to rest next week.
Banners from the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment and the West Yorkshire Rifle Volunteers have hung inside Huddersfield Parish Church for decades.
But they have now been taken down and placed in a custom-built cabinet near the altar for preservation.
A special service to mark this re-siting takes place at 11am next Wednesday.
Ian Fillan, chairman of the 5th Battalion Duke of Wellington’s Regiment Dinner Club, explained why the flags had been moved.
He said: “Regimental colours are supposed to be kept until such time as they disintegrate, so they’ll be kept in the cabinet for as long as they survive.”
The Vicar of Huddersfield, the Rev Catherine Ogle, has invited people to attend the re-siting service.
She said: “It would be lovely to see anyone who has any connection with the regiment.”
The oldest of the seven banners was used by the 6th West Yorkshire Rifle Volunteers between 1868 and 1936.
During the re-siting service one of the flags will be removed from the cabinet and laid on the altar.
Lt Col Paul Simpson, Commanding Officer of the 4th Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment, will then return it to the cabinet.
Four members of the Huddersfield and District Army Veterans’ Association will form a guard of honour.
The flag was presented to the 5th Battalion Duke of Wellington’s Regiment by King Edward VII at Windsor in June, 1909.
It was taken to Germany in 1918, returning to England the following year.
The banner, which was used on ceremonial occasions, marks the regiment’s battle honours, including Sebastopol, Mafeking and Afghanistan.
It was ‘laid up’ in Huddersfield Parish Church in 1957 when the 5th Battalion amalgamated with the 7th Battalion.
