Friday, 14 February 2025

Guidons of the Scots Greys (2nd Dragoons) c.1690-1715

Percy Sumner, in his article (with J. O. Dalrymple) UNIFORMS AND EQUIPMENT OF THE ROYAL SCOTS GREYS PART I—1678 TO 1751 in the Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research, Vol. 15, No. 59 (Autumn, 1936), pp. 151-170, quotes from the letters of Colonel Lord John Hay of January 1705 describing the regimental standards as "embroidered upon blue damask" with blue staves. Sumner then goes on to say that, of course, the standards of dragoons were guidons. He speculates that they probably bore the white saltire of St Andrew before the Union with England in 1707 and that the mention of embroidery suggests a badge placed on them, "most likely the Thistle and Crown, with the motto "Nemo Me Impune Lacessit" in the centre". This is my reconstruction of the guidons based on that description.




I am not entirely convinced by the mention of the white saltire so I have done two versions, one with and one without. These can be regarded perhaps as the pre and post 1707 versions, if you so wish, or use the version without the saltire for the whole period!

And a detailed account of the regiment can be found here: http://kronoskaf.com/wss/index.php/Scots_Dragoons

2 comments:

Saturday 6th June 2020 I've decided to allow comments from Anonymous Users but I'll still be moderating posts, as I'm sure the spam will probably flood in now! We'll see...