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The Irish Harp |
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The Militia was one of
the Regiments who volunteered for service in Ireland at the time of the
Rebellion of 1798. For their distinguished services four Militia Regiments
were granted the Harp to wear on their colours—Worcestershire,
Cambridgeshire, Herefordshire and Leicestershire. The official letter was
not preserved. When the Militia was reorganised in 1852 all the old order
books were burnt as rubbish. The Harp appeared on
the oldest Regimental Colour in existence, that presented in 1854, and
then it was shown to the satisfaction of the authorities of the War Office
and the College of Heralds that it had been borne on the former Regimental
Colour, carried from 1809 to 1837. |
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In 1884 and 1885 a
correspondence ensued with the War Office and the College of Heralds as to
the right of the Regiment to bear the distinction, with the result that it
was approved by Her Majesty. The following letter was received on the
subject |
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Horse
Guards, War Office, May 12th, 1885. Sir, I have the honour,
by the desire of the Field Marshal Commanding-in-Chief, to acknowledge the
receipt of your letter of 23rd February, forwarding an application from
the Officer Commanding the 29th Regimental District, that the 3rd
Battalion of the Worcestershire Regiment be permitted to bear on its
Regimental Colour the Irish Harp, and to acquaint you that Her Majesty has
been graciously pleased, on the recommendation of His Royal Highness, to
accede to the application. I have, etc., J.B. Harman, D.A.G. The
General Officer Commanding
Western District, Davenport. |
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The
last Regimental Colour to bear the Harp was that of the 2nd Battalion of
the Worcestershire Militia, formed in 1874.
Later they became the 4th Battalion and then, in 1900, the 6th
Battalion. This Colour hangs in the Regimental Museum. When the 5th
Battalion colours were renewed in 1914, the Colours were in accordance
with the pattern carried by the Regular Battalions, except that the
Regular battle honours were not borne. These were only added after the
Great War. Both these Colours are in the Regimental Museum. |