The Royal Anglian Regiment Museum

entrance photo

The Royal Anglian Regiment, like all British Army Regiments, has a long and colourful history and is enriched by a wealth of customs. Many of these are inherited from its Former Regiments and originate from acts of heroism, distinguished conduct, honours and events over 300 years of history.

Regimental Colours
The Colours of a Regiment were carried into battle, paraded in front of the troops so that they could be recognised and used as a rallying point and were defended from falling into enemy hands at all costs. Today they are paraded on ceremonial occasions and treated with great pride and respect. The Queen's Colour, always paraded on the right and based on the Union Flag, carries Battle Honours awarded to the Regiment's forebears in World Wars I and II. The dark blue Regimental Colour carries Battle Honours from before World War I and after World War II. The Colours on display in the Regimental Museum are the former Colours of the 2nd Battalion. Also on display are the Colour Belts of the 3rd Battalion.

Salamanca Eagle
The 2nd Battalion 44th (East Essex) Regiment won great glory for itself at the Battle of Salamanca in 1812 when it captured the Eagle, the equivalent of a British Regiment's Colours, of the French 62nd Regiment. The Eagle was carried on parade by the Essex Regiment, a tradition inherited by the 3rd Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment and now the 1st Battalion. The Eagle displayed in the Regimental Museum is a replica. The original is in the Essex Regimental Museum in Chelmsford.

Minden Roses
At the Battle of Minden in 1759 The 12th Foot, later The Suffolk Regiment, won one of the most prestigious Honours held by The Royal Anglian Regiment. The 12th Foot, in company with five other Line Regiments and six Hanoverian Battalions, advanced upon the enemy, repulsing charge after charge of massed cavalry to win the day. As they passed through gardens that morning, the soldiers picked roses and wore them in their hats. Minden Day, 1st August, is celebrated by The Royal Anglian Regiment as a special Regimental Day. The 1st Battalion celebrate it by wearing red and yellow roses in their head-dress and a rose-wreath decorating their Colours.

Regimental Days

1st August - Minden Day
1st September - The Royal Anglian Regiment Formation Day

The following days are also celebrated by Battalions:

(2nd Battalion) 10th February - Sobraon Day
(1st Battalion) 17th March - St Patrick's Day
(1st Battalion) 25th April - Almanza Day
(2nd Battalion) 25th June - Hindoostan Day

(1st Battalion) 27th June - Dettingen Day
(1st Battalion) 22nd July - Salamanca Day
(2nd Battalion) 27th July - Talavera Day
(2nd Battalion) 13th August - Blenheim Day

The Regimental Silver
The Royal Anglian Regiment, like all Regiments, holds in trust a quantity of Regimental silver and other important property, much of which has been handed down to them by the Former Regiments. Some pieces are of great age and have accompanied The Regiments on their campaigns overseas; these are treasured with great pride. The silver is still used on a daily basis by the Officers and the Warrant Officers and Sergeants in their Messes.

Uniforms
The modern soldier wears a variety of uniforms for use in the field, in barracks or on ceremonial occasions; of particlur note are the blues and scarlets of members of the Band and Corps of Drums. Many of the emblems and honours of battle have been embodied in the uniform of the present day soldier, illustrating the pride in which the Former Regiments are held. The display in the Museum illustrates the variety of uniforms worn by the Regiment.

Symbols and Badges
The history and traditions of the Former Regiments have not been forgotten and live on in the ceremonial, customs and uniform details of the present Regiment. To read more about the symbols and badges click here

Nicknames
The 1st Battalion is nicknamed "The Vikings" after the influence of the Nordic Warriors on the Eastern part of the Regimental area. The 2nd Battalion’s nickname, “The Poachers” is inherited from the Royal Lincolnshire Regiment, who took it from the title of their Regimental march, “The Lincolnshire Poacher”. The Regular Army 3rd Battalion was known as ''The Pompadours'', the nickname given to the 56th Foot who adopted 'Pompadour Purple' as the facing colour on their uniforms. Before its disbandment, the 4th Battalion was known as “The Tigers” and that nickname was taken on by the 7th (Volunteer) Battalion until its merger In 1999. Similarly, the 5th Battalion adopted the nickname of The Northamptonshire regiment and were known as “The Steelbacks” (not a murmur under the lash) until the former re-roled in 1996.

Regimental March
The Regimental Quick March is “Rule Britannia and Speed the Plough”. This is an amalgamation of the Quick Marches of the former Royal Norfolk and the Suffolk Regiments. The Regimental Slow March is ”The Northamptonshire”, unsurprisingly the Slow March of the former Northamptonshire Regiment.