A photo from the 1890's
Stacks Image 602

Officers of the Moreton Regiment circa 1890.
Note the Regimental Colour [left] and the Sovereigns [Kings] Colour [right]
What does a Kings Banner look like?
For this we need look no further than the NSW Lancers Memorial Museum at Parramatta for a definitive image and description.
[note that the description, while specific to the NSW Lancers, forms an interesting backdrop to the history and presentation of Kings Banners.
ref: http://www.lancers.org.au/documents/The_Collection.pdf page 159
Stacks Image 618
1904 Kings Banner and staff presented to the NSW Lancers’ in recognition of their service during the South African war. The banner depicts the Union flag and is made of silk with a dull gold and red fringe on 3 sides.

The polished wooden staff is surmounted by a gilded crown and lion with two dull gold and red cords and tassels. It has a hallmarked, silver plaque on the shaft with the inscription:

“Presented by his Most Gracious Majesty The King Emperor to the 1st Australian Light Horse Regt. in recognition of services rendered to the Empire in South Africa 1904”.

The banner was presented to the Regiment on the 14th November 1904, by the Governor- General, Lord Hopetoun on behalf of King Edward VII. The banner was presented in recognition of the Regiment’s valuable services to the Empire during the South African War. The presentation took place during the King’s Birthday Royal Review, which was held in Melbourne and at which eighteen regiments of Australian Light Horse, the Royal Australian Artillery and the Australian Medical Corps received banners. The NSW Lancers were represented at the presentation by Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel C. F. Cox; Regimental Sergeant Major G. E. Morris; and Squadron Sergeant-Major J. S. Dooley.

Four years later, the King approved the granting of the honorary distinction [or battle honours] “South Africa” to a number of light horse and other regiments with the years in which the unit was represented in that war by not less than 20 men. Included was: The 1st Australian Light Horse Regiment [NSW Lancers] – South Africa, 1899, 1900, 1901, 1902.

The 1904 King’s banners were originally referred to as “King’s Colours” but subsequently, Military Order No. 123 was issued and it stated: “Instructions have been received that the Banners presented to the Australian Light Horse Regiments, Royal Australian Artillery, the Victorian Rangers and the Australian Medical Corps are not King’s Colours, but honourable insignia of valuable services rendered in South Africa in 1889 to 1902, and the Honorary Distinctions [or battle honours] are not to be borne upon these Banners.”

In 1920 the Army Council approved the award of Banners for services in the 1914-1919 War. However, as the Regiment already possessed the 1904 banner, arrangements were made for this earlier banner to be laid up in St. John’s Church, Parramatta. Accordingly a parade was held on Sunday, the 1st June 1924 to do this. The parade was attended by Lancer detachments from Parramatta and Penrith, members of the NSW Lancers’ Association; the South African Soldiers’ Association and the 1st Light Horse Regiment. Generals Ryrie, Cox and Fiaschi also took part.

The 1904 Banner remained at St John’s until 1969 when it was discovered that it had been removed, at the instigation of the church authorities, and was then at the headquarters of Eastern Command in Victoria Barracks. The reason given for its removal was its dilapidation. The intention of Eastern Command was to transfer the Banner to the Australian War Memorial. However, the Royal NSW Lancers’ Association considered that it should remain with the Regiment and consequently representations were made by Major General Sir Denzil Macarthur-Onslow and in due course the Banner was returned to the Lancers where it was put on display in Linden House. A ceremony to mark its unveiling was held on the 23rd November 1969 and retired Warrant Officer Ash Whitney [see Items 6.1 to 6.5], a veteran of the Boer War who had carried the Banner when it was being laid up in 1924, performed the unveiling

Dimensions: 1230mm x1000mm.
Provenance: Presented to the Regiment, on the 14th November 1904, by the Governor
General, Lord Hopetoun, at the Kings Birthday Royal Review in Melbourne.
Condition: Fragile, with significant disintegration on the white areas of the Union Jack.
Context/Background History: The Kings Banner was presented to each of the 18 regiments of Australian Light Horse, Royal Australian Artillery and the Australian Army Medical Corps by direction of King Edward VII in recognition of their service in the Boer War and the consolidation of the colonies armed forces under the Commonwealth in 1903. Battle
honours for South Africa were also awarded in 1908 and the banner was paraded on all ceremonial occasions. The staff and banner were laid up in St John’s Anglican Church Parramatta in June 1924 after the regiment was presented with new colours and it was returned to the regiment on the 23rd November 1969.
Historical Significance: Rare surviving example of the first Kings banners awarded to Australian military units. Most examples from this era have disintegrated as a result of having been laid up in various regional churches.
Social Significance: Example of the close cultural connection between Australia and Great Britain prior to World War One.
Aesthetic Significance: Excellent example of ceremonial embroidery designed for the public display of a high status object.
Scientific, Research or Technical Significance: Excellent example of hand embroidery techniques for high status objects.
Research Value: Rare surviving example of the first Kings Colours awarded to Australian Light Horse Units and shows the first example of the evolution of guidons carried by the regiment to the present day.
Interpretative Potential: One of two banners held by the museum, the other being the banner awarded in 1924. With the current guidons and those awarded in 1958 it shows the evolution of the design of colours over the past 100 years.
Representativeness: Unique.
Fighting Ninth Magazine 19xx
The two photos here are from the Fighting 9th magazine and have not been properly annotated yet.

[Click images to enlarge]
Stacks Image 2420
Stacks Image 2418
Presentation of the 'Kings Banner' to 9RQR
Stacks Image 1188
On Sunday 8th July 1979 the 9th Battalions Association hosted a function on the occasion of the presentation of, what was then thought to be, The Moreton's Regiment Kings Banner, by the Australian War Memorial.

The presentation was made by SqnLdr J N Parker AFC DFM Queensland Trustee of the Australian War Memorial to CO, LtCol D Rankine MC. Also attending were Mrs Yvonne McComb, a Queensland Trustee of the Australian War Memorial and Alderman W C R Harvey, ViceMayor of Brisbane.

The attending dignitaries, in the accompanying photo, were…
[l to r] LtCol J E E Simson, LtCol D Rankine MC [CO 9RQR] , Brig E Martin, LtCol Cameron, Brig J Aimes CBE ED, LtCol P. Smith MBE, Sir James Ramsay KCMG CBE DSC, Col J Kelly, LtCol N T J Williams, LtCol B Peacock ED [President, 9th Battalions Association]
The 'Banner' was originally presented to the Battalion by the Earl of Dudley in Sydney on 8th July 1911. It was laid up in StJohn's Cathedral, Brisbane, on 10th November 1935. It was later removed and sent to the Australian War Memorial.

The pike of the 'Banner' held a plaque of high quality silver bearing the inscription…

"Presented by His Most Gracious majesty, the King Emperor to the 1st Battalion 9th Australian Infantry Regiment (Moreton Regiment) formerly the 1st Queensland (or Moreton) Regiment in recognition of Services rendered to the Empire in South Africa 1900 ~ 02"

The 'Banner' which is in the 9th Battalions Museum at Enoggera is now known to be the Regimental Colour of the 1st Queenslanders. The search for the King's Banner itself goes on….

Banner or Colour?