Last modified: 2006-11-04 by dov gutterman
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Infantry colours were the Italian flag - the tricolour with,
in the centre of the white stripe, a red shield bearing a white
cross, surrounded by a blue border, all surmounted by a crown.
Each regiment bore a plain blue cravat with silver fringes; on
this were attached any medals awarded to the regiment. Silver
cords and tassels. The finial was a gilt hollow spear point with
the Royal arms in the centre. The sheet was nailed to the staff,
which was covered with blue velvet, with a spiral of nails with
round gilt heads running up its length. There was nothing on the
sheet or the cravat to indicate which regiment the colour
belonged to. The sheet was 1.2 metres square; the staff 2.5
metres long.
Cavalry standards were similar in appearance, but 0.4 metres
square, the staff 1.38 metres long.
Under Mussolini, engineers, supply etc carried small flags
(gagliardetto, pl. -etti) especially in the colonies, but they
were only introduced in 1923. A Red Cross flag for the hospital
sounds reasonable.
Ian Sumner, 21 and 22 September 2006