WW1 British Old Contemptibles Association Standard

[Adrian Stevenson]

Rare surviving WW1 British Old Contemptibles Association Standard for the Blackburn and District Branch. Complete with it original two part construction pole, brass banner top and yellow tassels. Emblazened with "King, God, Country" along with the Assciation badge and "Blackburn & District Branch". The banner measures 107cm x 128cm to include the fringe. Overall height of the pole and banner top 247cm.

The Old Contemptibles’ Association was formed in 1925 by Captain John Patrick Danny RA and its members were survivors of the First Expeditionary Force which served in France and Flanders between 5th August and 22nd November 1914. Its commander was Field Marshal Sir John French. The term “The Old Contemptibles” is said to come from a dismissive reference by the Kaiser to “that Contemptible Little Army.” The Association was created to maintain the camaraderie of the “Contemptible Little Army” and to offer its members support for matters such as finance, health, and unemployment. The Association’s members were known as “Chums”. Nationaly, the Association began to disband in the 1970's with the last branch closing in London in 1994.

Coming up in my June militaria sale @bamfords

[Chopperman]

Very cool piece, Ade.

[Adrian Stevenson]

It was saved from Skip! (Dumpster)

[Watchdog]

It was saved from Skip! (Dumpster)

Sadly such disregard for our history is all too common these days. I'm afraid if I saw somebody do that I doubt I could manage to be civil much less polite in explaining "life" to them!

Mark

[M1910]

Seen a few rotting in churches.

[Kohima]

Exactly… and just as criminal to leave them to rot in a church as in landfill!

[Pauls1970]

Wow....class it was found in time... preserved now though !
Regards
Paul

[Watchdog]

Seen a few rotting in churches.

I don't wish to be critical but may I add a little context?

What you are referring to as "rotting in churches" are the "laid up" battalion and regimental colours of disbanded units or items superseded when new colours are presented.

Whilst some of these are decades old and have deteriorated to the point of being almost transparent it is probably unfair to say they have been left to rot which implies disrespect.

For those unfamiliar with the practice; following the redundancy or replacement of the colours there is a church parade during which the colours are "laid up" in an act of extreme traditional reverence in a church appropriate to the unit concerned. For example the colours of 6th Bn Lancashire Fusiliers which was centred on my home town of Rochdale were laid up in Rochdale Parish Church. They are normally hung high above the Aisles (these are at the sides. That which is commonly referred to as The Aisle as in "walked down the Aisle" is properly called the Nave).

Colours cannot be disposed of except with MOD authority which is unlikely to be given ever.

The regulations for laying up dictate that the colours are hung until deterioration to the point of being little more than remnants at which point they are taken down amid further ceremony and buried in unmarked consecrated ground.

This might seem like they have been left uncared for but these are the historic regulations that stipulate the conditions of the protocol regarding these most prestigious and respected representations of regimental identity and tradition.
From a collector/historian prospective we might wish to see them preserved but that is not the protocol. These items represent the remains of a unit up to the point of laying up and by extrapolation the remains, corpses if you like, of the men who fought and possibly died in that particular "family".

Sorry if this sounds sanctimonious but I just wanted to give some perspective for those who might not fully appreciate the practice and the sincere veneration involved.

The flag at the top of this thread is not a regimental or battalion "colour" but an association banner. It is an important historical item and as such deserves greater respect then being thrown in the bin but it does not hold the meaning or "The Colours"

The picture I attach is of colours of the Wiltshire Regiment hanging in Salisbury Cathedral near where I now live.

Regards

Mark

[M1910]

Its a historic practice but there is nothing stopping them being framed to preserve them and attached to the wall in the church or even put them in some kind of UV protected clear cover to help preserve them. They can also go into their Regimental Museums for future generations to view. With less than 10% of the UK population attending Church of England Services perhaps the whole practice is outdated. I am not expressing a view either way.

[Watchdog]

Its a historic practice but there is nothing stopping them being framed to preserve them and attached to the wall in the church or even put them in some kind of UV protected clear cover to help preserve them. They can also go into their Regimental Museums for future generations to view. With less than 10% of the UK population attending Church of England Services perhaps the whole practice is outdated. I am not expressing a view either way.

I know what you mean but yes the rules do prevent it. It's a bit like the way some religions stipulate burial rites. That is why I was explaining

It also has nothing to do with churches per se. It is the military protocol which originally would have been at least inspired by the Monarch. I'm not religious at all and I wouldn't change it. With bigger more high profile churches a large proportion of their visitors are not the local congregation.

Not much point in time honoured traditions if we change them according to fashion.