MilitaryForums.co.uk

The saga of the missing Colour Malta.

How many of the 'Old and Bold' remember when 40 Commando had the Regimental colour nicked from the officers mess on the night of 4/5th September 1957.Panic stations clear lower deck everybody was suspect.
It was customary for the Colours to be displayed in a stand located in the hall of the officers mess and in a well lit area,all ranks in the Commando were ordered to give a sample of handwriting to be compared with a note that had been left in the area of the mess, a full search was conducted and later in the morning the pike,Crown and Lion emblem and Colour case were retrieved from the side of the road on Pembroke Ranges.

In due course approval was given for a replacement Regimental Colour to be made and this was later delivered to the unit in February 1958.

Now in 1966 the the Dept of the CGRM received a letter from the Wisconsin State University,USA. that a member of their staff had inheited a rare collection of British Flags one of them being the Regimental Colour of the 40th Royal Marine Commando,but the Commando flag had been destroyed during a fire and could the Royal Marines provide a replacement,the reply **##= Off.

Now was the Regimental Colour stolen to order,or did the person who did the dastardly deed panic and sent it out of the country (Malta),whoever the person was he certainly had no respect for tradition and service to the Crown.
Nobodys head rolled over that little episode someone should have taken the can.Aye JR

Yes, I remember the occasion. I was at St Georges with HQ 3 Cdo Bde and we were roped in for the search as well - Line abreast across the ranges at St Patricks. The rumour that went the rounds at the time was that a 40 Cdo YO batch returning to UK the day after had done the dirty deed. Interesting to hear that they might have turned up in the US.

Cheers Tom,Glad someone remembers,cast your mind back,there was at the time of the dastardly deed a flag flying from atop of Cable and Wireless pylon just down the road from the barracks,much panic it looked like the Colours but it turned out to be one of the Troop flags that some Bootneck had put there from his run ashore,thinking about it you had to be p****d to climb that pylon. Cheers.Aye jr

Remember it well - was baby sitting for Seger who was in the Mess that night.... A real shame.....

I wonder if they had any 'cousins' visiting then ?

What ships were in ? Still - could have been an air hostess.....

Caused a row though - almost as bad as the 21st Lancers horses disparuing in Aden....

'Aye

Pilgrim.The case of the missing 'Nag' belonging to the (Death or Glory) Boys 21st lancers,did'nt 45 stripeys mess have something to do with that, a certain DI 'Jock Mc??' told me in the strictest confidence that it was served up at a mess dinner????.Aye JR.Neighhhhhhh.

Over to you Andy, HWs would eat anything.

I KNOWS NUTHIN, HONEST. I recall when it happened, there was panic amongst the pongos as they went scurrying around looking for their flags. What a silly place to put them, outside the guardroom in full view of Royal. Very tempting indeed. They did eventually get them back.

Aye - Andy. :fadein:

Ok Andy,I know for a fact it was your mob of hooligans (HW) that used to stroll past the Guardroom singing 'I say clear the way here comes the galloping Major' could hear you lot all the way down in 'Sheba'.Aye jr

SShhhhh -

Flags are one thing - .........

Galloways are something else - especially when they are disparued.

It's as class as putting cars or carts between bollards on a street ....

Anyway the nosh could have done with a tarting up ... a canny bit of
blood pudding would have gone down well....

Come to think of it - there WERE some bright moments.....



'Aye