Dame Cindy had the exceptionally rare honour of presenting new Colours to the 2nd/1st Battalion of the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment, on behalf of His Majesty King Charles III, during a spectacular ceremony yesterday afternoon at Burnham Military Camp. 2/1 RNZIR last received Colours 44 years ago – while a King’s Colour specifically hasn’t been presented to a New Zealand Army battalion since 1937.
While Colours are no longer carried onto the battlefield, they continue to hold important practical and symbolic meaning: serving as unit identifiers, but also memorialising the history and spirit of the battalions which carry them, and the courage and sacrifice of all those who have served throughout their history. These new Colours have the added distinction of including battle honours inherited from New Zealand battalions which served during the First and Second World Wars.
Wishing the current generation of the 2nd/1st Battalion all the very best in this new chapter in their history, as they begin to sew their own outstanding legacy into these beautiful new Colours.
You can read Dame Cindy's address from this very special occasion at Her Excellency's speech at the presentation of the King's and Regimental Colours and find more images in the image gallery for the presentation of the King's and Regimental Colours.