Badges and Dress Distinctions
The 5th Regiment of Foot was one of the 'Six Old Corps', which entitled it to use a badge (St George killing the Dragon) on its Regimental Colours, drums and other devices rather than the typical GR cipher as used by normal Regiments of the Line.
In the centre of their colours was an image of St. George killing the dragon, this being their ancient badge, and in the three corners of their second colour, the rose and crown.
As a fusilier regiment, it wore a hackle, which in this case is red over white. This distinction was originally a white plume which His Majesty's Fifth Regiment of Foot had taken from the head dress of fallen French troops at St. Lucia in December 1778. The Fifth Regiment of Foot became His Majesty's Fifth (Northumberland) Regiment of Foot with the county affiliations of 1782. In 1829 King George IV ordered the white plume to be worn by all infantry regiments, and in order not to take away from the Fifth (Northumberland) Regiment of Foot's battle honour, their plume was distinguished by being made red over white. This came from the legend that the men of the Fifth ( Northumberland) Regiment of Foot having dipped the white plumes in the blood of the French at St. Lucia.
Read more about this topic: Royal Northumberland Fusiliers
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