Ceremony marks new war honours for Royal New Brunswick Regiment

The Royal New Brunswick Regiment has unveiled its new colours adorned with new battle honours from the War of 1812 and Afghanistan. 

A ceremony in Officers' Square in Fredericton on Saturday served as a first look at the colours for both the regiment and community members in attendance. 

Retired captain David Hughes, historian for the Royal New Brunswick Regiment, said the colours historically served as a meeting point or identifier for soldiers in the field. 

Largely symbolic now, they are still considered "the heart and soul of the regiment," he said.

"Presentation of new colours to a regiment, it brings a lot of things together — the regiment's history, the regiment's current makeup, and the regiment's future as it goes forward," he said.

"The battle honours that are emblazoned on our regimental colour tell the story of the regiment's history over 200 years."

He noted two honours for the War of 1812, for work in Ontario's Niagara region and general defence of Canada, and one for Afghanistan had been added to the regiment's flag. 

The former serve as recognition for work done by New Brunswickers who served in the conflict before Canada's confederation.

"Other regiments that took part in the War of 1812, like from the British Army for example, they were given battle honours," Hughes said.

"There was no Canada during the War of 1812, but what would become Canada, there were regiments here, raised here, including the 104th Regiment from here in New Brunswick."

The Afghanistan battle honour, Hughes said, was awarded to regiments of the Canadian army with at least 20 per cent of the unit deployed. 

The event began with Lt.-Gov. Brenda Murphy's ceremonial inspection. Soldiers then stacked several drums to form a podium for the regimental and Canadian flags to be placed.

Unit members repeated, "I renew my loyalty" in unison near the end of the ceremony, before marching around the perimeter of the square with the Canadian and regimental flags flying.

"To an infantry regiment, the colours are the unit's most prized possession," Hughes said.