"Battles For The Flag"

[leigh kitchen]

What better time to remind youth of the glories of war - the eve of WWII.

These cards were given away with British boys comics "The Rover" & "The Wizard" in 1939, the regimental titles are those in use at that time, not at the times of the original actions.

Although the original artwork from which they derive may have had some merit, these cards are not of great quality, but they're colourful & even the ones of troops in the muddy khaki of WWI portrau stirring scenes.

Every card a little recruiting sergeant in itself.........

From Arthur, the following information:

'Rover' and 'Wizard' comics were published by D. C. Thompson & Co. Ltd. They issued 26 postcard sized series 'Battles for the Flag' in 1939.

So, from what we now know with the cards that you have, plus the ones' that I have got, the complete set in alphabetical order would have been:

[1] 17th Lancers;

[2] Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders;

[3] Black Watch;

[4] Coldstream Guards;

[5] Connaught Rangers;

[6] Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry;

[7] [The Buffs] East Kent Regt;

[8] East Surrey Regt:

[9] Gloucestershire Regt;

[10] Gordon Highlanders;

[11] Grenadier Guards;

[12] Highland Light Infantry;

[13] King's [Liverpool] Regt;

[14] King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry;

[15] Lancashire Fusiliers;

[16] Manchester Regt;

[17] Middlesex Regt;

[18] Northumberland Fusiliers;

[19] Ox & Bucks Light Infantry;

[20]Royal Artillery;

[21] Royal Berkshire Regt;

[22]Royal Scot's Regt;

[23] Royal Scot's Greys';

[24] Sherwood Foresters;

[25] Somerset Light Infantry

[26] South Wales Borders.

The Highland Light Infantry - The charge of the Mahratta Cavalry at Assaye, 23/9/1803.

Advancing ahead of their artillery, taking the enemies first line of guns & charged by Mahratta cavalry at the secong line, reduced from battalion to company strength, they were joined by the 19th Light Dragoons & forced the enemy into the River Juah, beneath Assaye.

After a drawing by W. R. S. Stott.

Edited March 25, 2007 by leigh kitchen

[leigh kitchen]

The Roya;l Scots Greys - The Charge of The Greya at Waterloo.

They charged with Highlanders running salonside, gripping the cavalrymens stirrups, Sgt Ewart of the Greys capturing the Eagle of the French 45th Regiment.

After an R. Caton Woodville illustration for the Illustrated London News.

Edited March 2, 2007 by leigh kitchen

[leigh kitchen]

Grenadier Guards - The Ordeal of Fire at Biddulph'sberg, 25/5/1900.

Grass fires broke out during the fighting here, near Senekal in the Orange Free State, & the Grenadiers were ordered to advance & secure an artillery piece before flames barred the way, some wounded being killed by the spreading fires.

I have a Queens South Africa Medal to a Grenadier who died at Senekal, so perhaps killed or died of wounds received during this action, I'd better check.

After an R. Caton Woodville illustration for the Illustrated London News.

Edited March 2, 2007 by leigh kitchen

[leigh kitchen]

The Gordon Highlanders - How Piper Findlater Won the VC at Dargai, 20/10/1897.

Shot through both legs during the successful storming of the Afridi positions on the Dargai Heights, north of the Khyber, he continued to play the regimental march. The Highlanders crossed a field of fire of 150 yards before reaching cover, & when they eventually took the heights the enemy had gone.

After an Iluustrated London News illustration by R. Caton Woodville.

Edited March 2, 2007 by leigh kitchen

[leigh kitchen]

The Royal Scots - The Square at Quatre Bras, 15/6/15.

Having carried out a 22 mile march they met the enemy & beat the infantry, but were attacked by cavalry, repulsing repeated charges.

Afer a painting by Lady Elizabeth Thompson.

A bad scan - wriggly plastic sleeve......

Edited March 2, 2007 by leigh kitchen

[leigh kitchen]

The Connaught Rangers - The Capture of "The Citadel" at Badojoz.

The British attacked the town on 6/4/1812, victory was signalled by the hoisting of an officer's scarlet coatee in lieu of a flag.

After a drawing by R. Caton Woodville for the London Evening News.

[leigh kitchen]

The Argyll & Sutherkand Highlanders, The Thin Red Line at Balaclava.

More properly "The thin red streak" I believe the quote was.

Covering the base at Balaclava with small bodies of Marines & Turks they were attacked by Russian cavalry & lined up 2 men deep, repulsing them.

After an R. Caton Woodville drawing from the Illustrated London News.

Edited March 2, 2007 by leigh kitchen

[leigh kitchen]

The Coldstream Guards, The Bayonet Charge on the Somme.

September 1916, they took the villages of Martinpuich & Courcelette & over 2,300 prisoners.

After a R. Caton Woodville drawing from the Illustrated London News.

[leigh kitchen]

The King's (Liverpool Regiment), The Bayonet Attack at Givenchy.

10/3/15, the King's charged the German trenches but were held up by 3 lines of barbed wire entanglements, one officer got through the wire but was killed on the parapet of the German trench.

The King's suffered heavey casualties but prevented the Germans from moving to reinforce their forces at Neuve Chappelle, to the north.

After an R. Caton Woodville drawing from the Illustrated London News.

[leigh kitchen]

The Glocestershire Regiment, Back-to-Back at Alexandria.

The origin of the Gloster's back badge ( a small sphinx within a wreath insignia worn on the back of their headgear).

Egypt, 21/3/1801 - occupying a half finished French redoubt & repulsing an nfantry attack to their front, they were attacked from the rear by French cavalry. The rear rank facing about, they fought off both attacking forces.

After a drawing by Wal Paget.

Edited March 2, 2007 by leigh kitchen

[leigh kitchen]

The Northumberland Fusiliers, Storming the ramparts of San Vincente.

6/4/1812, the old "Fighting Fifth" scalled two ladders to take the fortress during the Battle of Badojez.

After a black & white drawing by W. B. Wollen.

Edited March 25, 2007 by leigh kitchen

[leigh kitchen]

The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment), The Fight for the Colours at Albuera.

Spain, 16/5/1811, they were hemmed in by a charge of French cavalry & were practically wiped out, Ensign Thomas being killed & the Regimental Colour captured.

Ensign Walsh with the King's Colour was badly wounded & surrounded by French cavalry, Captain latham seized the colour & ripped t from its staff, attempting to hide it under his coatee. Severely wounded, having had an arm severed, he was trampled by horses & stabbed with lances but still retained the colour at the end of the battle.

After a painting by W. B. Wollen.

[leigh kitchen]

The East Surrey Regiment, Football on the Battlefield at Contalmaisson.

July 1916, Captain Neville provided a football to each of the four platoons of his company, who kicked them forward as they advanced over a mile and a quarter to meet the enemy.

Advancing through machine gun fire, they took the enemy trenches & afterwards recovered two of their footballs.

After an R. Caton Woodville drawing from the Illustrated London News.

[leigh kitchen]

The Middlesex Regiment - How the "Die-Hards" Won Their Name at Albuera.

16/5/1811 570 men held at least double that number of French at the village of Albuera, near Badojez, Spain - their wounded Colonel saw the line wavering as he fell & exhorted them to "Die hard".

The line held at a cost of 400 of the 570 killed.

After an R. Caton Woodville drawing from the Illustrated London News.

[leigh kitchen]

The 17th Lancers - The Charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava.

This card does actually refer to the unit by its number at the time of the battle, rather than in 1939.

The "600" charging the Russian guns & suffering about 2/3rds casualties.

After an R. Caton Woodville drawing from the Illustrated London News.

Edited March 3, 2007 by leigh kitchen

[leigh kitchen]

The KIng's Own Yorkshire LIght INfantry - The Battle in the Rosefields at MInden.

The Seven Years War, 1/8/1759, a single line of British infantry broke & completely routed 3 lines of French cavalry.

As the British advanced they picked roses from the briers on Minden Heath & stuck them in their caps & coats.

Of the 6 British regiments involved only one, the 23rd (later the Royal WelCh Fusiliers) , chose not to commemorate the feat by wearing roses in their caps very 1st August.

After an R. Caton Woodville drawing from the Illustrated London News.

[Kev in Deva]

The King's (Liverpool Regiment), The Bayonet Attack at Givenchy.

10/3/15, the King's charged the German trenches but were held up by 3 lines of barbed wire entanglements, one officer got through the wire but was killed on the parapet of the German trench.

The King's suffered heavey casualties but prevented the Germans from moving to reinforce their forces at Neuve Chappelle, to the north.

After an R. Caton Woodville drawing from the Illustrated London News.

Hi Leigh, some great looking items and an interesting depiction in this card showing the Germans using the steel shields in the front of the trenches to good effect, a small but interesting detail which no doubt will interest Chris

Kevin in Deva

[leigh kitchen]

Yes, they're attractive in a way, but I would'nt put much store on the accuracy of uniform or the depictions of the actions themselves.

I don't know how many were to a set & these are a mixture of "Rover" & "Wizard" issues - as far as I know the only difference is in the name of the comic printed on the back - for all I know they could have been printed as a single set with the name of one comic on some, the other comic on the remainder.

I'll put up the last few that I've got (a total of about 22 cards) & see what else other people produce of these series.

The South Wales Borderers - The Defence of Rorke's Drift.

"B" Company of 24th Foot (2nd Warwicks) as they were at the time, before becoming the SWB in 1881, & some other personnel held off 4,000 Zulus on 22/1/79, earning 6 VCs in the process.

Just what was needed for the morale of civilian & soldier after the very recent defeat & massacre of their colleagues at Isandwala........

After the painting by A. Neavill.

Edited March 5, 2007 by leigh kitchen

[Arthur]

Hi Leigh,

I have tried attaching the items without success. However, I have the following that are different:

Black Watch

DCLI

Lancashire Fus

Manchester Regt

Berkshire Regt

Sherwood Foresters

SLI

RA

There are two from your collection that I do not have, and they are The Glosters & The Royal Scots.

Regards

Arthur

[leigh kitchen]

I've got the Mancs, the Lancs, the DCLI (a badly printed one that) & the Sherwoods, also Oxf & Bucks, & the Connaughts - pinging you a PM now re. postng yours, ta.

[leigh kitchen]

Some cards from Arthur:

Black Watch

DCLI

Lancashire Fus

Manchester Regt

Berkshire Regt

Sherwood Foresters

SLI

RA

I've ammended the first post concerning known cards in the series, information provided by Arthur.

Here's The Black Watch.........

Edited March 25, 2007 by leigh kitchen

[leigh kitchen]

The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry.

[leigh kitchen]

The Lancashire Fusiliers.

[leigh kitchen]

The Manchester Regiment.

[leigh kitchen]

The Royal Artillery.