Colours refers to banners and flags. The history and traditions
of military Colours date as far back as the Middles Ages. They
served as a rally point and a powerful factor in maintaining
morale.
Their origin lies in the need for a mark of distinction between
families, tribes and fighting formations throughout the history of
warfare. Colours, therefore, served as conspicuous rallying points
during battle.
However, with the advancement of modern warfare, Colours are no
longer carried into the battlefield for identification purposes.
Nowadays, Colours are significant symbols of unit cohesion and
esprit de corps, inspiring a sense of pride and unity in the
servicemen.
The history of Colours in the SAF dates back to 1954. There were
then two Colours: the Queens Colours and the Singapore Volunteer
Corps Colours. The Queens Colours and the Singapore Volunteer
Corps Colours were presented to the Singapore Volunteer Corps in
1954 at the Padang by the then Governor of Singapore, Sir John
Nicoll, to mark the centenary of the Volunteer Corps. With the
re-structuring of the Singapore Volunteer Corps after the
independence in 1965, these two Colours were retired.
In the SAF, there are two classes of Colours: the State
Colours and the Regimental Colours. These
Colours are awarded in recognition of outstanding achievements in
the field of combat, training, administrative efficiency and
service to the community.
Regimental Colours symbolise the pride and loyalty of the soldiers
to the unit while State Colours symbolises the pride and loyalty of
the units and their servicemen in service to the nation. Colours
are always consecrated by religious leaders before they are
presented by the President of Singapore. Every year, the SAF State
Colours is presented to the Best Combat Unit. This is a much
coveted prize which SAF units work hard to win.
