Home of the Infantry Regiments of Berkshire and Wiltshire
World War 1 Banner
The small group of NADFAS Heritage Volunteers who have worked in The Rifles Berkshire and Wiltshire Museum for the last twelve years were delighted to be asked to make a banner to be part of an exhibition to be held in the Museum to commemorate The First World War.
On 15th December 1917 two embroidered silk banners representing The Royal Berkshire Regiment and The Wiltshire Regiment were part of a commemoration event held in The Royal Albert Hall to commemorate the actions of the ‘Old Contemptibles’, or British Expeditionary Force of which both regiments took part in the battle for Mons in 1914. Only one of these banners has survived, The Wiltshire Regiment banner.
Working from just a postcard of the lost banner and measurements from the surviving banner we sourced suitable materials matching colours as closely as possible. Templates and patterns for each part of the banner were worked on separately before attaching the finished pieces to the blue background and adding cord and tassels.
Although made nearly a century later than the original it was important that it was seen as one of a pair when the banners were displayed.
Our photograph shows Jill Makepeace-Warne and Hilary Flack with the banner which is now on display in the museum.