Friday 7 October 2011

De Watteville Regt. : Further flag info

One of my readers, Ray, has asked for further references on this unit's colours:

There is a black and white illustration of the flag 'probably' carried by the de Watteville on page11 of the Osprey MAA 78 "Flags of the Napoleonic Wars vol.2
However no further information.

Lawson's "A history of the British Army" v.5 lists the colours of the Roverea flag.
  'White cross with black and red waves in the cantons. One side- within a green laural wreath a red medallion with the arms of Berne - a black bear on a gold 'Bend'.  Frederick-de Steiger, pere de la patrie - il en est le sauveur- - 'Honneur a la Vertu- Honte a la faiblaisse'.  On the reverse, canton colors reversed, wreath with ' Reunion des Suisse Fideles' inside and 'Dieu si la Patrie' surrounding.  On the cross ' Francis II - Paul I '- Amour de la Patrie' - ' A ses Librerateurs' - 'Teurreur au Crime' - pardon au Repentir'

He mentions the formation of the Watteville Regiment from the four Swiss regiments and say that Roverea's motto was adopted by de Watteville.  No mention of a new flag, so the old one may have been carried.