The 1st Battalion the Duke of Wellington's Regiment celebrated its 300th birthday in 2002, in true British Army style. 2000 past and present members of the 'Dukes' Regimental family were in Osnabruck, Germany, to take part in the celebrations, which included a parade to present new colours to the 1st Battalion; a musical pageant, depicting 300 years of service, and a large party that went on long into the night.
The focus of the celebrations was the presentaion of new Colours, normally presented by the reigning monarch, and formerly used as a rallying point and for identification on battlefields. The 'Dukes' is the only Regiment to carry two sets of colours. The Honorary Colours were awarded in 1803 for outstanding service in India.
The Colonel-in-Chief, Brigadier His Grace The Duke of Wellington KG LVO OBE MC BA DL, was unable to attend the parade, where he was due to represent Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, due to ill health. The new colours were presented by the Colonel of the Regiment, General Sir Evelyn Webb-Carter KCVO OBE, who said "It has been an unexpected, but great honour to have this privilege and I think everyone has experienced a fantastic day."
Some of those that made the journey were veterans of the Second World War and the Korean War. The occasion was highly emotional for several of the visitors
"It is fantastic to be back with the Regimental family again, great to see all my old friends and a very proud day witnessing the presentation of new colours on the regiment's 300th anniversary." said ex Company Sergeant Major Bill Norman, a veteran of both WW2 and Korea, who followed his father into the Regiment in 1934.
The 'Dukes' recruit from the region of the old West Riding of Yorkshire, which now includes parts of West Yorkshire, North Yorkshire and South Yorkshire. It is an Infantry Regiment equipped with the latest Warrior Armoured Fighting Vehicle and is at the forefront of the Army's war-fighting machine. The Battalion has been involved in operations all over the world and has recently returned from peacekeeping operations in Kosovo and the Second Gulf War in Iraq.
