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Boys Brigade

Last modified: 2023-06-03 by zachary harden
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Boys Brigade

The Boys' Brigade is an international Christian youth organization similar to, but older than, the Boy Scouts, established in 1883. The badge is a golden anchor on a red Geneva Cross flanked by golden letter 'B's. The motto, 'Sure and Steadfast', is often placed beneath the badge. See www.boys-brigade.org.uk  for more info.
Miles Li, 18 October 2002

The Boys' Brigade was founded in Glasgow by William Smith. That's why they wear the Glengarry (the Scottish military hat) as part of their uniform. They don't have a flag in the way that the Scouts do, but they do have Colours for each troop. The design of these varies between troops with some using the ensign design shown here, but others use defaced Union Flags and Saltires.
Graham Bartram, 18 October 2002

As a serving Officer in the 3rd Wallasey Company of the Boys' Brigade I can give you some more information on the use of Colours in the Brigade. The Boys' Brigade, as a national organisation in the UK, is split into Districts, Battalions and then Individual units, or Companies. There are two different types of Colour used by each District, Battalion and Company. The first is the District/Battalion/Company Colour. This is the Blue Ensign with a circular BB crest in the usual position (in the blue part of the Colour) with the District/Battalion/Company name going around the circle. The second is the Queen's Colour, which is a Union Flag with the same circular design as above, with the District/Battalion/Company name around the circle, which is placed in the centre of the St George's Cross.
Some other information:

  • When parading the colours, the Colour Party comprises of 3 or 5 Boys, depending on whether the Queen's Colour is being paraded.
  • Parading the District/Battalion/Company Colour only: Colour Party comprises of 3 Boys, the Colour Carrier and 2 escorts.
  • Parading the Queen's Colour also: The Colour Party comprises of 5 Boys, 2 Colour Carriers and 3 escorts, the carrier of the Queen's Colour MUST be a
    holder of the Queen's Badge (the Boys' Brigade's highest award).
  • Only one Queen's Colour should be paraded, usually by the biggest section of the Brigade parading (i.e. If the District is parading, then all of the Battalion and Company Colours can be paraded, but not the individual Battalion and Company Queen's Colours.). Also, if the parade is made up of lots of organisations, then the oldest organisation's Queen's Colour is the only one to be paraded.

Andrew Cannon, 8 March 2004