5th Royal Irish Lancers

Battle Honours of World War One

The 5th Royal Irish Lancers won a total of 20 battle honours during World War One, they are listed below:

Mons
Le Cateau
Retreat from Mons
Marne 1914
Aisne 1914
Messines 1914
Ypres 1914 '15
Gheluvelt
St. Julien
Bellewaarde
Arras 1917
Scarpe 1917
Cambrai 1917
Somme 1918
St. Quentin
Amiens
Hindenburg Line
Canal du Nord
Pursuit to Mons
France and Flanders 1914-18       

Battle Honours - How They Were Awarded

The award of battle honours for World War One was decreed by the Army Council and issued under Army Order 338 of 4th September 1922 regarding the rules. The following are extracts from it:

Regiments will have emblazoned on their Standards, Guidons, and Colours not more than 24 Honours of which not more than 10 will be "Great War" honours..."

"The guiding principle in the selection and allotment of battle honours will be that Headquarters and at least 50 per cent of the effective strength of a unit in a theatre of war must have been present."

Regimental Committees under the chairmanship of their regimental colonels will be set up to select the particular honours for Regimental Colours."

Given that many regiments had so many pre-WW1 battle honours, the limitations proved difficult and Army Order 470 was issued on Dec 24 1922 making the process a little easier for the Regimental Committees:

"Regiments of cavalry will have emblazoned on their standards and guidons Battle Honours earned...up to a maximum of 10, in addition to those already carried.."

"Battalions of infantry...will have emblazoned on their King's Colour, Battle Honours up to a maximum of 10, in addition to those already carried."

A number of additions and corrections were ordered up to August 1939.