On 27 October 1960 HM the Queen , as Colonel-in-Chief, consecrated  and presented  new standards to the five Royal Tank Regiments at Buckingham Palace.

Lt Col T S Craig OBE MC, CO Fourth Royal Tank Regiment, arrowed.

The Fourth’s Standard Party was commanded by Major Winter Anstey (arrowed).  The thirty escorts included Capt N.A.H.Clitherow, Lt E.J.P.Hardman,  S/Sgts Walcot and Hornsby, Sgts Smith and Wainright.

The Standard was subsequently trooped in front of the Regiment on 5 November at Hohne, Germany  in the presence of the Colonel Commandant, Major General  H.R.B. Foote, VC,CB,DSO.

Twenty five years later, on 12 July 1985, new Standards were consecrated and presented to the four remaining Royal Tank Regiments by The Colonel-in-Chief  at  Sennelager, Germany.

The Fourth’s new Standard was trooped in front of the Regiment and immediately taken into use.

Eight years later the Fourth amalgamated with the First Royal Tank Regiment and the Fourth’s 1985 standard was laid up in London. As will be seen from this petition, it was suggested by Colonel Keith McIntosh, strongly supported by eight past Commanding Officers and by the very active Scottish Branch of the RTR Association, that the Fourth’s 1985 Standard should rather be laid up in the Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh to recognise the close identity the Fourth had with Scotland. Accordingly in September 2012 we drafted a petition to the Colonel Commandant.

In a letter dated 8 February 2013 the Colonel Commandant, having consulted widely, gave his agreement.

In March 2013, with this approval by the Colonel Commandant and with the unstinting support of the Regimental Colonel at RHQ RTR, the Commanding Officer of the new First Royal Tank Regiment, the Minister of the Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh and the Scottish Branch of the RTR Association, the project was set in hand for Arras Day 21 May 2013. The detailed co-ordination was undertaken by a former Adjutant of the Fourth, Major Charlie Pelling who, as Manager of the Poppy Factory in Edinburgh, was ideally placed .

Our Pipes and Drums attracted attention before the service.

The Author had the privilege of receiving the Standard from the Standard Party generously provided by the Commanding Officer of the First Royal Tank Regiment.  Having passed it symbolically to Colonel McIntosh who was recovering from a serious illness, he handed it over formally to the Chaplain, Neil Gardner, for safe keeping.

The congregation of some 200 included David Rose, the newly appointed Head of Clan Rose, whose tartan the Regiment has had the privilege of displaying since 1972.

The Lament was played by Pipe Major Willoughby.

The Blessing was pronounced by Padre Neil Gardner.

The Standard, now hung in the Kirk.

A brilliantly contrived  reminder, by the Scottish Branch, of a great event.