Queen's Truncheon
Encyclopedia
The Queen's Truncheon is a ceremonial staff carried by the Royal Gurkha Rifles that serves as the equivalent of and is carried as the Colour. It is made of bronze and silver. The top represents the minaret
of Delhi Palace with three Gurkhas standing on it supporting the Queen's crown above their heads. The minaret contains a pair of crossed kukri
s and carries the inscription "Main Picqet Hindoo Rao's House, Delhi 1857". The Truncheon is a unique emblem upon which recruits swear allegiance to the Regiment and the Crown.
The Truncheon was awarded to the Sirmoor Gorkha Battalion for its service in the relief of Delhi
during the Indian Mutiny. The Sirmoor Battalion eventually became the 2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles)
, retaining possession of the Truncheon until 1994, when it was amalgamated with the other three British Gurkha regiments as the Royal Gurkha Rifles. The new regiment took possession of the Truncheon on permanent loan from the 2nd Gurkhas, and maintains the tradition of using it in place of Colours.
Minaret
A minaret مناره , sometimes مئذنه) is a distinctive architectural feature of Islamic mosques, generally a tall spire with an onion-shaped or conical crown, usually either free standing or taller than any associated support structure. The basic form of a minaret includes a base, shaft, and gallery....
of Delhi Palace with three Gurkhas standing on it supporting the Queen's crown above their heads. The minaret contains a pair of crossed kukri
Kukri
The kukri is a curved Nepalese Knife, similar to the machete, used as both a tool and as a weapon...
s and carries the inscription "Main Picqet Hindoo Rao's House, Delhi 1857". The Truncheon is a unique emblem upon which recruits swear allegiance to the Regiment and the Crown.
The Truncheon was awarded to the Sirmoor Gorkha Battalion for its service in the relief of Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
during the Indian Mutiny. The Sirmoor Battalion eventually became the 2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles)
2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles)
The 2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army before being transferred to the British Army on India's independence in 1947. The 4th Battalion joined the Indian Army as the 5th Battalion, 8th Gurkha Rifles , where it exists to this day...
, retaining possession of the Truncheon until 1994, when it was amalgamated with the other three British Gurkha regiments as the Royal Gurkha Rifles. The new regiment took possession of the Truncheon on permanent loan from the 2nd Gurkhas, and maintains the tradition of using it in place of Colours.