Chatham-Kent will be receiving a royal visitor next weekend.
His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent will be attending a special service on Sunday, May 14 as the Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment is issued new Colours, replacing ones issued in 1994.
The “Colours” are the Regiment’s flags; the Canadian Flag (with the Crown in the middle of the maple leaf) is the “Sovereign’s Colour”; and the Regiment’s flag, which is embroidered with its historical battle honours earned by the Regiment’s actions over the past two centuries.
The new Colours will include four new battle honours, three for the War of 1812 (Maumee, Detroit, and Niagara), and a more recent battle honour, Afghanistan.
“It is with great pride and excitement that we welcome Prince Michael of Kent to our community as we celebrate the Regiment’s receipt of its new Colours,” said Mayor Darrin Canniff in a news release. “This is a momentous occasion for us all, as we recognize and honour the dedication and sacrifice of the men and women who serve our country. We are grateful for the opportunity to show our support and appreciation for our local Regiment and all that they do to protect our freedoms and way of life.”
The new Colours will be presented to the Regiment at a special parade in Windsor on Saturday, and a service at Christ Church in Chatham on Sunday morning will officially retire the old flags.
A public ceremony will then be held at the Civic Centre at 1 o’clock that afternoon, followed by a march down King Street, wreath laying at the Cenotaph, and reception for the troops at the former Armouries building.
