At the Centenary Ceremonial Parade in October 1963, the College’s Cadet Corps and Air Training Corps each received a new flag. The flags were a gift of the Old Newingtonians’ Union, to mark the Centenary of the College.

The Air Training Corps flag was used until the Corps was disbanded in 1993. The flag of the Cadet Corps (now the Newington College Cadet Unit) continued in use until a new Unit Colour was presented at last year’s Anzac Day Sesquicentenary Parade.

In military tradition, unit flags and colours represent the spirit of the unit. In former times, a unit’s colours provided a rallying point in battle. Today, their role is more symbolic, with their display playing a central part in ceremonial parades. When unit flags and colours are retired, they continue to be treated with reverence. A common tradition is for them to be ‘laid up’ in churches, war memorials or civic buildings.

In 2013, the 70 Club, our community group for Old Boys aged 70 years or more, proposed that the two 1963 flags should be laid up in a suitable location in accordance with these traditions. The Prescott Hall was chosen, both because it is a well-used space where the flags will be seen regularly and because the Corps flags had been hung there during the 1950s. The 70 Club was closely involved in the arrangements for the laying up of the flags and paid the cost of the accompanying plaques.

The 1963 flags and their plaques had their first public viewing when Senior Cadets and guests were invited to inspect them following the Anzac Parade on 29 April.

So, the next time you visit the Prescott Hall, take a moment to view the 1963 flags and their plaques and reflect on these symbols of service and learning by countless Newington Cadets over the last 145 years.

Mr David Roberts
College Archivist