Paratroopers lay up Colours in St Peters Church, Colchester, November 2024

A once-in-a-generation military ceremony has honoured the proud service and sacrifice of The Parachute Regiment and the bond between paratroopers and Colchester. During a Remembrance Sunday service, the retired Colours of 2nd and 3rd Battalions The Parachute Regiment (2 and 3 PARA) were laid up at the city’s St Peter’s Church, on North Hill. The Colours – which are silk flags richly embroidered with silver and gilt threads – will go on display from the church’s north gallery.

Historically, a regiment’s Colours served as an identifying emblem to be carried into battle. In modern times, the Colours carry a unit’s battle honours and represent its history at formal events and parades.

The Colours being laid up had been presented to the Regiment in 1998 in Aldershot, just before 2 and 3 PARA moved to Colchester, and served as the units’ emblems through a busy operational period. In a parade at Merville Barracks in July 2021, the then Prince of Wales – now His Majesty King Charles III – presented new Colours in his role as Colonel-in-Chief of The Parachute Regiment. Major Glenn Hobbs, adjutant of The Parachute Regiment, described the service as “a respectful, special occasion.The laying up of the Colours of the 2nd and 3rd Battalion the Parachute Regiment signifies over 25 years of operational history,” he said. “In that time, deployments to Eastern Europe, Western Africa and the Middle East have involved a vast number of paratroopers, some of whom unfortunately did not come home. The Colours signify battles fought, lives saved, lives lost, and injuries sustained in service of the Regiment, the Queen, the King and the Country. Colchester has been home to 2 and 3 PARA for nearly 25 years and has become the spiritual home for thousands of paratroopers. To be able to lay up the Colours at St Peter's Church confirms the unique, special bond that Colchester has with its paratroopers. It also ensures that paratroopers still serving, or our veterans, can see the Colours proudly displayed in a setting where they can reflect and remember.”

Reverend Mark Wallace, Vicar of St Peter’s Church, said: “We are always delighted to welcome members of the Armed Forces to St Peter’s and it has been our great privilege to be formally affiliated to Colchester Garrison for several years.The laying up of The Parachute Regiment’s Colours has added a special significance to our Remembrance service, as we reflect on Jesus’ words: "‘Greater love has no one than this, that
someone lay down his life for his friends.’”