44th Battalion (The West Australian Rifles) - King's Colour (Initial Presentation 1920)

This former King's Colour was originally authorised by King George V in 1919 in recognition of services of 44th Battalion (AIF) during the Great War. Presented by HE the Governor General Sir Ronald Munro-Ferguson, PC, CGMG at a parade in King's Park on 2 October, 1920, however was not passed on to any AMF counterpart unit of the Citizen Forces, as one did not exist at the time. 44th Battalion (AMF) was formed in 1921 from elements of 16th and 51st Infantry Regiments and was presented with this colour by the Governor of Western Australia Sir Robert Furse McMillan at the Anzac Day parade on the Esplanade, Perth on 25 April 1922. The colour was subsequently consecrated by the Chaplain General, Archbishop COL Riley, OBE, VD, DD at a parade on the Esplanade, Perth, 15 November 1924.

At the time of presentation this colour was a plain union flag with no central devices or other distinctions included on it. Following Military Board approval given in 1925 the centre circle and Crown were later added, in accordance with the approved design for a King's Colour.

With the re-activation of the Citizen Military Forces (CMF) following the Second World War, the 11th/44th Infantry Battalion (The City of Perth Regiment) was raised as a linked battalion in 1948 to carry on the identity and traditions of the pre-war 11th and 44th Battalions respectively. The King's and Regimental Colours formerly held by these two battalions were passed on to the new battalion who paraded them in rotation on ceremonial occasions.

With the accession of HM Queen Elizabeth II to the throne in 1953, all Colours that had originally been presented as King's Colours, and were still carried by units on the current Order of Battle, were automatically deemed to be Queen's Colours.

Under major reorganisation of the CMF in 1960, all individual infantry battalions that existed at the time within each State were amalgamated to form State regiments, taking effect from 1 July 1960. Thus from that date the 11/44th, 16th and 28th Infantry Battalions were amalgamated to form The Royal Western Australia Regiment. In September 1960, at a ceremonial parade held at Northam Camp, the Colours carried by all former battalions were handed over for safe keeping by the new regiment.

These former colours were subsequently laid up in the undercroft at the State War Memorial, King's Park on 29 November 1964. These were transferred to the Army Museum of WA in 1988 as part of the Bicentenary Colours Project.