Red George Cross on a white background with red and white fringe. In the centre the regimental badge in gold within a wreath of Western Australian kangaroo paw and banksia, surmounted by the Crown. Below the wreath is the Battle Honour "SOUTH AFRICA 1900-02". In the upper canton is the roman numeral "I". (Note:- The official Battle Honour for South Africa granted to 11th Australian Infantry Regiment under Military Order 123/1908 and subsequently published in the Australian Army List, was "South Africa 1899-1902").
The Colour was purchased from Regimental funds in 1910 and presented by His Excellency the Governor of WA, Sir Gerald Strickland, KCMG, at a parade held on the Esplanade, Perth, 18 February 1911. It was consecrated by the Right Reverend Colonel. Riley, DD, VD, Senior Chaplain of the Australian Commonwealth Military Forces.
This colour was subsequently inherited by successor units to the 11th Australian Infantry Regiment (Perth Regiment), including 88th (Perth) Infantry, 11th Battalion (The Perth Regiment) and 11th/16th Battalion. The colour was handed over to the Perth City Council at a special parade of the 11th/16th Battalion held in Forrest Place on 7 June 1930, and was laid up in the Council Chambers in Murray Street.
Together with the other historic colours handed over at the time, this colour later went into storage when Council moved premises in the early 1960's. Perth City Council had some restoration work carried out on these colours in 1975 and later had them on display in their display room at Council House, St Georges Terrace. They were subsequently placed in storage again. Following negotiations by the Army Museum of WA Perth City Council passed on these colours to the Museum in November 1993 where they are on display in the Traditions Gallery.
HISTORICAL FOOTNOTE: On only three occasions did the World War Two militia unit serve in the same area as the like named Second AIF unit. 3 Bn and 2/3 Bn served together on the Kokoda Trail, 9 Bn and 2/9 Bn at Milne Bay, 11 Bn and 2/11 Bn served together in WA in 1942
Discover the Tradition of Regimental Colours in the Australian Army
https://www.army.gov.au/our-history/traditions/colours-standards-guidon…
Read the headlines about the presentation
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/26303699?searchTerm=colours%…
Did one of your ancestors serve in the Boer War?
http://members.iinet.net.au/~perthdps/military/bor-wa1.htm#wa1
11 Battalion. Australian Imperial Force departing Fremantle, October 1914
https://11btn.wags.org.au/index.php/indexes/11bn-embarkation
Was 11 Battalion, AIF at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915?
https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/U51451
Were soldiers from 2/11th Battalion captured at Crete in 1941?
https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/U56054
St John the Theologian Memorial Chapel in Prevelly Western Australia
http://inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au/Public/Inventory/Details/3b1383f…
Commemoration of action on 9 February 1900 at West Australian Hill,
https://www.boerwarwa.org.au/news/why-datasouth-has-embraced-concrete5-…
Group portrait of the Australian 11th (Western Australia) Battalion, 3rd Infantry Brigade, Australian Imperial Force posing on the Great Pyramid of Giza on 10 January 1915.