Historical information

Presented, together with a new King's Colour, by Major-General JS Whitelaw, CB, CBE at a parade of the 16th/28th Infantry Battalion (The Cameron Highlanders of Western Australia) held on the Esplanade, Perth, 26 August 1951. (Refer to item 7 for specific details relating to these new colours and for details of previous colours presented to 16th Battalion).

16th/28th Infantry Battalion became unlinked in March 1952 with both 16th and 28th becoming independent battalions within their own right

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.
The battle honour for South Africa has incorrect year dates and should be "SOUTH AFRICA 1902". Reasons supporting this are:-
• The Battle Honour "SOUTH AFRICA 1902" was originally granted under Military Order 123/1908 to the Goldfields Infantry Regiment of Western Australia.
• Under 1921 reorganisation of the Citizen Forces, the existing units in the Goldfields area were formed into 16th Battalion (The Goldfields Regiment) to maintain the identity and traditions of 16th Battalion (AIF). This unit inherited the above battle honour.
• All editions of the Australian Army List since 1927 have shown this battle honour for 16th Battalion as "SOUTH AFRICA 1902".

Physical description

Dark green with gold fringes. In the centre the battalion colour patch of a white over blue rectangle within a circle inscribed "SIXTEENTH BATTALION", surrounded with a wreath of Australian wattle and surmounted by the Imperial Crown. Below the wreath a scroll inscribed with the regimental motto "VINCENS". In the upper canton the Arabic numeral "16".

Battle Honours emblazoned on the Colour:
SOUTH AFRICA 1899-1902 , POZIERES, BULLECOURT, MESSINES 1917, YPRES 1917, POLYGON WOOD, HAMEL, AMIENS, HINDENBURG LINE, LANDING AT ANZAC, SARI BAIR