"One Red And One Yellow Rose Per Man"

Sidney Fuller, 8th Suffolk, writing in his diary on June 3rd 1915 at Camp at Codford: 
"We were given a day "off duty," it being the King's birthday. The Suffolks wore roses in their caps, this being in account of the Regiment's "Battle Honour" of Minden (a battle which was fought amongst rose gardens). These roses were issued to us for the purpose - one red and one yellow rose per man." 
Although Fuller was correct about Minden, the wearing of roses on the sovereigns birthday was in honour of what was known as the 'Dettingen Tradition." It stemmed from the battle of Dettingen in 1743 when King George II placed himself at the head of the old 12th Regiment and lead his armies into battle. No English king had ever done so since. In this conflict to which the 8th Battalion would shortly be joining, no monarch would lead his men into battle, not even the Kaiser.

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