"Colonel Richard Bolle's Regiment" Topic

Good morning all,

I am looking for information concerning the Sets of Colours for Bolle's Regiment that fought as part of King Charles' main Field Army in 1642 – 1643 before being sent south to reinforce Lord Ralph Hopton's forces in the winter. The regiment was decimated in the Battle of Alton in December 1643 where Bolle was killed. The Regiment was rebuilt in the Spring of 1644 as Sir George Lisle's Regiment.

Unfortunately, I cannot find any sources that give details about the Colours of the Regiment apart from a reference by Richard Symons that they carried White Colours in April 1644 – although this would have been when the Regiment was known as Lisle's, so perhaps not the same set.

There are some representations of Bolle's Colours as White with devices of Black Balls, although I can find no sources for such a depiction. Does anyone have knowledge of a contemporary source that gives details of the Colours for Bolle's Regiment please?

Thanks very much.

The only information I can really add is that Bolle's is thought to have been part of the Reading Garrison in April 1643. If so, at that period, it is most likely to have had either White, Red or Blue colours.

Although a change of Command often resulted in a change of colours it remains entirely possible that the colours were retained when Lisle took command. For a wargames army I'd suggest using white colours for want of any more accurate alternative.

See: ECW Flags and Colours, Part 1: English Foot. Peachy and Prince pages 62 and 65.

Hi lapsang,

Sadly its the case that no flag information has survived for the vast majority of ECW regiments.

The white with black balls is a conjecture based on the white flag carried under Lisle and the possibility of a canting device, ie balls for Bolle.

Hi Timbo,

An interesting speculation, but weren't these heraldic symbols on flags called ‘platelets' or something similar?

White balls were called plates.

Thanks Timmo, I thought it was something like that! Doing a bit more research I see it is otherwise known as a ‘rounded argent'. And a black one is a ‘rounded sable' or ‘pellet.

Thanks all,

I didn't think there was very much to go on, so you have really confirmed my opinions. I had seen the White Flag/Black Balls design floating around the internet, but never seen any evidence behind it.

Cheers.

If in doubt, as with all regiments that we we know the colour of the field but not the devices, simply represent it with the Colonel's or Lt-Colonel's colours.

Hmmm, Colonel's Colours – A White Flag?

Colonel most probably plain white, Lieutenant Colonel white with cross of Saint George canton.

I don't see why you can't use any historically plausible device if you want to show the captains colours. Nobody can tell you are wrong.

If your flag is white you could have any of the common devices in black, red or blue just by way of an example. Or a pile wavy for the major's colour since this was very common.