Heraldry & Regalia of War

The heraldry of war--the vivid, colourful display of uniforms, medals, badges, and banners--has always been a heavy inducement to men to take up arms. But their main function is neither to confer glamour on their wearers, nor are they for mere empty display. There is, in the most sophisticated of men, something of the primitive. Modern man, whether in the thick of battle or in one of those situations of complete isolation that occur so frequently in modern war--deep in the bowels of a warship in action, in a trench under shellfire, or in the cockpit of an aeroplane with enemy aircraft in sight--needs a sense of identity with country and comrades. The cross section of uniforms, medals, and insignia contained in this book can, then, be regarded as something more than a collection of colourful devices and complex designs.