Ordinärfahne – Company Colours

In Austro-Hungarian, Bavarian, Hessian, and many other German infantry formations the company colours were called Ordinärfahnen. The Ordinärfahne typically had a different base colour than the Leibfahne (sovereign’s colours) of the regiment or, in the case of Prussian-style regimental flags, the background colour of the central device and of the corner rays might be reversed.

Grenadier companies did not normally carry flags or, if they did, would not take them on campaign, because grenadiers were often deployed in the most dangerous positions on the battlefield where the risk of losing precious field signs was greatest. Austro-Hungarian grenadier battalions of the Napoleonic Wars carried the Leibfahne of the infantry regiment which supplied the most senior grenadier companies of the formation.

Military Glossary