In 1742 the Colonel of the Regiment, Sir Charles Howard, was sent by the British government to Vienna on a diplomatic mission to Maria Theresa, whose succession to the Hapsburg lands had provoked the War of the Austrian Succession. In recognition of his service, it is said, she presented him with three marches, which were subsequently adopted by the Regiment. Of these, the slow march, known as ‘Maria Theresa’ and ‘The Green Howards’ Funeral March’ have survived and are still used.

The quick march, however, was lost sometime in the early 19th century. It is believed that ‘I’m 95’ was used for a while until a permanent replacement was finally chosen in 1871, shortly before the 1st Battalion left India. First played in public on arrival in Gosport that year, ‘Bonnie English Rose’ was a song published in 1858 as ‘Rose of England’, with music by Charles Jeffreys and words by Sidney Nelson; it officially became the regimental quick march in 1881. The fact that the badge of The Green Howards, at that time, had the white rose of York provides a probable association with the piece, though it is also said that the then adjutant, Lieutenant Moir, was particularly keen on the song and that the Band played it on his urging.

When HM Haakon VII, the King of Norway, became Colonel-in-Chief of the Regiment in 1942, it became customary to play the Norwegian National Anthem in his and his successors honour ever since.

Marches

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