Editing Colour sergeant (section)

==United Kingdom==
{{Infobox military rank
| name = Colour sergeant
| native_name = 
| image = {{nobreak|[[File:United Kingdom-Army-OR-7.svg|50px]] [[File:British Royal Marines OR-7.svg|50px]]}}
| image_size = 
| alt =
| caption = Army and Royal Marine insignia
| image2 = 
| image_size2 = 
| alt2 =
| caption2 = 
| image3 = 
| image_size3 = 
| alt3 =
| caption3 = 
| country = {{flag|United Kingdom}}
| service branch = {{ubl|{{army|United Kingdom}}|{{marines|United Kingdom}}}}
| abbreviation = {{ubl|CSgt|C/Sgt}}
| rank group = [[Non-commissioned officer]]
| rank = 
| NATO rank = OR-7
| Non-NATO rank = 
| pay grade = Range 4
| formation = 1813
| abolished = 
| higher rank = [[Warrant officer (United Kingdom)|Warrant officer class 2]]
| lower rank = [[Sergeant#United Kingdom|Sergeant]]
| equivalents = {{ubl|[[Staff sergeant#United Kingdom|Staff sergeant]] (army)|[[Chief petty officer#United Kingdom|Chief petty officer]] (navy)|[[Flight sergeant]] (RAF)}}
| history = 
}}
Colour sergeant (CSgt or C/Sgt) is a non-commissioned title in the [[Royal Marines]] and [[Infantry of the British Army|infantry]] regiments of the [[British Army]], ranking above [[sergeant]] and below [[warrant officer]] class 2. It has a [[NATO ranks|NATO ranking code]] of OR-7 and is equivalent to the rank of [[staff sergeant]] in other branches of the Army, [[flight sergeant]] or [[chief technician]] in the [[Royal Air Force]], and [[chief petty officer]] in the [[Royal Navy]]. The insignia is the monarch's crown above three downward pointing chevrons.

[[File:Colour party of the Royal Bermuda Regiment at Queen's Birthday Parade in 2017.jpg|thumb|Colour party of the [[Royal Bermuda Regiment]], with a colour sergeant to the left of the colours]]
The rank was introduced into British Army infantry regiments in 1813<ref name=EB1911/> during the [[Napoleonic Wars]] to reward long-serving sergeants; a single colour sergeant was appointed to each company as the senior NCO. From 1 October 1913, British infantry battalions were reorganised from eight companies to four, leaving two colour sergeants in each new company. The senior of the pair was appointed to the new appointment of [[company sergeant major]] and the junior to that of [[company quartermaster sergeant]].<ref>"Four-Company Battalions", ''[[The Times]]'', 17 September 1913</ref><ref>"New Rates of Pay in the Army", ''[[The Times]]'', 14 October 1913</ref> In 1915, CSMs were given the new rank of [[warrant officer class II]], but the CQMS of an infantry company continued to hold the rank of colour sergeant. The Royal Marines also retained the rank throughout.

Historically, colour sergeants of British line regiments protected [[Ensign (rank)|ensigns]], the most junior officers who were responsible for carrying their [[battalion]]s' [[regimental colours|colours]] to rally troops in battles. For this reason, to reach the rank of colour sergeant was considered a prestigious attainment, granted normally to those sergeants who had displayed courage on the field of battle. This tradition continues today as colour sergeants form part of a colour party in military parades. During ceremonial events, it is from a colour sergeant that the ensign collects the colour of the battalion or regiment.

Colour sergeants are referred to and addressed as "Colour Sergeant" or "Colour" ("Colour Sergeant Hewitt" or "Colour Hewitt", for instance) in the Army, or as "Colour Sergeant" or "Colours" in the Royal Marines, and never by the more junior rank of "Sergeant". Unusually, NCOs with the rank of colour sergeant who hold the appointment of company quartermaster sergeant are still addressed and referred to by their rank, not their appointment. In Foot Guards regiments, colour sergeants are addressed as "Sir" and afforded the respect and privileges normally accorded to warrant officers. In [[The Rifles]], the spelling "colour serjeant" is used, in common with other Rifles ranks and appointments including the word ''serjeant''.<ref>[https://www.gov.uk/government/fatalities/colour-serjeant-kevin-charles-fortuna-killed-in-afghanistan "Colour Serjeant Kevin Charles Fortuna killed in Afghanistan", Ministry of Defence, 25 May 2011]</ref>

In the [[Royal Marines Band Service]], the [[bandmaster]]s of the seven [[Royal Navy]] Volunteer Bands usually hold the rank of band colour sergeant.<ref>[https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/news/2018/april/20/180420-hms-collingwood-volunteer-band-support-raf100-event "HMS Collingwood Volunteer Band support RAF100 event", Royal Navy, 20 April 2018]</ref><ref>[https://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/news/11357951.plymouth-royal-navy-volunteer-band-success/ "Plymouth Royal Navy volunteer band success", ''Somerset County Gazette'', 22 July 2014]</ref> The senior playing musician in a Royal Marines band also holds this rank, which replaced the rank of bandmaster in 1969.<ref>[https://rmhistorical.com/files/content/DCI%28RN%29%20273%2028-2-1969.pdf "Royal Marines - Band Services - Introduction of the Rank of Band Colour Sergeant", 28 February 1969]</ref>

Colour sergeants and [[warrant officer]]s form an important part of the instructor cadre at the [[Royal Military Academy Sandhurst]].<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/9678006/New-model-army-Sandhursts-officers-of-the-future.html |title=New model army: Sandhurst's officers of the future |last=Blackhurst |first=Rob |date=2012-11-20 |access-date=2018-01-29 |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}</ref>