These are the WWI Guidons for the 101st Ammunition Train 26th Division, the one with the Crossed Cannons may be a Post WWI one from the 20-30s.

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Thought I’d add some more photo evidence to this thread……this is a pic of the freshly-returned Battery C of (likely) the 313th Field Artillery Battalion, 80th Division. The pic clearly shows their guidon waving in the wind as they march inland from the docks at Newport News shortly following their arrival at port, late May 1919.

I keep finding references to guidons for mounted and mechanized units but not for their dismounted counter parts.  Ie Mounted engineers authorized, but nothing for dismounted engineers.

I keep finding references to guidons for mounted and mechanized units but not for their dismounted counter parts.  Ie Mounted engineers authorized, but nothing for dismounted engineers.

Nirvana, that is fine.  I did not bid on it.  I feel fairly confident that it dates to WWII so I was not interested in it.  If it dated to WWI, which I am very surprised to find that they did not have guidons, I would have won.

It is, or at least it is on the surface….I would think that somewhere a document will surface providing a reason for it, and with luck I hope to stumble upon it.

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Interesting, now there's one thing I wasn't aware of, would of seen no reason why the Infantry wouldn't of had a Guidon, but here's L Company 132nd Infantry 33rd Division, late 1919, yes not seeing a Guidon, would think it would be prominent front and center right!

In 'The National Geographic', October, 1917 issue. 'Our Flag Number' infantry guidons are neither mentioned or shown. If that means they didn't exist I don't know but Cavalry, artillery, signal corps, hospital corps and engineers are shown and mentioned in the text.

How can you tell a WWI Guidon to a WWII Guidon?  I have never really seen anyway to differentiate between the two.  The regiment itself existed in WWI and WWII the same so the unit history can not tell if this is WWI or WWII.

Yes , I have the yard longs from company 'K' 361st Inf 1917 at Camp Lewis and 1919 at Camp Merrit and neither feature a guidon.

The 1917 soldiers manual states that every rifle company is to carry two signal flags with a unique color and symbol scheme that identifies the battalion and company (simple geometric shapes).  My gut tells me these could have stood in, but I've never seen an actual example.  Ive only ever seen the generic red/white Signal Corps flags.  Does anyone know if these actual existed or were just an idea that made it into doctrine without actually being implemented?

Thank you so much for providing the info on the signal flags.  I just looked up the Oct 1917 National Geographic and it has that information as well.

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Thank you very much for posting your information and examples! A couple of years ago, I purchased a signal flag (now I know the proper term) for Company F, 3rd Infantry, Indiana National Guard.  It was attributed to a soldier from that company who served with them prior to and during WWI.  Also, I purchased an image of Company H, 3rd Inf ING. The link to the thread that I originally posted in 2019 is shown below.

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Thank you so much for providing the info on the signal flags.  I just looked up the Oct 1917 National Geographic and it has that information as well.

I would think if the infantry had guidons in WW1 then they would mirror the crossed rifles (M1903s) the Infantry Officers wore on their collars. Post 1923 the Infantry Officer wore crossed 1795 Muskets as they are worn today.

Thanks for the information!  This is the repro I made for my unit.  The letters didn't come out as clean as I'd like though.

Everything I've read is that it originated in the mounted forces.  Such units functioned as small mobile units so it makes sense tactically.  At the beginning of WWI infantry regiments still matched under the regimental colors as massed infantry.  By the end of the war the colours were relegated to the rear and parade grounds with companies, platoons and squads being the normal tactical units.  As such It would make sense to me that company guidons would be an evolution out of the conflic rather than preceding it.

I think the fact that the infantry guidelines were missing from the National Geographic edition was just an oversight. The chief of infantry flag existed at that time. And it was the crossed rifles on a blue field just like the guide on. Here are a couple of examples of the signal flag variant mentioned above From my collection along with the 1916 US Army Signal Guide reference explaining the designators for the flags.

I  also have a very large guidon from the turn of the century. It has a very old quartermaster label. It measures approximately 3’ x 4’ the largest one I have. Hopefully other examples are out there and people can share

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I am of the understanding that Infantry rifle companies in WW1 did not have Guidons, but Artillery Regiments did.....the larger size Infantry Guidons are pre-WW2, but not exactly sure when the size reduction took place.

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Interesting- I never really thought of that, but I don't know that I have seen a WW1 era infantry guidon.  I need to look into that!