On 28th June 1853, Sanawar was granted its first stand of Colours by Governor General Lord Dalhousie in fulfilment of an intention he had expressed to the Founder following his first visit and inspection of the Asylum in September 1851. The stand consisted of two flags, each of heavy duty double silk. The Asylum Colour was a flag of plain yellow with the Union flag 'canton', (in the upper left quarter); in the centre of the flag were the words "Lawrence Asylum Sanawar", embroidered in gold thread, encircled by a wreath of oak leaves entwined with the heraldic emblems of England, Scotland and Ireland. (The Rose, Thistle and Shamrock, respectively). This centrepiece was surmounted by a Lion rampant 'or ', (gold). The embroidery is said to have been done entirely by Lady Lawrence during the winter of 1852. The second was the Union flag, or 'Union Jack', granted by Vice-regal assent. These two Colours were thereafter carried on all ceremonial occasions and Sunday morning Church Parades for the next 70 years.

On 13th March 1922, having been granted Royal approval for a change of title from "Lawrence Military Asylum" to "The Lawrence Royal Military School", Sanawar was presented with a new School Colour by HRH the Prince of Wales at a Drumhead Service and ceremony held in Dehra Dun. The new Colour, again with the Union flag shown 'canton', had as its centrepiece the full Lawrence family Coat of Arms, encircled by the new School title in gold thread, and the whole surmounted by the Imperial Crown on a creamy white silk background. The Colour was the gift of Sir Alexander Waldemar Lawrence, 4th Baronet and grandson of the Founder. The Old Colour, now much faded and worn was laid to rest in the Chapel. At the same ceremony, the School was presented with a new Union flag, to replace the old "Queen's" Colour granted by Lord Dalhousie in 1853. These two new Colours were again carried on all ceremonial occasions and Sunday morning Church Parades until July 1937 when, owing to their fragile condition, the practice of carrying them on Sunday morning Church Parades ceased.

It is not known how or when the College of Arms first became involved in matters concerning the School Colour, but on 8th July 1938, in a letter to the Director General, India Store Department, it was observed by the Garter Principal King of Arms and Inspector of Regimental Colours that the flag presented to Sanawar in 1922, did not conform to the regulations for the composition and design of unit or Regimental (School) Colours. Furthermore, the gift, although no doubt given in perfectly good faith, was in direct contravention of long established heraldic protocols and principles. He pointed out that the flag displayed the full armorial bearings of the Lawrence family, and arms granted on the authority of the sovereign by Letters Patent cannot represent two or more different persons or entities. The School should have its own arms, he decreed. He accordingly proposed a standard with a centrepiece or roundel  comprising "a ragged cross gules, (in red) bearing an eastern crown or, (gold).." on a white background, around which the title of the unit, (School) was to be inscribed in gold lettering on a circular crimson band. This roundel was to be encircled by a wreath of oak leaves entwined with the heraldic emblems of England, Scotland and Ireland and additionally, a blue 'fir' (deodar) representing the Himalayan setting. The complete emblem, surmounted by the Imperial crown, was to be set on a blue background, as required by the school's Royal status. (Royal Regiments, (and Royal Schools) always have blue facings).

Accordingly, on Founder's Day, September 13th, 1940 - a new, officially approved 'Regimental' Colour, as described above and pictured left, was duly presented to the School by the Governor General Lord Linlithgow at a Drumhead Service held on Peacestead. The 'old', much loved 1922 Colour was ceremonially marched off the field and laid to rest in the Chapel. Many were disappointed that the new flag displayed very little of the Lawrence family escutcheon which, after so many years had become the cherished emblem, symbol and badge of the School. Worse still, the words of the motto, long since adopted by the School, and which had inspired many generations of Sanawarians were also omitted. So was the name Sanawar.  Headboy and Flag Bearer Bob James, who received the Colour from the Viceroy wrote many years later - "...I simply didn't like it. It was nothing like the old one and never meant as much to me". He spoke for many Sanawarians, (and Staff) who felt the same way. Notwithstanding, this new, 'officially' approved, School Colour was dutifully trooped on the King's Birthday and Founder's Day Parades for the next five years.

Sometime after Founder's Day in October 1946 and before the King's Birthday Parade in June 1947, the central roundel applique was carefully unpicked and removed from the 1940 flag and replaced with the full, embroidered coat of arms of the Lawrence family. (See inset, left). Close inspection reveals slight differences in the workmanship of the embroidery and adjustment of the crest and scroll to fit into the available space. It is not clear whether this change to the School Colour was officially approved or, if it was, by whom. It is known that there had been lengthy correspondence on the matter between the School, the Adjutant General's Branch in Delhi and the Garter King of Arms in London since 1943, but the letters appear to have been lost. Certainly, special dispensation from the College of Arms would have been needed for such a radical change of policy and protocol. However, whether it was approved or not, this modified Colour was dutifully, and proudly carried on the King's Birthday Parade in June 1947 and again on Founder's Day Centenary Parade and memorial service the following October. After Independence, this same Colour continued to be paraded until 1957 when it was finally laid to rest and replaced with the present day Lawrence School flag(s). The 1940 Colour, along with the tattered remnants of its two predecessors is today encased in glass and on display in the School Museum, (Parker Hall).

Epilogue. The centrepiece, or 'roundel' applique, [shown inset left]  that was removed from the controversial 1940 'Regimental' Colour in 1946/47, was evidently given as a memento to Mr. E.G Carter. He was the officiating School Secretary at the time, and would no doubt have been closely and personally involved in the exchange of correspondence between the School, the Adjutant General's Branch and the College of Arms. Mr. Carter, many years later bequeathed the roundel to his son Dr. Timothy Carter, who in turn presented it to the School museum on behalf of the Class of 1953, at their 60th Reunion in October 2013. The embroidered roundel remains on display behind glass in Parker Hall, with a plaque that reads " THE CENTREPIECE (ROUNDEL) OF THE REGIMENTAL COLOURS PRESENTED TO THE SCHOOL, ON FOUNDER’S DAY 1940, BY H.E. THE VICEROY LORD LINLITHGOW. THE SAME WAS BEQUEATHED BY MR E.G. CARTER, HEADMASTER 1947-56, TO HIS SON DR TIMOTHY CARTER, WHO PRESENTED IT TO THE SCHOOL, ON BEHALF OF THE CLASS OF 1953, AT THEIR 60TH REUNION ON 2ND OCTOBER, 2013".