MONDAY is Yorkshire Day, a day when all true Yorkshiremen and women celebrate our unique county.

The Yorkshire Ridings Society chose August 1 because of its special significance for Yorkshire.

On this day in 1759 soldiers in Yorkshire regiments who had fought in the battle of Minden picked white roses from nearby fields and wore them as a tribute to their fallen comrades.

A number of Yorkshire regiments continue to wear white roses in memory today.

Yorkshire is the East, North and West Ridings and the ancient City of York and was established by the Danes in the 9th century.

Only in 1888 did Parliament create ridings county councils to administer Yorkshire and even then they were not the same as the real Ridings.

Likewise, subsequent local government changes do not affect Yorkshire and its Ridings. A government statement in 1974 and re-stated in 1990 confirmed this.

To those who still erroneously refer to parts of Yorkshire as Humberside and South Yorkshire I remind them of the Yorkshire Code:

1. Never refer to the abolition of the Ridings of Yorkshire - this is not true. There is no statutory foundation for such a statement so correct anyone who thinks there is.

2. Always use Yorkshire correctly - mean the geographical county which has existed for over 1,100 years.

3. Wherever you live in Yorkshire use a Yorkshire postal address including the postcode.

4. Wear a white rose on Yorkshire Day.

5. Ensure children are taught the truth about Yorkshire and are not denied access to their heritage and identity.

There are 3,889,432 acres in Yorkshire. It is a breathtakingly beautiful county.

From the Yorkshire Dales to the North York Moors and the Yorkshire Wolds, how much of it do you know?

Happy Yorkshire Day!

Eric Wood,

Oakdale Road,

Clifton Moor,

York.

Updated: 11:02 Saturday, July 30, 2005