36-585: The Blue Ensign is a British ensign that may be used on vessels by certain authorised yacht clubs, Royal Research Ships and British merchant vessels whose master holds a commission in the Royal Naval Reserve or has otherwise been issued a warrant. Defaced versions with a badge or other emblem are used more broadly; in the United Kingdom by authorised government or private bodies; and internationally by nations or organisations previously
72-642: A Red Ensign with the arms of its provinces on one shield as its national flag (the Canadian Red Ensign ). In 1924, an order-in-council made the flag official (for certain purposes) and replaced the provincial arms with the royal arms of Canada . The red ensign was replaced by the current red and white maple-leaf flag in 1965. In that same year, the provinces of Ontario and Manitoba adopted red ensigns defaced by their provincial arms as their provincial flags. (see Flag of Ontario and Flag of Manitoba ) [REDACTED] Media related to Ensigns of
108-646: A civil air ensign , both of which have a sky-blue field, with the Union Flag in the canton. The RAF Ensign is defaced with the red-white-blue RAF roundel , while the field of the civil air ensign is charged with a large dark-blue cross fimbriated white. During World War II , the Belgian section of the RAF used a variant of RAF Ensign defaced with the black-yellow-red roundel. The flag of Tuvalu and that of Fiji are also defaced sky blue ensigns. The white ensign of
144-590: A British ship, either military or civilian. Such flags display the United Kingdom Union Flag in the canton (the upper corner next to the staff), with either a red, white or blue field, dependent on whether the vessel is civilian, naval, or in a special category. These are known as the red , white , and blue ensigns respectively. Outside the nautical sphere, ensigns are used to designate many other military units, government departments and administrative divisions. These flags are modelled on
180-508: A common national heritage expressed in a venerated national flag – it can happen that a new regime defaces that flag with its own specific emblem while keeping the basic flag design unchanged. Such changing ideological emblems appeared over time, among others, on the flags of Italy , Hungary , Romania , Germany (West and East; see illustration), Ethiopia , and Iran . For example, during the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 and
216-419: A differentiation of the flag from that of another owner by addition of elements. For example, many state flags are formed by defacing the national flag with a coat of arms. Where countries pass through changes of regime with contrasting ideological orientations (monarchist/republican, fascist/democratic, communist/capitalist, secular/religious etc.) – all of which, despite their differences, claim allegiance to
252-748: A part of the British Empire . The evolution of the Blue Ensign followed that of the Union Jack . The ensign originated in the 17th century with the St George's Cross (the Flag of England ) in the canton , and with a blue field. The Acts of Union 1707 united England (which included present day Wales ) with Scotland in the Kingdom of Great Britain , thus producing a new Blue Ensign with
288-688: A red maple leaf within it. The Cornish Ensign or St Piran's Ensign, is a Cornish flag with the Union flag in the canton. This flag is used widely among Cornish mariners. Often flown by leisure craft and occasionally flown by Cornish merchant vessels. First flown in 2003 the Devon Regatta Ensign adds a Union flag into the canton of the Devon Flag – the flag is described as for use at regattas, high days and holidays, weddings and burials at sea. This flag can also be referred to as
324-488: A special occasion or celebration with masthead ensigns, otherwise it signals that the monarch or an Admiral of the Fleet is on board. The Union Flag may also signal that a court martial is in progress. The use of the Union Flag as an ensign on a civilian craft is still illegal, unless it has a white border, ever since Charles I ordered it be restricted to His Majesty's ships "upon pain of Our high displeasure" in
360-491: A yellow instead of a dark blue background. The flag of Niue , a self-governing dependency of New Zealand, is also a yellow ensign. More unusually, it is the Union Flag canton rather than the fly which is defaced with a modified Southern Cross. There is some evidence of the existence of a Green Ensign in British Ireland, defaced with a gold Irish harp in the fly. It is not clear to what extent this unofficial ensign
396-554: Is permitted to be worn, instead of the Red Ensign, by three categories of civilian vessel: Permission for yachts to wear the blue ensign (and other special yachting ensigns) was suspended during both World War I and World War II . In addition, prior to WWI, a number of ships (in particular, the RMS ; Lusitania and RMS Mauretania ) were listed as Royal Navy Reserve Merchant Vessels, receiving an annual subsidy from
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#1732764904662432-666: Is the correct flag to be worn as courtesy flag by foreign private vessels in United Kingdom waters. Merchant vessels from British overseas territories and Crown dependencies are entitled to red ensigns defaced with the badge of their territory. The flag of the British East India Company , like the Cambridge or Grand Union Flag of the American colonies , had a red and white striped field. There were similar red-and-white and green-and-white striped ensigns in
468-530: The Caribbean and north Atlantic, the white the coasts of Britain, France and the Mediterranean, while the blue patrolled the south Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. The flags of the various former British colonies often have grounds of the same colour as their protective squadron. Hence Bermuda has a red ground and Australia and New Zealand blue. Canada's flag was a red ensign from founding until
504-537: The Romanian Revolution of 1989 , insurgents tore the emblem of the regime that they opposed out of the national flag and waved the flag with which they identified. An already defaced flag can be further defaced. For example, the Australian flag is a defaced British Blue Ensign . The Australian Border Force Flag is further defaced with the words "Australian border force" in block letters. In
540-534: The Royal Navy . The Royal Yacht Squadron also fly the white ensign by special dispensation. The Blue Ensign (dark blue field with the Union Flag in the canton) undefaced is worn by masters of vessels in possession of a warrant issued by the Director of Naval Reserves, and by the members of certain yacht clubs. Such warrants are issued to officers in the active or retired lists of the Royal Naval Reserve and
576-749: The St George's Cross (St George's Ensign). British yachts owned by members of the Royal Yacht Squadron are authorised to apply for a permit to wear this ensign. Defaced white ensigns include that of the British Antarctic Territory . Since the reorganisation of the Royal Navy in 1864, use of the White Ensign (a red St George's Cross on a white field with the Union Flag in the canton ) has been restricted to ships, boats, submarines and on-shore establishments of
612-513: The St Petroc's Ensign, due to its link with the saint. This flag is widely used among Devonian mariners. Often flown by leisure craft. The colours used in most British ensigns are the colours of the Union Flag; Union Jack (royal) blue, Union Flag red and white: All HEX , CMYK and RGB specifications for the Pantone colours are taken from the official Pantone website on the webpages of
648-426: The 17th century, mainly due to its unauthorised use by merchant mariners to avoid paying harbour duties by passing themselves off as royal vessels. British ensigns currently in use can be classified into five categories, in descending order of exclusivity: The traditional order of seniority was red, white and blue, with the red as the senior ensign. Today's white ensign , as used by Royal Navy ships, incorporates
684-621: The English Navy in the 16th century. Similarly in flag plates from the 17th and 18th centuries there are representations of the Guinea Jack of the Royal Africa Company in various forms; the jack consisted of St George's Cross within a double border of red and white chequers. The flag of Hawaii is a British ensign with a background of white, red and blue stripes. Also in existence is a Royal Air Force (RAF) ensign and
720-718: The Port of London Authority, Mersey Docks and Harbour Board , the Humber Conservancy , Custom House , the Board of Trade , Lloyd's of London , the Post Office , submarine cable laying ships, and other departments including War Office Ordnance . The flag of Australia and those of its states as well as the flag of New Zealand are defaced blue ensigns. Several yacht clubs are also entitled to fly blue ensigns defaced by their club badge. The Red Ensign (red field with
756-609: The Sea Cadet Corps hold their ranks as (SCC) RNR on a 'nominal honorific' basis, and are included on the Navy List as a courtesy (though they are not commissioned, but 'appointed' within the Corps). British government departments use a variety of blue ensigns defaced in the fly with the department badge, and colonial governments use blue ensigns defaced with the colonial badge. Other defaced ensigns were used by vessels of
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#1732764904662792-477: The Union Flag in the canton) defaced by a badge is flown by Trinity House and various organisations and yacht clubs. Merchant ships and private vessels registered in British territories and dependencies, and in several Commonwealth realms, fly the Red Ensign defaced by the badge of their territory. The Red Ensign undefaced is for the use of all other British merchant navy ships and private craft. The Red Ensign
828-472: The United Kingdom at Wikimedia Commons Defacement (flag) In vexillology , defacement is the addition of a symbol or charge to a flag. For example, the Australian flag is the British Blue Ensign defaced with a Southern Cross in the fly . In the context of vexillology , the word "deface" carries no negative connotations, in contrast to general usage. It simply indicates
864-540: The United States, it is against the Flag Code to deface the national flag with advertising or with any other sigil , image, or insignia. Such flags are nevertheless commercially available, depicting the seals of various branches of the U.S. military , Native American -related objects such as tomahawks or war bonnets , and the like. It is common for association football supporters travelling abroad for
900-532: The adoption of the maple leaf flag in 1965. The flag of the United States also follows this pattern; early flags of the American Revolution were modified Red Ensigns. The Grand Union Flag added six white stripes to the Red Ensign; this flag was used during the fight for independence until the Union Flag in the canton was replaced by the stars in 1777. Reference was sometimes made to "the yellow squadron". This squadron did not actually exist but
936-549: The badge of the club were recorded in the Navy List until 1985, and now they are administered by the Royal Yachting Association for the Ministry of Defence. Current defaced Blue Ensigns are: Current flags: Former flags: The defaced blue ensign was formerly used as: These include: British ensign In British maritime law and custom, an ensign is the identifying flag flown to designate
972-605: The colours of the three squadrons of the Royal Navy, which were created as a result of the reorganisation of the navy in 1652 by Admiral Robert Blake . Each squadron flew one of the three ensigns. In addition to the Admiral of the Fleet (who was Admiral of the Red), each squadron had its own admirals, vice admirals and rear admirals, e.g. Lord Nelson was Vice Admiral of the White at the time of his death. The red squadron tended to patrol
1008-621: The commissioner of the Northern Lighthouse Board is unique in that it remains one of the only examples of a pre-1801 Union Flag in official use today. This flag is flown only from vessels with commissioners aboard. There are two "yellow" ensigns in use in the South Pacific , both featuring the Southern Cross . The personal flag of the governor of Victoria , Australia, has been the flag of Victoria with
1044-438: The corresponding colours. Although the colour schemes are official, not all of the colours are completely congruent. This is due to different specifications for different types of media (for example, screen and print). The Royal Hospital School is the only independent school in the United Kingdom to have been continuously awarded the "Queens Banner" and its own distinctive school ensign. Prior to 1864, red, white, and blue were
1080-607: The ensign of one of three squadrons of the Royal Navy, the Blue Squadron . This changed in 1864, when an order in council provided that the Red Ensign was allocated to merchantmen, the Blue Ensign was to be the flag of ships in public service or commanded by an officer in the Royal Naval Reserve , and the White Ensign was allocated to the Navy. Thus, since 1864, the plain blue ensign (without any defacement or modification)
1116-504: The maritime reserve forces of other Commonwealth realms and territories. The master must be of the rank of lieutenant RN or above, and fishing vessels must be crewed by at least four other Royal Naval reservists or pensioners. The Ensign of the Sea Cadet Corps is a blue ensign defaced by the SCC badge. Under the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Defence , officers of
Blue Ensign - Misplaced Pages Continue
1152-415: The navy and were permitted to fly the blue ensign. Since 1864, the Blue Ensign is defaced with a badge or emblem, to form the ensign of United Kingdom government departments or public bodies. Current defaced Blue Ensigns (besides yacht clubs listed below) are: Royal Air Force marine vessels (such as seaplane tenders) flew a defaced blue ensign with an eagle and anchor. Yachting Blue Ensigns defaced by
1188-449: The new Union Flag, containing a saltire , in the canton. With the Act of Union 1800 , Ireland became a part of the new United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland , and St Patrick's Cross was incorporated into the Union Flag and, accordingly, into the cantons of all British ensigns from 1 January 1801. Prior to the reorganisation of the Royal Navy in 1864, the plain blue ensign had been
1224-490: The red, white, and blue naval ensigns, but may use different colours for the field, and be defaced by the addition of a badge or symbol, for example the sky blue with concentric red, white and blue circles of the Royal Air Force ensign. The Union Flag (also known as the Union Jack ) should be flown as a jack by Royal Navy ships only when moored or at anchor. If flown while underway, the ship must be dressed for
1260-732: Was a term used unofficially to describe those naval personnel who worked ashore or did not have a ship. Therefore, there was no 'Yellow ensign'. In 1868, the British Admiralty made the Canadian Blue Ensign the proper flag for ships of the Canadian government, and in 1892, the Admiralty approved the use of the Canadian Red Ensign by Canadian merchant ships. From about 1870, Canada unofficially used
1296-597: Was ever in use by Irish merchant ships at the time. The flag of the British Antarctic Territory has a white field defaced with the territory's badge, while the British Indian Ocean Territory flag has a white and blue wavy-striped field, also defaced. Finally, there is one "orange" ensign, used by the Orange Order in Canada . This flag is an orange ensign defaced with a white shield, and
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