Maritime flags

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Flags are particularly important at sea, where they can mean the difference between life and death, and consequently where the rules and regulations for the flying of flags are strictly enforced. Flags (and pennants) are flown for signalling and for identification.

Contents

Ensigns

Ensigns are national maritime flags flown by ships, at the stern or from a gaff or from the yard-arm. In some countries (e.g. the United Kingdom or Australia) there are distinct naval and merchant ensigns, while in other countries (e.g. the United States or France) the merchant and naval ensigns are identical to the national flag flown on land.

Ensigns are usually required to be flown when entering and leaving harbour, when sailing through foreign waters, and when the ship is signalled to do so by a warship. Warships usually fly their ensigns between the morning colours ceremony and sunset, when underway, and at all times when engaged in battle.

Etiquette

The position of honour on a ship is the quarterdeck at the stern of the ship, and thus ensigns are traditionally flown either from an ensign staff at the ship's stern, or from a gaff rigged over the stern. Nowadays when a ship is at sea the ensign is often shifted to the starboard yardarm. It should be noted that the usual rule that no flag should be flown higher than the national flag does not apply on board a ship: a flag flown at the stern is always in a superior position to a flag flown elsewhere on the ship, even if the latter is higher up.

Nautical etiquette requires that merchant vessels dip their ensigns in salute to passing warships, which acknowledge the salute by dipping their ensigns in return. Contrary to popular belief the United States Navy does dip the Stars and Stripes in acknowledgement of salutes rendered to it. Merchant vessels also traditionally fly the ensign of the nation in whose territorial waters they are sailing at the masthead or yard-arm. The flying of a ship's ensign upside-down is a mark of distress, and the flying of the ensign of one country below that of another country on the same ensign staff is a sign that the ship has been captured by forces of that other country.

Jacks

Jacks are additional national flags flown by warships (and certain other vessels) at the head of the ship. These are usually flown only when not underway, and when the ship is dressed on special occasions. In the Royal Navy the Union Jack at sea serves both as a naval jack and as the rank flag of an Admiral of the Fleet. It is illegal for a merchant ship or yacht to fly the Union Jack: a civilian jack (sometimes known as the pilot jack) exists, and consists of the Union Jack with a white border. The St George's Cross flown from the jack staff is known as the Dunkirk jack, and is customarily flown by ships and boats which took part in the Dunkirk rescue operation in 1941. The flying of the St George's Cross elsewhere on a civilian ship is illegal, as it is the rank flag of a 4-star Admiral.

Other flags

A warship also flies from its masthead a masthead or commissioning pennant (or pendant), that is, a long narrow pennant which indicates the commission of the captain of the ship (and thus of the ship itself). In the Royal Navy when a commodore is embarked the commissioning pendant is displaced and a broad pendant, i.e. a broad swallow-tailed pennant, is flown in its place. When an admiral is embarked the commissioning pendant is displaced by the admiral's rank flag.

Yachts belonging to yacht clubs fly their yacht club's triangular burgee from the masthead. This is compulsory if the yacht is flying a special ensign which members of the club have been granted permission to fly.

Signal flags

There is a system of International maritime signal flags for each numeral and letter of the alphabet. Each flag or pennant has an additional meaning when flown individually.

See also


References

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