The distinguishing flags and broad pennants of the Royal Navy are flags flown from the ships and establishments of the Royal Navy to denote their commander.
Flags to denote the commander-in-chief of the English fleet and later Royal Navy were used from as early as 1189. Coloured squadrons of the Royal Navy were established during the Elizabethan era to subdivide the fleet into three squadrons or more. There were three classes of admirals and later a fourth that were differentiated by using coloured flags red, white and blue.
Current distinguishing flags and broad pennants When in command, flag officers are to fly the distinguishing flag appropriate to their rank, whilst commodores in command are to fly a broad pennant. Officers entitled to fly such a flag afloat are also to fly their flag ashore at their headquarters or another designated location. Flag officers may hoist their flag whilst aboard any of His Majesty's Ships, whilst commodores may only fly their broad pennant aboard the ship to which they have been appointed.
Admirals of the fleet, former first sea lords and admirals who are or have been chief of the defence staff fly the Union Jack as their distinguishing flag whilst aboard one of His Majesty's Ships or establishments, even when not in a command appointment. The incumbent First Sea Lord flies the flag of an admiral, whilst the Second Sea Lord flies the flag appropriate to their rank.
+ Royal Navy distinguishing flags and broad pennantsAdmiral of the FleetAdmiralVice AdmiralRear AdmiralCommodore
General officers and brigadiers of the Royal Marines in a command appointment may fly a royal blue flag or pennant accorded to their rank when afloat in a small boat.
+ Royal Marines distinguishing flags and pennantsCommandant-generalGeneral or lieutenant-generalMajor-generalBrigadier
These officers of the Royal Navy and the Royal Marines may also fly a small car flag in a 2:3 ratio, sized , from the front of the bonnet of their car when on official duties and it is necessary for the car or its occupant to be recognised. The flag is not normally used on long journeys but may be hoisted when close to the destination. Officers below the rank of commodore and in command of a Royal Navy or Royal Marine training establishment may use the White Ensign as a car flag. Certain officers abroad, such as naval attachés, may also use the White Ensign as a car flag with the permission of the country's British ambassador or high commissioner.
When travelling in a small boat, officers who do not wish to receive full ceremonial honours may display a flag disc instead of a distinguishing flag.
History Origins
The earliest known usage of a command flag being used to denote the Commander-in-Chief of the English Fleet was during the reign of Richard I in 1189 that depicted a single gold lion on a red background. In 1198 it was changed to include three red lions against a red background which are still part of the royal coat arms of England till today. In January 1340 Edward III proclaimed himself King of France and adopted the arms of France then displaying (multiple fleur-de-lis or azure semi-of-fleur-de-lis) in the upper left and the lower right cantons with the arms of England in the upper right and lower left cantons to create a new Royal Standard. In 1411 Henry IV altered the French element of the standard to include just three fleur-de-lis.
In June 1340 Edward III commanded the English fleet at the Battle of Sluys where the king's standard was flown at top of the main masthead. This positioning of the only command flag used during that battle was later reserved for use by the monarch or his deputy commander the Lord Admiral. In 1495 Henry VII authorized the use of his standard during the expeditions of John Cabot. In 1530 Henry VIII instructed Sir Thomas Audley to create a set of instructions that made clear which command flags were to be flown on board ships and by whom (at this time a single command flag was to be used at the top of the masthead). Audley produced the book of instructions called the Book of Orders for the War by Sea and by Land. Between 1545 and 1547 Lord Lisle under instructions from the King altered Audley's instructions this time to denote three squadron commanders as follows.
The Lord Admiral shall fly the royal standard at the top of the main masthead and the flag of the cross of Saint George at the top of fore (front) masthead displaying two flags every ship in his squadron the captains were to fly a single Saint Georges flag at the top of the main masthead. The Admiral of the Van or (Vice-Admiral) of the front squadron flew two flags of Saint George one at the top of the main masthead centre and the other at the top of the front masthead. All captains of ships in his squadron fly a single cross of Saint George at the top of the fore masthead. The Admiral of the Wyng or (Rear-Admiral) of the rear squadron to display two flags of Saint George one at the top of the main masthead centre and the other at the top of the mizzenmast or rear mast head. All captains of ships in his squadron fly a single cross of Saint George at the top of the rear masthead.
From 1545, the Council of the Marine debated that it was necessary to identify which ship carried an admiral, and this achieved by flying the St. George Cross flag from the mizzen mast. When English fleets became larger, flags started to become used as signals of a squadron to which a particular ship belonged; this was initially done by flying a flag on either the foremast, or the mizzen mast or the top mast. The Royal Standards were used to identify which senior naval commander was on board. By 1588, only the royal arms, the national flags, and the squadron ensigns (by this time plain red, blue and white flags, for the first, second and third squadrons respectively) were used.
The Navy Royal inaugurated squadron colours during the reign of Elizabeth I (1558–1603) to subdivide the English fleet into three squadrons. There were three classes of admirals and differentiated by using coloured flags. In 1620 the official flag ranks of admiral, vice admiral, and rear admiral were legally established that arose directly out of the organisation of the fleet into three parts.
Royal Standard (1189–1627)
Admiralty flag (1588–1964)
The Admiralty anchor flag first appears as a badge in the early 16th century that was mainly used for decorative purposes. The first time a specific flag was designed and flown was for the Lord Admiral of England Sir Lord Howard of Effingham on HMS Ark Royal as Commander-in-Chief of the English Fleet against the Spanish Armada in 1588. It would not be flown again until 1623 when the Lord Admiral the Duke of Buckingham was given an ensign depicting the admiralty anchor. However it was rarely used for as a command flag for naval operations instead it became the main flag to signify the Admiralty and Marine Affairs Office.
Lord Admiral's command flags (1545–1558) Included:
Lord Admiral's command flags (1559–1625) Included:
Vice and Rear Admiral's of England command flags (1545–1596)
Included:
Note:The Vice Admiral flies two flags of St George flown at the top of the main centre mast head the other at the top of the fore mast head. Note:The Rear Admiral flies two flags of St George flown at the top of the main centre mast head the other at the top of the mizzen (rear) mast head.
Captain's command flag in the Lord Admiral's Squadron (1545–1596) Included:
Note: A captain's ship in the Lord Admiral's centre squadron has the flag of St George flown at the top of the main centre masthead. Note: A captain's ship in the Van squadron (front) has the flag of St George flown at the top of the main fore masthead. Note: A captain's ship in the Wyng squadron (rear) has the flag of St George flown at the top of the mizzen masthead.
Illustration of squadron's flagships and captain's ships depicting position of command flags (1545–1596) Included: Lord Admiral's squadron
Vice Admiral's squadron
Rear Admiral's squadron
Squadron Admiral's command flags (1558–1596) Command flags for other Vice or Rear Admirals that were not an Admiral, a Vice Admiral or a Rear Admiral of the Fleet (England)
Lord Admiral's and General of the Army's command flags (1596) Included:
Lord Admiral
General of the Army's command flag (1596) Included:
In 1596 the expedition for Capture of Cádiz during the Anglo-Spanish War was led by joint commanders styled as "Generalls of the Armies by land and sea", Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex in command of land forces and Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham in command of naval forces, the English fleet consisted of four squadrons. Their immediate subordinates were Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Suffolk as Vice Admiral of the Fleet and Sir Walter Raleigh as Rear Admiral of the Fleet. They both commanded a squadron and had a vice admiral (second-in-command) and rear admiral (third-in-command) subordinate to them. The command flags issued for that expedition are described as following.
The Lord Admiral flies the royal standard at the main masthead and the flag of the cross of Saint George at the fore (front). The Vice Admiral and Rear Admiral in the Lord Admiral's squadron fly at the front and rear mastheads a red, white and blue seven stripped horizontal flag with the cross of saint George in the upper left canton. The Earl of Essex flies only a single flag of the cross of saint George at the main, the Vice and Rear admiral in his squadron fly a saint George flag barred with blue stripes horizontal. The Vice Admiral of the Fleet to fly a green and white striped flag with the cross of saint George in the upper left canton main mast head and flag of saint George front mast head. The Vice and Rear Admirals in his squadron flew the same flags in their respective positions (proper masthead). The Rear Admiral of the Fleet to fly a green and white striped flag with the cross of saint George in the upper left canton main mast head and flag of saint George rear mast head. The Vice and Rear Admirals in his squadron flew plain white flags in their respective positions (main and front) and (main and Rear) mastheads.
Note: Originally discussions that took place before fleet was sent to Cadiz considered four colours to identify each squadron they were a plain flag tawny orange (orange squadron), a plain crimson flag (red) (crimson squadron), a plain blue flag (blue squadron) and a plain white flag (white squadron).
Vice and Rear Admirals' command flags in the Lord Admiral's squadron (1596) Included:
Vice and Rear Admirals' command flags in the General of the Army's (1596) Included:
Vice Admiral's and Rear Admiral's of the Fleet command flags (1596) Included:
Vice and Rear Admirals' command flags in the Rear Admiral's of the fleet squadrons (1596) Included:
Illustration of squadrons flagships depicting position of command flags (1596) Included: Lord Admiral's squadron
General of the Army's squadron
Vice Admiral's of the Fleet squadron
Rear Admiral's of the Fleet squadron
Admirals command flags expedition to Cadiz (1625) Included:
In 1625, there was a second Cádiz expedition in which the English fleet was divided into three coloured squadrons each commanded by an admiral of the red, white and blue. Perrin (1922) does note indicate what flag rank these officers were suffice to say there was no admiral of the red in existence until 1805 so we must assume they were vice admirals.
Admirals command flags expedition to attack Cadiz October (1625) Included:
Admiral of the Fleet and Commander-in-Chief's squadron
Vice Admiral of the Fleets squadron
Rear Admiral of the Fleets squadron
Admirals command flags at the Siege of Saint-Martin-de-Ré in (1627) Included:
Admiral of the Fleet and Commander-in-Chief's squadron
Vice Admiral of the Fleets squadron
Rear Admiral of the Fleets squadron
Additional squadrons in this expedition
Lord Denbigh's squadron