The Blue Ensign is a flag, one of several British ensigns, used by certain organisations or territories associated or formerly associated with the United Kingdom. It is used either plain or defaced with a badge or other emblem.
A blue field with the Union occupying one quarter of the field and placed in the canton.
RFA Brambleleaf flying the square Blue Jack based on the Blue Ensign
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.
Prior to the reorganisation of the Royal Navy in 1864, the plain blue ensign had been 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) is permitted to be worn, instead of the Red Ensign, by three categories of civilian vessel:[1]
British merchant vessels whose officers and crew include a certain number of retired Royal Navy personnel or Royal Naval Reservists, or are commanded by an officer of the Royal Naval Reserve in possession of a Government warrant. The number and rank of such crew members required has varied over the years, as have the additional conditions required, since the system was first introduced in 1864.
Royal Research Ships by warrant[a] whether crewed by former Royal Navy personnel or Merchant Navy personnel.
Permission for yachts to wear the blue ensign (and other special yachting ensigns) was suspended during both World War I and World War II.
Defaced Blue Ensignedit
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.[3]
Yachting Blue Ensigns defaced by 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:[4]
Blue Ensign worn as a jack by the Royal Canadian Navy 1921–1957 (with green maple leaves in the shield)
Blue Ensign worn as a jack by the Royal Canadian Navy 1957–1965 (with red maple leaves in the shield)
The ensign (1879–1928) and the jack (1928–1947) of the Royal Indian Navy (HM Indian Marine: 1879–1892, Royal Indian Marine: 1892–1934, Royal Indian Navy: 1934–1950):
Blue Ensign worn as an ensign (1879–1928) and a jack (1928–1947) of the Royal Indian Navy[6]
The badge in the flag consists of Mercury, the god of Commerce and Merchandise, presenting to Britannia, a fisherman who, in a kneeling attitude, is offering the harvest of all the sea. Above the device in a scroll are the words Terra Nova, and below the motto Hæc Tibi Dona Fero or "These gifts I bring thee." The seal was redesigned by Adelaine Lane, niece of Governor Sir Cavendish Boyle in 1903.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Blue ensigns.
Blue Ensign page on the "Flags of the World" website
UK, Naval, Government, Yacht clubs on flags.net
April 25, 2024
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For the Australian oil shale company see Blue Ensign Technologies The Blue Ensign is a flag one of several British ensigns used by certain organisations or territories associated or formerly associated with the United Kingdom It is used either plain or defaced with a badge or other emblem Blue EnsignUseState ensignProportion1 2AdoptedBritish GovernmentDesignA blue field with the Union occupying one quarter of the field and placed in the canton RFA Brambleleaf flying the square Blue Jack based on the Blue EnsignThe 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 and Wales with Scotland in the Kingdom of Great Britain thus producing a new Blue Ensign with 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 The modern Blue Ensign of the United Kingdom The British Blue Ensign 1707 1801 English Blue Ensign as it appeared in the seventeenth centuryContents 1 Plain Blue Ensign 2 Defaced Blue Ensign 3 Flags of the Crown Dependencies using defaced Blue Ensigns 4 Flags of British Overseas Territories using defaced Blue Ensigns 5 National flags based on the Blue Ensign 6 Other flags based on the Blue Ensign 7 See also 8 References 9 External linksPlain Blue Ensign editPrior to the reorganisation of the Royal Navy in 1864 the plain blue ensign had been 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 is permitted to be worn instead of the Red Ensign by three categories of civilian vessel 1 British merchant vessels whose officers and crew include a certain number of retired Royal Navy personnel or Royal Naval Reservists or are commanded by an officer of the Royal Naval Reserve in possession of a Government warrant The number and rank of such crew members required has varied over the years as have the additional conditions required since the system was first introduced in 1864 Royal Research Ships by warrant a whether crewed by former Royal Navy personnel or Merchant Navy personnel British registered yachts belonging to members of the following yacht clubs 2 Hornet Services Sailing Club Royal Naval Club and Royal Albert Yacht Club Royal Brighton Yacht Club Victoria Royal British Virgin Islands Yacht Club Royal Cinque Ports Yacht Club Royal Cruising Club Royal Dorset Yacht Club Royal Engineer Yacht Club Royal Geelong Yacht Club Victoria Royal Gourock Yacht Club Royal Highland Yacht Club Royal Marines Sailing Club Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron Victoria Royal Motor Yacht Club Royal Naval Sailing Association Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Yacht Club Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron Royal Perth Yacht Club Western Australia Royal Northern and Clyde Yacht Club Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club New Zealand Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron Royal Scottish Motor Yacht Club Royal Solent Yacht Club Royal South Australia Yacht Squadron Royal Southern Yacht Club Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron New South Wales Royal Temple Yacht Club Royal Thames Yacht Club Royal Victorian Motor Yacht Club Royal Welsh Yacht Club Royal Western Yacht Club of England Royal Western Yacht Club of Scotland Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania Royal Yacht Club of Victoria Sussex Motor Yacht Club The Cruising Association Permission for yachts to wear the blue ensign and other special yachting ensigns was suspended during both World War I and World War II Defaced Blue Ensign editSince 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 nbsp Aberdeen Harbour BoardBorder ForceBritish Antarctic SurveyBritish Broadcasting CorporationBritish Telecom and Cable amp Wireless nbsp Combined Cadet Force Naval Section Department of Trade and IndustryGeneral Post OfficeGlobal Marine Systems s cable ships nbsp Government Service Ensign nbsp His Majesty s Army Vessels nbsp His Majesty s CoastguardCommissioners of Irish LightsLloyd s of LondonMarine SocietyMersey Docks and Harbour Company nbsp Metropolitan PoliceMinistry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food nbsp Ministry of Defence PoliceMinistry of War Munitions nbsp Northern Lighthouse BoardOcean Weather ServiceOrdnance BoardPacific Cables BoardPort of London AuthorityRoyal Army Service CorpsRoyal Engineers Divers nbsp Royal Engineers nbsp Royal Fleet Auxiliary ServiceRoyal Hospital School nbsp Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service nbsp Royal Ulster Constabulary nbsp Scottish Government Marine Scotland nbsp Sea Cadet CorpsSubmarine Mining Service nbsp Welsh Government Marine and Fisheries DivisionRoyal Air Force marine vessels such as seaplane tenders flew a defaced blue ensign with an eagle and anchor 3 Yachting Blue Ensigns defaced by 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 4 Aldeburgh Yacht ClubArmy Sailing Association nbsp Bar Yacht ClubCity Livery Yacht Club nbsp HMS ConwayCruising Yacht Club of AustraliaHousehold Division Yacht Club nbsp Little Ship ClubLittle Ship Club Queensland Squadron nbsp Medway Yacht Club nbsp Old Worcesters Yacht ClubParkstone Yacht ClubRochester Cruising Yacht ClubRoyal Air Force Yacht ClubRoyal Akarana Yacht Club nbsp Royal Anglesey Yacht ClubRoyal Armoured Corps Yacht ClubRoyal Artillery Yacht ClubRoyal Australian Navy Sailing Association nbsp Royal Bermuda Yacht ClubRoyal Bombay Yacht ClubRoyal Burnham Yacht Club nbsp Royal Channel Islands Yacht Club nbsp Royal Corinthian Yacht Club nbsp Royal Cornwall Yacht ClubRoyal Dee Yacht Club nbsp Royal Forth Yacht ClubRoyal Fresh Water Bay Yacht Club nbsp Royal Gibraltar Yacht ClubRoyal Hamilton Yacht Club nbsp Royal Harwich Yacht ClubRoyal Hong Kong Yacht ClubRoyal Irish Yacht ClubRoyal Jamaica Yacht Club nbsp Royal London Yacht ClubRoyal Malta Yacht ClubRoyal Mersey Yacht Club nbsp Royal Motor Yacht Club of New South WalesRoyal Nassau Sailing ClubRoyal Natal Yacht ClubRoyal North of Ireland Yacht ClubRoyal Northumberland Yacht ClubRoyal Ocean Racing ClubRoyal Plymouth Corinthian Yacht ClubRoyal Prince Alfred Yacht ClubRoyal Prince Edward Yacht Club nbsp Royal Southampton Yacht ClubRoyal Suva Yacht Club nbsp Royal Torbay Yacht Club nbsp Royal Ulster Yacht ClubRoyal Welsh Yacht ClubRoyal Yorkshire Yacht ClubSevern Motor Yacht Club nbsp Sussex Yacht ClubThames Motor Yacht ClubThe Cruising AssociationThe House of Lords Yacht ClubThe Medway Yacht ClubThe Poole Harbour Yacht Club nbsp The Poole Yacht ClubFlags of the Crown Dependencies using defaced Blue Ensigns edit nbsp Government Ensign of Alderney nbsp Government Ensign of Guernsey nbsp Government Ensign of JerseyFlags of British Overseas Territories using defaced Blue Ensigns editCurrent flags nbsp Flag of Anguilla nbsp Government Ensign of Bermuda the flag commonly used on land is Bermuda s Red Ensign nbsp Flag of the British Virgin Islands nbsp Flag of the Cayman Islands nbsp Flag of the Falkland Islands nbsp Government Ensign of Gibraltar there is another flag not based on an ensign that is commonly used on land nbsp Flag of Montserrat nbsp Flag of the Pitcairn Islands nbsp Flag of Saint Helena nbsp Flag of the Turks and Caicos IslandsFormer flags The defaced blue ensign was formerly used as Flag of Bengal Presidency nbsp nbsp Bengal Presidency flag 1612 1947The flag of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony from 1937 to 1976 then the flag of the Gilbert Islands 1976 1979 The jack of the Royal Canadian Navy from its inception until the adoption of the Maple Leaf flag in 1965 5 The blue ensign was approved by the British Admiralty in 1868 for use by ships owned by the Canadian government nbsp nbsp Blue Ensign worn as a jack by the Royal Canadian Navy 1921 1957 with green maple leaves in the shield nbsp nbsp Blue Ensign worn as a jack by the Royal Canadian Navy 1957 1965 with red maple leaves in the shield The ensign 1879 1928 and the jack 1928 1947 of the Royal Indian Navy HM Indian Marine 1879 1892 Royal Indian Marine 1892 1934 Royal Indian Navy 1934 1950 nbsp nbsp Blue Ensign worn as an ensign 1879 1928 and a jack 1928 1947 of the Royal Indian Navy 6 nbsp Flag of the United States of the Ionian Islands a British amical protectorate 1815 1864 nbsp Flag of British Hong Kong 1870 1997 and the ensign of the Royal Hong Kong Police Force nbsp Flag of Weihaiwei 1903 1930 Newfoundland nbsp nbsp Newfoundland Blue Ensign 1870 1904 nbsp nbsp Newfoundland Blue Ensign 1904 1931 The badge in the flag consists of Mercury the god of Commerce and Merchandise presenting to Britannia a fisherman who in a kneeling attitude is offering the harvest of all the sea Above the device in a scroll are the words Terra Nova and below the motto Haec Tibi Dona Fero or These gifts I bring thee The seal was redesigned by Adelaine Lane niece of Governor Sir Cavendish Boyle in 1903 The ensign 1910 1928 of the Union of South Africa nbsp nbsp Blue Ensign flown over the Union s offices abroad 1910 1928National flags based on the Blue Ensign editThese include nbsp Flag of Australia nbsp Flag of New South Wales nbsp Flag of Queensland nbsp Flag of South Australia nbsp Flag of Tasmania nbsp Flag of Victoria nbsp Flag of Western Australia nbsp Flag of Fiji light blue nbsp Flag of New Zealand nbsp Flag of the Cook Islands nbsp Flag of Tuvalu light blue Other flags based on the Blue Ensign edit nbsp Flag of Ceylon Ensign of The Royal Hospital School nbsp George Rex Flag nbsp Tanganyika Territory blue ensign nbsp Fijian government ensign nbsp Fijian customs ensign nbsp Flag of Australasia team at the Olympic games nbsp Flag of the Blood 148 Kainai Nation of Alberta Canada Flag of Britain First PartySee also edit nbsp British Empire portal nbsp Heraldry portal nbsp United Kingdom portalAustralian flag debate Ensign Green Ensign Historical flags of the British Empire and the overseas territories New Zealand flag debate Red Ensign White EnsignReferences editNotes An individual warrant is issued by the Secretary of State for Defence for each ship Footnotes Naval Staff Directorate Naval Flags and Ensigns PDF p 12 Archived from the original PDF on 6 June 2014 Retrieved 1 January 2013 UK Ministry of Defence The Navy Directory 2019 PDF p 30 Retrieved 15 April 2021 RAF Marine Vessel Ensign Flying Colours Flagmakers Retrieved 9 January 2022 UK Ministry of Defence The Navy Directory 2019 PDF p 31 Retrieved 15 April 2021 Flags of the Royal Canadian Navy 1910 1965 Flags of the World British IndiaExternal links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Blue ensigns Blue Ensign page on the Flags of the World website UK Naval Government Yacht clubs on flags net Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Blue Ensign amp oldid 1211670358, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
