|
British White Ensign - St. George's
SKU: BWE35P
The British White Ensign which is correctly known as St. George's Ensign is based on the national flag of England. It depicts a large red St. George's cross against a white field with the Union Flag in the upper canton..White Ensigns were first recorded in the 16th century in the form of a white field with a broad St. George's cross, and a second smaller cross in the canton. By 1630 however, the large cross had dissappeared leaving only a white field with St. George's cross in the canton. In 1707 the Royal Navy reintroduced the St.George's cross to the field of the flag but with a more subtle presentation. They also inserted the Union Flag into the canton. When the Act of Union amalgamated the Kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland in 1801, the Union Jack was amended to include St.Patrick's Cross. Also a request form the Admiralty to darken the blue field of the Union Flag resulted was adopted. A new Union Flag meant that Britain's red, white and blue ensigns would each have to be updated. Throughout this period, the Royal Navy used White Ensigns in conjunction with Red and Blue Ensigns to display naval rank. Each grade of admiralty flew a red blue or white ensign to display their rank with ships in that admiral's squadron also flying the correct coloured ensign. This practise was ended in 1864 when an order-in-council declared the British White Ensign the sole ensign of the Royal Navy, the blue ensign for the Royal Naval Reserve and the Red Ensign for the Merchant Navy. The Royal Australian Navy, the Royal Canadian Navy and the Royal New Zealand Navy each were born sailing under the St. George's ensign together with a blue version known as a jack. As the Dominions matured to nationhood, they personalized the ensign to reflect their own identity. The Royal Navies of Australia and New Zealand retained St.Georges Ensign and added to it their own Southern Cross emblems similar to the Blue Ensign each uses as their National Flag. The navies of Commonwealth members India and Barbados retained St. George's Cross but have inserted their own national flags in the canton. Canada retired the British White Ensign in 1965, replacing it in 1968 with the Canadian Forces Ensign and the Canadian Forces Naval Jack.
Try these related products:
St. George's Cross Flag (England)
United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland Flag
Canadian Forces Naval Jack
Send Page To a Friend
Gift Reminder
Return to Catalog
| 
Canada Flag Mart 
