Blue Ensign

The Blue Ensign is a British flag. It consists of a blue cloth with the Union Jack in the naval jack, the blue of the cloth the same color tone as the Union Jack. The Blue Ensign is used in the UK since 1864 as a service flag to the sea and is the basis of many flags of the Commonwealth of Nations.

The Blue Ensign dates from the 17th century and originally contained the flag of England in the upper mast -gon. Since the union with Scotland in 1707, the Union Jack is used instead of the English flag, which was initially a mixture of the English flag and the Scottish flag. With the integration of Ireland on 1 January 1801 the Irish St. Patrick's Cross, a red cross of St. Andrew came on a white background, add.

Until the fleet reform in 1864 was the Blue Ensign as one of the 3 flags of the British Royal Navy led ( Blue Squadron ). Since 1865 also dependent territories and colonies were allowed to make the Blue Ensign with its own coat of arms (badge ) and run as a service flag. Since then, British vessels fly the Red Ensign as a merchant flag and the White Ensign as Seekriegsflagge.

Examples of Blue Ensigns

British Overseas Territories

Historic Blue Ensigns

  • Historical flag of Elliceinseln to 1978
  • Historical Flag of Fiji to 1970
  • Historical flag of Gambia to 1965
  • Historical flag of Ghana to 1957
  • Historical flag of the Gilbert Islands to 1979
  • Historical flag of Grenada until 1967
  • Historical flag of Guyana to 1966
  • Historical flag of Hong Kong to 1997
  • Historical flag of British India until 1947
  • Historical flag of Jamaica until 1962
  • Historical flag of Canada to 1965
  • Historical flag of Kenya to 1963
  • Historical flag of Malawi until 1963
  • Historical flag of Malta until 1947
  • Historical flag of Mauritius until 1968
  • Historical flag of Nigeria to 1960
  • Historical flag Northern Rhodesia until 1963
  • Historical flag of Sarawak to 1963
  • Historical flag of South Africa to 1928
  • Historical flag South Yemen until 1963
  • Historical flag of Southern Rhodesia until 1964 (light blue until 1968 )
  • Historical flag of Uganda until 1962
  • Historical flag of the Central African Federation to 1963
  • Historical flag of Cyprus until 1960

Current national and provincial flags

  • Flag of Cook Islands

Other variants

Acts of Union 1707 Acts of Union 1800 Saltire Civil ensign Flag and coat of arms of the Pitcairn Islands Flag of Saint Helena The Gambia British Raj Flag of Tuvalu Flag of New Zealand Flag of the Cook Islands Flag of Wales Green Ensign Flag of Northern Ireland Flag of Scotland Flag of Ascension Island Flag of Bermuda Flag of the British Antarctic Territory Flag of Gibraltar Flag of Tristan da Cunha Flag of Guernsey Flag of Jersey
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