Australian white ensign

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Australian White Ensign
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Australian white ensign
Federation Star
.

The Australian white ensign (also known as the Australian naval ensign or the Royal Australian Navy ensign) is a naval

white ensign as their ensign. However, this led to situations where Australian vessels were mistaken for British ships, and when Australia became involved in the Vietnam War
, the RAN was effectively fighting under the flag of another, uninvolved nation. Proposals were made in 1965 for a unique Australian ensign, which was approved in 1966, and entered use in 1967.

The Australian white ensign is identical in design to the

Southern Cross
.

History

Before

white ensign.[2]

The British White Ensign was used as the ensign of the Royal Australian Navy from 1911 to 1967 Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag

During the early 1900s, several

British Admiralty wanted them to fly the British White Ensign.[1][3] Suggested Australian ensigns included the British ensign defaced with a blue Commonwealth Star, or a variant of the Australian national flag.[4] Australian warships used the national flag as an ensign until the formal creation of the RAN from the Commonwealth Naval Forces on 10 July 1911: ships were ordered to fly the British ensign, while the Australian flag was used as a jack to identify their nationality.[4][5]

Australian warships regularly found themselves mistaken for their British counterparts.[6] One attempt to alleviate this was made by the executive officer of HMAS Anzac during the Korean War, when he had a kangaroo-shaped 'weathervane' made and mounted to the destroyer's mainmast: this became the basis for the red kangaroo symbol fixed to the funnels or superstructure of major RAN vessels.[7][8]

The design of the national flag of Australia (top) was the basis of the Australian White Ensign (bottom)

Queen Elizabeth II on 7 November 1966, and its creation was formally announced by Prime Minister Holt on 23 December 1966.[1]

The official changeover occurred on 1 March 1967, with all ships and establishments hoisting the new flag that day.[9] The date was brought forward from 1 May 1967 to correspond with the commissioning of the chartered cargo ship Boonaroo, which became the first ship commissioned under the new ensign.[1][11] However, the frigate HMAS Stuart was the first to use the ensign, when the ship's company unofficially flew the flag on 25 December 1966 as part of shipboard Christmas Day celebrations while deployed to the Far East Strategic Reserve.[9] Only two RAN ships served in conflict under both the old and new ensigns: the aircraft carrier (later troopship) HMAS Sydney and the destroyer HMAS Vendetta.[12]

Design and use

The Australian White Ensign has been used in the first quarter of the Australian Navy Cadet Ensign since 1972.

The flag is white, with the

fly in the same manner as the national flag, but in blue instead of white.[4]

Regulations for the use of the Australian White Ensign are detailed in Australian Book of Reference (ABR) 1834 Volume III.[citation needed] Although the flag is normally reserved for use by commissioned warships of the RAN, special dispensation has been granted to the museum vessels HMAS Vampire and HMAS Onslow,[13] The sail training ship Young Endeavour[14] as a non-commissioned ship in Naval service wears the AWE.

The Blue Ensign of the Australian Navy Cadets uses the Australian White Ensign in the canton.

Battle ensign

During battle, commissioned ships of the RAN will fly a large Australian white ensign at the foremast of single masted ships, and at the mainmast of two masted ships.[15]

Citations

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Royal Australian Navy, Australian White Ensign
  2. ^ Frame, No Pleasure Cruise, p. 54
  3. ^ Foley, The Australian Flag, pp. 133–4
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Foley, The Australian Flag, p. 134
  5. ^ Frame, No Pleasure Cruise, p. 96
  6. ^ a b Kwan, Flag and Nation, p. 110
  7. ^ Cassells, The Destroyers, pp. 11–12
  8. ^ Perryman, John. "The Origin of RAN Squadron and National Insignia". History – Traditions. Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
  9. ^ a b c Cooper, in Stevens, The Royal Australian Navy, p. 204
  10. ^ Kwan, Flag and Nation, pp. 110–11
  11. ^ Cooper, in Stevens, The Royal Australian Navy, p. 205
  12. ^ Fairfax, Navy in Vietnam, p. 169
  13. ^ Shaw and HMAS Vampire. p. 22
  14. ^ Frame, No Pleasure Cruise, p. 271
  15. ^ Battle Ensigns, Ray Morris, 9 March 2006, John Perryman, Senior Naval Historical Officer, Royal Australian Navy, Sea Power Centre – Australia

References

Books
Websites
Wikimedia Commons has media related to White ensigns of Australia.
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