The Americas (Excluding Canada and Caribbean)

The United States of America

King's Regimental Colours of the American Revolution War 1776

2nd New Hampshire Regiment

"These two flags of the Second New Hampshire Regiment are among the few American flags in existence that were captured during the Revolutionary War. They were lost July 8, 1777, to the British near Fort Anne, New York, when ammunition ran out after a brave defence in which the Ninth British Regiment of Foot were themselves nearly captured. The Americans retreated to General Schuyler's headquarters at Fort Edward, but Lt. Colonel Hill, the English commander, ended up with their flags and took them to England. They remained there with his descendants until 1912, when they were bought and presented to the New Hampshire Historical Society."

Randy Young

Lexington flag
In The Oxford Companion to Ships & the Sea, 1976:

'... The first Lexington was the brigantine Wild Duck purchased by Congress and renamed Lexington in 1776. Under the command of John Barry she avoided the British frigate Roebuck which was just inside the entrance to Delaware Bay and succeeded in reaching the open sea. Off Cape Charles, Va, she captured the sloop Edward, a tender of the British frigate Liverpool, manned by a crew of twenty nine men of the British Navy, the first prize brought into the port of Philadelphia...'

Westmoreland County (Colonel John Proctor's 1st Battalion)

Tradition holds that the flag above was made in 1775 at Hanna's Town from a pre-existing British standard. The flag measures seventy-six inches by seventy inches. The field of the flag is red silk. The canton in the upper right hand corner consists of individual pieces of red, white and blue silk and forms two crosses indicating that the inhabitants of Westmoreland County still considered themselves loyal subjects of King George III. In the centre of the field is a rattlesnake coiled to strike. The snake' s thirteen rattles signify the American colonies. The rattlesnake device is painted directly on the silk, as is the lettering and decorative scrollwork. The painting was obviously done by a skilled artisan. The gold banner is lettered in black, "DON'T. TREAD. UPON. ME."; the first two letters of the word UPON have flaked away over the years. Unlike the rattlesnake on other early flags, the snake on the Proctor flag faces right toward the symbol of the British empire. Above the snake is the monogram of John Proctor and the letters, "I. B. W. C. P.", 1st Battalion, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania or Provincials.
The flag was not flown from a pole. The staff was inserted through the sleeve on the canton side of the flag and carried by the colour bearer of the battalion. It was designated the official flag of Westmoreland County in 1973, the county's bicentennial year. http://www.clanhannay.us/flag.html

The Westmoreland Historical Society is selling this 3 x 5 foot flag for the rather exorbitant price of $62.95 and $5.95 S&H considering its simply printed on nylon and is the official flag of Westmoreland County.

Pennsylvania Light Horse

This flag belongs to the First Troop, Philadelphia Light Horse. The colours are listed as: "Bright yellow field, silver fringe. Union Jack as in the Continental Colours; bay horse with a white star on the forehead on the crest; gold knot and radiating ribbons on a blue shield, silver ribbons below and on the border around the shield; silver letters L.H. (Light Horse). Supporters: a rosy-cheeked Indian, his kilt with gold and red feathers, red headdress, gold quiver with blue strap, buff moccasins; an angel with bluish wing, purple robe and golden trumpet."

The narrative:

"Captain Abraham Markoe gave this flag to the troop in 1775. For many years it was believed to be the earliest flag of stripes in the United States, but close examination of the original proves that the stripes were added over the existing Union Jack canton. The 'Continental masquerading as an Indian' holding a staff with a liberty cap and the trumpeting angel symbolized liberty and fame."

Randy Young, 11 February 2001

Regimental Colours of the 3rd Battalion, Lincoln Militia

Lodged in the Officers’ Mess in Lake Street Armoury are the Regimental Colours of the 3rd Battalion, Lincoln Militia. They were presented at Jordan, probably on 28 June 1853, at the annual Militia muster. Painted in gold are unofficial 1812 Battle Honours: Queenston, Stoney Creek, Beach Woods, Fort Schlosser, Black Rock. Fort Niagara, Buffalo, Chippawa, Lundy’s Lane, Fort Erie. As with all Regimental items, they are in the safe keeping of the Regimental Foundation and carried on the inventory of the Regimental Museum.

Newport Light Infantry

This flag belongs to the Newport Light Infantry from Rhode Island. The colours are listed as "the union as in the Grand Union Flag; blue field; gold scrolls, anchor, G.R., flourishes, America's gown, liberty cap and chains; green leaves on the liberty pole."

"This company was formed in the fall of 1774 to improve upon 'the low State of Military Discipline' in Rhode Island. One of its sponsors, Henry Marchant, wrote to John Hancock on November 5, 1774, to inquire about obtaining arms and colours for the company: 'It is desired their Colours should be made of the neatest, best Silk of a blue Ground with the Union in One Corner, and upon a Square in the centre it is my idea to have a Female Figure representing the Genius of America Standing erect with a Staff in her Right Hand and the Cap of Liberty upon the top of it... under her Feet, the Chains of Slavery. The following Motto in some proper Place: Patria Cara, Carior Libertas [Our County is dear, but Liberty is dearer]. And, if a proper Place can be found, to have the Colony Arms, being no more than a plain Anchor. What is desired of Mr. Hancock is that he would... apply to Mr. [John Singleton] Copley to know what he would undertake to furnish the silk and to paint Them [the Colours]...' But Mr. Copley had left for London, so the colours were probably made in Newport."

Randy Young, 3 February 2001

Grand Union Flag- The First US Flag

The Grand Union Flag, also known as the Congress flag, the First Navy Ensign, the Cambridge Flag, and the Continental Colours, is considered to be the first national flag of the United States. This flag consisted of 13 red and white stripes with the British Union Flag of the time (prior to the inclusion of St. Patrick's cross of Ireland) in the canton.

The flag was first flown on December 3, 1775 by John Paul Jones (then a Continental Navy lieutenant) on the ship Alfred in Philadelphia). The Alfred flag has been credited to Margaret Manny. It was used by the American Continental forces as a naval ensign and garrison flag in 1776 and early 1777. It is widely believed that the flag was raised by George Washington's army on New Year's Day 1776 at Prospect Hill in Charlestown (now part of Somerville), near his headquarters at Cambridge, Massachusetts, and that the flag was interpreted by British observers as a sign of surrender. Recent scholarship disputes this traditional account, concluding that the flag raised at Prospect Hill was most likely a British union flag.

The design of the Grand Union flag is similar to the flag of the British East India Company (BEIC). Indeed, certain BEIC designs in use since 1707 (when the canton was changed from the flag of England to that of Great Britain) were identical, as the number of stripes varied from 9 to 15. That BEIC flags were potentially well known by the American colonists has been the basis of a theory of the origin of the Grand Union flag's design.

The Flag Act of 1777 authorized as the official national flag a design similar to that of the Grand Union, with thirteen stars (representing the original thirteen U.S. states) on a field of blue replacing the British Union flag in the canton. The overlap of crosses in the canton was symbolic of two kingdoms, England and Scotland; this practice of displaying the equal components called states in America, was adopted in the form of stars, suggesting universalism, aside from the rather limiting usage to be had from continually adding crosses, no crosses being distinctly representative per colony-cum-commonwealth/state (unlike St. George for England, St. Andrew for Scotland and, later St. Patrick for Ireland).

Today the Grand Union flag is often included as the "first flag" in displays of U.S. flag history, such as on the backdrop of Presidential inaugurations.

232nd raising of "Grand Union" flag at Prospect Hill (shown centre). The Grand Union Flag flies on the right with multiple British and loyalist regimental colours at Fort Stanwix.

Flags flown in support of troops

The flags are being flown as a show of support for both the American and British troops in Iraq.

The first two flags of the United States

A replica Grand Union Flag flying outside City Hall in San Francisco, California and another on the pier

New England

 
Second Flag of New England, c.1707?-1775

When the American Revolutionary War broke out in 1775, the Massachusetts Militia Men remembered their flag and modified it by removing the Cross of St. George and enlarging the Pine Tree. This flag is depicted in the famous painting by Jonathan Trumbell of "The Battle of Bunker Hill," which he painted in 1785, after the war was over. Trumbell was an officer in the Revolutionary Army and was in Massachusetts at the time of the battle, but he did not participate in that battle. http://www.midcoast.com/~martucci/flags/NEFlag.html

Lord Baltimore's flag, Colony of Maryland

The Calvert Arms/King's Colours has the antique gold and black diamonds of the Calvert coat of arms as the field. The Calverts were the Lords Baltimore, lords proprietors of the Royal Colony of Maryland. This is the same design that is used in the first and fourth quarters of the flag of the State of Maryland. The King's Colours of 1606 is used as the canton, yielding a black, gold, red, white, and blue flag.   William M. Grimes-Wyatt

British Governor of Virginia

Three British flags in the entrance hall of the Governor of Virginia's Palace. 

Taunton, Massachusetts

First Raised at Taunton Massachusetts in 1774. The Boston Evening Post of Monday 24 October 1774 reported that 'We have just received the following intelligence from Taunton – that on Friday last a liberty pole 112 feet long was raised there on which a vane, and a Union flag flying with the words LIBERTY and UNION thereon.'

Applique sewn letters visible on both sides (mirrored) sold for $60 by easy_flags

Captain Baker's San Felipe Flag

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Baker's Flag of San Felipe. According to the Telegraph and Texas Register, San Felipe, 5 Mar 1836 "....the English Jack showing the origin of Anglo-Americans, thirteen stripes representing that most of the colonists in Texas are from the United States; the Star is Texas, the only state in Mexico retaining the least spark of the light of Liberty; tricolour is Mexican, showing that we once belonged to the confederacy; the whole flag is historic."

It was dubbed the San Felipe flag and based on ideas expressed to Gail Borden Jr. by Stephen F. Austin in the enclosure to a letter from New Orleans of 18 Jan 1836: "I shall preach independence all over the US wherever I go--What do you think of the inclosed (sic) idea of a flag." The flag was presented to the company of volunteers commanded by Captain Moseley Baker (John P. Borden, 1st. Lt.) by Gail Borden Jr. in the name of "two ladies" from the area as they marched from San Felipe 29 Feb 1836 for Gonzales. Capt. Baker made a speech to his company in response to the presentation referring to the flag "this banner of independence." He said "first in your hands is placed the Texas flag; let you be the last to see it strike to the invading foe! Let no other feeling ever glow in your bosom than that expressed in the motto on your banner, 'Our Country's Rights or Death.'.....Let us all raise our hands to heaven and swear, 'The Texas flag shall wave triumphant or we will sleep in death!'" It was claimed to have been flown at San Jacinto by those in Sherman's division. http://www.tamu.edu/ccbn/dewitt/indepenflgs.htm

Hawai'i (Sandwich Islands)

US President Obama, like his father, grew up under a flag blessed with the Union flag in the canton. 

The flag of Hawaii is the official standard symbolising Hawaii as a U.S. state, as it previously had as a kingdom, protectorate, republic, and territory. It is the only state flag of the United States to have been flown under so many various forms of government and the only one to feature the Union Flag of the United Kingdom, dating when Hawaii considered itself a British protectorate (1794–1843).

There are various accounts of the earliest history of the flag of Hawaii. One relates how King Kamehameha I flew a British flag, probably a Red Ensign, given to him by British explorer Captain George Vancouver as a token of friendship with King George III. Subsequent visits reported seeing the flag flying from places of honour. An adviser to Kamehameha noted that the Union Flag could draw Hawaii into international conflict as his kingdom could be seen as an ally of the United Kingdom, and he subsequently lowered the Union Flag over his home. While disputed as historically accurate, one account of events that followed stated that in order to placate American interests during the War of 1812, a flag of the United States was raised over Kamehameha's home only to be removed when British officers in the court of Kamehameha vehemently objected to it. This account then explains why the resulting flag of Hawaii was a deliberate hybrid of the two nations' flags. In 1816, Kamehameha commissioned his own flag to avoid conflict. As a result, the current flag of Hawaii was born. Historians attribute its design to an officer of the Royal Navy (some credit Alexander Adams, others George Beckley), based on a form of the British naval flag.
1st Flag Sent to US after overthrow of Queen Liliuokalani

I was alerted to this astonishing flag being sold on eBay by Mr. Clay Moss. 12'x 24' feet.... Makers cloth tag reads: W.W. AHANA HONOLULU. It is all-sewn and all wool exept for the cotton hoist border with a wood toggle and rope sewn into sleeve. Has several holes and general wear.
This was part of the Tumbling Waters Museum which sold out the collection in the early 80s to the Heritage Society because of financial difficulty in keeping the museum running.

This "Trophy Flag" was the gift of Mr Frederick W Job of Chicago to the Chicago Historical Society in 1928. He had been the Consul General to Hawaii in the early 1890s and the "remarks" on the document copy the seller has states: "FIRST FLAG SENT TO THE UNITED STATES AFTER THE HAWAIIAN REPUBLIC WAS ESTABLISHED FOLLOWING THE OVERTHROW OF QUEEN LILIUOKALANI IN 1893." (note that on the document from the Chicago Historical Society, they list the flag as being from 1893, but that was the year of the takeover. The Hawaiian Republic was established the following year, in 1894.)

All-cotton 3 X 5 ft flag with gold fringe by Bulldog

Flags of 1845-1898 and 1898-1960

Queen Liliuokalani's Royal Standard 1838-1917

Queen Lili‘uokalani was the last monarch of the Hawaiian Islands. She reigned from 1891 to 1893. Unfortunately for her, American businessmen and settlers overthrew her royal government and established a puppet constitutional monarchy supported by the American military. In 1898, Hawaii was completely annexed by the United States and she was forced to give up her throne. She would spend the rest of her life trying to regain her title, her people's rights, and protecting their traditions. This flag has been identified as Queen Liliuokalani's Royal Standard.

The flag was basically the Hawaiian Kingdom's flag with the addition of Queen Liliuokalani's emblem on the fly. The emblem has a crown above a yellow shield having her initial and the Hawaiian word of "ONIPAA" in red on it. Usually, the Hawaiian word "Onipa`a" is translated as "hold fast," or "steadfast," and comes from Queen Liliuokalani's motto "E Onipaa Kakou" (Let us all be steadfast). http://www.loeser.us/flags/spanish.html

Royal Hawaiian Naval Ensign

According to the Rev. Michael B. Smith, this is an 1887 variant and

I have had 12 of these manufactured by Annin & Co. for my personal use, all are 4'x6' nylon. One is at the Iolani Palace Museum, Honolulu, HI

http://www.nava.org/NAVA%20Membership/FlagRegistry.htm

According to David Prothero in The Colours of the Fleet, there has also been an Hawaiian naval ensign consisting of red and white stripes. On 21 January 1887 the Hawaiian government bought a 15 year old British copra steamer and converted it into a gunboat and training ship, commissioning it as HHMS KAIMILOA (the local translation of its original name Explorer). The King asked his friend Isobel Strong (the step daughter of Robert Louis Stevenson) to design an ensign. She defaced the Hawaiian flag with a white rectangle bearing a yellow shield bearing in turn a poloulu crossed with two red kahili, to symbolise the king and the princess heir apparent. A jack of red, white and blue stripes was also flown. The ship and the Hawaiian navy ceased to exist within a year.

British Guiana (Guyana)

 

Ancient 17"x36" red ensign

Photo of badge on white disc taken at flag display in ICV 19 (York, July 2001). The original flag is from Clay Moss collection. According to the display catalogue: "The motto translates as: "We give and seek in return." This version may have been unofficial or its origin is not clear. Dov Gutterman, 31 July 2001 http://www.fotw.net/flags/gy_hist.html

5 feet by 3 feet by Bulldog

Merchant Ensign and Governor's Flag

Martin Grieve

British Honduras (Belize)1919-1981

From the John Marwood collection

 The badge that defaced the blue ensign of British Honduras Colony was one of the more attractive designs of it's (sic) time. It is partitioned into three sectors, the first containing the Union flag, the second, a set of logging tools, and the third displays what was very common on British Colonial flags in the Caribbean at that time. This is a sailing ship which represents the transportation of mahogany wood which British Honduras was famous for. Gordon and Gordon's 1920's classic flag book, "Flags of the world" tells us: "British Honduras is the mahogany colony and it announces the fact in it's [sic] badge, a third of which is occupied by the mahogany feller's tools including the cross-cut saw; while at the base is a barque with a red ensign and in the other third is the Union Jack which in the seal is replaced by the more appropriate mahogany tree."

It is most unusual for a very pro-British empire flag book to utter the words that the Union Jack was replaced by anything more appropriate! An extract from the "Flag Bulletin" pertaining to the new flag of Belize on page 143 of vol. XX:5 dated September-October 1981 reads: "The different elements combining to form the national flag may be dated back as far as the early nineteenth century. At that time the local population was self-governing, since the territory was claimed by Spain and the British did no more than to insist on the right to cut timber. A public meeting in 1819 saw the creation of the coat of arms for use on the seal, the die for which arrived from London two years later. In 1907 the design was confirmed by the College of Arms as the official Armorial bearings of what was then called British Honduras." On the graphics side, we decided to look into a great many flag books which depicted the badge detail, and settled on three sources. These were:
1.) Flags of Maritime Nations, 1912
2.) Das Grossen Flaggenbuch, 1939 (1992 facsimile)
3.) BR20, Flags of all Nations 1958.
 There are some noticable differences between these three publications, although it could be said that these are very minor. The greatest cause for concern is the proportions of the Union flag in the first sector, which has the ratio of 2:3, 3:5 and 1:2 in the respective sequence from the publications listed above. What is the best? That depends on what you prefer of course, but Das Grossen Flaggenbuch will form the base image of our badge detail with the logging implements from Maritime Nations. There should be a sunset between the clouds and the sea, coloured pink but strangely omitted from Flaggenbuch, and so we shall add this detail as both BR20 and Marime Nations depict this.
David Prothero informs me that the badge was used from 1870 to 1981, one of the longest, if not the longest use of the same colonial badge. The white disc was supposed to have been removed in 1919. That is a time span of 111 years, and I cannot find anything here to beat that. Martin Grieve

Red Ensign

Governor General's Flag

 12 x 6 inches

Mosquito Coast

Mosquito Coast flag, 1834-1860

Mosquito Coast Royal Standard

Bermuda

 1942 flag

1947 flag
 Being presented.

 

An early sewn cloth flag of Bermuda, the Red Ensign (with the Union Flag in the upper left corner) with the coat of arms of Bermuda colour-printed onto a white disc in the right half of the flag. [No place of manufacture, but probably the United Kingdom: no date but possibly 1910-1930]. Small label with ’98 – 52’ written by hand in ink, stamp to cloth strip at left margin, the first part is indistinct the second is the word ‘Bermuda’, with integral rope to allow for the hoisting of the flag.  Dimensions: 52 x 100 ½ inches (including strip at left margin)

 90" by 30"

9 feet by 4 feet

From personal collection; 54" x 27"

Derivation from 1960s

[T]he Bermudan red ensign was locally used with a white disc in the 1960-1970ies. António Martins

Bermuda red ensign with the shield on a disk based on a photo of the same flag that was recently up for auction on e-bay. In the photo, I can see what appears to be an Annin label in the heading. The shield in the photo is trimmed in yellow gold which is itself held in a thin red holding line. This image accurately mimics a couple of other Bermuda red ensigns with disks that I have personally seen, which had black holding lines around the shield down to the grassy area. They were fairly old, and apparently British made as per their proportions and headings. Clay Moss

Bermuda, uniquely among British overseas territories, uses the Red Ensign as its land flag, which apparently has been flown unofficially since Bermuda's arms were granted in 1910. The white and green shield has a red lion holding a scrolled shield showing the sinking of the ship Sea Venture one mile off the coast of Bermuda in 1609. The ship struck a reef after being caught in a hurricane. The Red Ensign is likely to have been chosen as Bermuda's land flag due to Canadian influence.

104" (264cm) x 50" (127cm) with Jute Rope & Bronze Inglefield clips. Shows pool of water at bottom in shield

10` x 5` with what appears to be a pool as well

The current Edition of BR20 doesn't show any such puddle, neither does the change number 5 nor change number 1 to the previous Edition, and BR20 (does after all) set the official standard. Not that this is in any way definitive but just as a matter of interest, a quick glance at Znamierowski (1999), Pedersen (1970) and the Flaggenbuch (1939) doesn't show any pool either. It would thus appear that there should be no water below the lion's feet on the current badge, and evidence would strongly suggest that there never was (at least officially). Christopher Southworth

From huge personal flag, all sewn

Bermuda flag at Olympic Games

Postcard showing the flags of the United Kingdom, Dominion of Canada and Bermuda

Bermuda Government Ensign

Glorious high quality cotton flag; all sewn with gold fringe. 4x6 Feet

With the Bermuda Police Service flag

Pre-1999 Bermuda Blue Ensign intended for government use made by Annin & Co., and bears their makers mark. They are America’s oldest and largest flag company. The use of 200 denier Oxford weave nylon and the style of the badge depicting the Bermudan arms on the fly would indicate that the flag was made after the widespread introduction of nylon in the 1970s and before the modification of the arms in 1999.

The badge on the flag displays the white ocean, highlighted blue, and the light blue skyline found on flags produced prior to 1999 when the ocean was changed to blue and the shade of the sky line was darkened.

The arms display the red fimbriation, or red border, commonly found on the Bermuda Blue Ensigns made by Annin. This is a result of the using the Bermudan arms pre-printed for insertion into the more commonly used Bermuda Red Ensign. This is a common economy measure utilized by flag companies as it allows them to avoid creating a separate set of screens for a flag not ordered in sufficient quantity to justify the expense. This creates an unofficial manufactures variant, which has never-the-less, been confirmed through use.

 Bermuda stamps (featuring Governor's flag)

What appears to be the Bermudan Governor's flag on the right from a National Geographic article in the February 1937 issue titled "Changing Berlin".

 Remembrance Day 2010

Colours of the Bermuda Regiment

Royal Bermuda Yacht Club

From page 86 of Graham Bartram's British Flags & Emblems
Royal Bermuda Yacht Club Signal Flags Yardarm in a 1939 Ad

 

Grenada

 

Dated around 1939 measuring 225.1 cm by 108.3 cm

 

Flag left behind by 2 Para after the battle for Goose Green

Falkland Islands

1876-1948

 

Michael Palin at the Falkland Islands Museum, Port Stanley with the ensign featuring the 'Bullock Triumphant, 'approved in 1876. "It was based on the existing seal which had been designed when, 'wild cattle were the dominating feature of the Colony'. I have an idea that it was also a punning reference to a Captain Bullock who was involved in the early history of the Falkland Islands." David Prothero

 1925 - 1948

Pre 1999 flags

Cllr. White raises the Falkland Islands flag with: Madam Mayor, Cllr. Lynden Thorpe and the Mayor's Consort; Andrew Rosindell MP; Sukey Cameron, Falkland Islands Government UK Representative; and military representatives. 

  

 Lying at 10 Downing Street to mark the 30th anniversary of the liberation of the islands from Argentine fascist occupation.

Opened in 1983, the Falkland Islands Government Office aims to raise awareness of the Islands and represent the interests of the Falkland Islands Government and people, targeting government, members of Parliament, media and the general public in the UK.

Governor of the Falkland Islands

THE RECOVERY OF THE FALKLAND ISLANDS FLAG 1982

I was a young Stoker serving onboard HMS ACTIVE. ... Two days after the Argentinean surrender the ACTIVE was anchored in Port William, a sea inlet adjacent to Port Stanley, with many of the ships that had been involved it the conflict. Volunteers were sought from our crew to proceed ashore to sort mail in an improvised sorting office or provide a gash collection party. ... Once the lorry was emptied we were given five minutes to skirmish through the “Spoils of war” and soon I found myself walking over piles of ammunition, discarded kit and dismantled weapons. I discovered a rucksack on a pile of kit and on closer inspection found personal effects, rosily beads, pictures and letters and beneath a flag. The flag appeared to be a union jack and once unrolled a crest appeared in the centre. ... The offer of £20 and a 4.5 pistol in exchange for the flag was quickly turned down and off I went with my prize. I have since discovered that the flag, which measures 4ft X 6ft, was used for ceremonial purposes and was most likely stolen from the Drawing room sideboard of Government House in Stanley shortly after the Argentine occupation. How the flag arrived on the dump? I believe that the surrendering forces abandoned their kit on the streets of Stanley and this was bulldozed by the British forces eventually ending up on the dump at Stanley. I still have the flag and several people have commented on its probable value. For me the true value or more importantly "Cost" could never be calculated and to that end the flags is destined to be passed down my family line with my memories of 1982. Mick Procter http://www.falklands25.com/memories.php

Naval Party 8901 of the Royal Marines raising the Governor's flag outside Government House, formally ending the war against Argentine fascism on June 15.

 

From my personal collection

Above my classroom door 

Bizarre "Governor General's flag"sold on eBay- Given that the Falklands is directly administered by the Crown, such a position is nonsensical. Nevertheless, it certainly appears that this flag was made to order.

Falklands flag taking pride of place in my classroom for 25th anniversary of the Liberation of the islands from Argentine aggression.

Statue of a Falklands' Marine Yomper, outside the former Marine barracks, Eastney, Portsmouth.

The interior of Christ Church bears a number of reminders, in the form of plaques and flags of the events of 1982 and of the liberation of the Falklands from fascist Argentinian aggression by British forces. The photo on the right shows the Globe Tavern in Stanley

Tristan da Cunha

Image from page 13 of Graham Bartram's British Flags & Emblems.

http://www.tristandc.com/newsabroad.php

Graham Bartram himself designed this flag, adopted on October 20, 2002 in a proclamation made by the Governor of Saint Helena under a Royal Warrant granted by Queen Elizabeth II. Prior to this, as a dependency of Saint Helena, Tristan da Cunha used the Flag of Saint Helena for official purposes. The flag is a blue ensign design, defaced with the Coat of Arms of Tristan da Cunha- a Tristan longboat above a Naval Crown, with a central shield decorated with four yellow-nosed Albatrosses and flanked by two Tristan rock lobsters. Below this is a scroll with the territory's motto, Our faith is our strength.

South Georgia and Sandwich Islands

Governor's Flag

Flying over King Edward Point in 2010

 Ascension  Island

British Antarctic Territory

The flag for use on land is a white ensign (without cross) with the arms of the territory, quite large, in the fly. The flag is for flying at British Antarctic bases (which previously flew the British flag) and at the British Antarctic Survey headquarters in Cambridge, England. I have also suggested that it be flown at the Discovery Centre in Dundee, where the RRS Discovery is moored, next to an Antarctic exploration museum. The RRS Discovery was the ship that first carried Captain Scott to the pole in 1901 and on further expeditions. She is the ship that forms the crest of the arms of the British Antarctic Territory.     Graham Bartram

British Antarctic Territory Government Ensign

 The blue ensign is still in use. I know this as I am a consultant to the Foreign Office Polar Regions Section. The blue ensign with shield remains the government ensign of the British Antarctic Territory and is therefore flown by vessels undertaking work on behalf of the British Antarctic Territory authorities, which includes those vessels working for/with the British Antarctic Survey. The new white ensign is not intended for use at sea, but lacking a civil ensign (there is a strange lack of civil vessels registered in British Antarctic Territory) then a civilian vessel visiting British Antarctic Territory would fly it as the courtesy ensign. Foreign government vessels should fly the defaced blue ensign. The Commissioner's flag could of course be flown as a rank flag by any vessel carrying the Commissioner, but not as an ensign.   Graham Bartram

British Antarctic red ensign

Flag of the Commissioner of the British Antarctic Territory

The flag of the commissioner of the British Antarctic Territory is a Union flag defaced with a white disc with a gold edge, covered by a laurel wreath, with the full achievement of arms in the centre. An interesting feature is the gold ring under the laurel. I have seen references to the governor of Gibraltar's flag where the presence of the gold ring is associated with the gold border that sometimes appears on the Gibraltar arms. I suspect from this flag, that all governor/commissioner flags that bear a laurel wreath are meant to have a gold ring under them. I don't think the Commissioner of the British Antarctic Territory is the same person as the governor of the Falklands. As far as I know the Falklands, has a resident governor, whereas the British Antarctic Territory's commissioner is head of the Polar Regions Department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London. I'm not sure where or when he'll use his flag. Graham Bartram

Ross Dependency (Proposed)

Ross Dependency (unofficial) flag designed by Jame Dignan. The main colour is not sky/azure blue nor is it an intermediate blue. Dignan has recommended RGB 40%, 60%, 80-100% ("ice blue") which has been interpreted as RGB 40%, 60%, 90%. On the right are Ross Dependency stamps commemorating the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition. Currently, only the New Zealand national flag serves in an official capacity in the Ross Dependency. The only other 'official' flag seen in photographs was the New Zealand Post flag to denote Scott Base's post office.