Flags on a Ship and their meanings
Flags have been hoisted since ancient times to identify the origin of a ship. Until the 16th century, new flags were added again and again, with different meanings. Until the 19th century, the following flags were used.
Flags of galleons, navy ships in general, ships of the line, till 19th century,
with small national flag as jack, national flag at the foremast, streamers at the main, royal standard at the mizzen, and the ensign.
Jacks are additional national flags flown by warships (and certain other vessels) at the head of the ship on the jackstaff. These are usually flown while not underway, in the harbour and when the ship is dressed on special occasions.
National Flag
A National Flag, indicates the nationality in addition to the ensign. The flag is customarily worn at the foremasthead.
Pennant or Streamers
The pennant, historically called a pennon, is a long narrow flag, conveying different meanings depending on its design and use.
A commissioning pennant, or masthead, which a warship flies from its masthead and indicates the commission of the captain of the ship (and thus of the ship itself). In the Royal Navy, the commissioning pennant is a small St Georgeâs Cross with a long tapering plain white fly. In the United States Navy, it is red above white, with seven white stars in the blue hoist. The commissioning pennant may be displaced or added as a second one (very rare) by various rank flags, namely the flags or pennants of admirals or commodores, and the personal flags of heads of state and members of royal families.
Royal Standard
Only hoisted when the Admiral of the Fleet or the King were on board.
Ensigns
Ensigns are usually required to be flown when entering and leaving harbour, when sailing through foreign waters, and when the ship is signalled to do so by a warship. Warships usually fly their ensigns between the morning colours ceremony and sunset when moored or at anchor, at all times when underway, and at all times when engaged in battleâthe âbattle ensignâ. When engaged in battle a warship often flies multiple battle ensigns. Tradition dictated that if a ship lowered its ensign it was deemed to have surrendered. Masts were targets of gunfire, and the second and subsequent ensigns were flown in order to keep the ensign flying even after a mast hit.
Signal Flags
Special types of flags are signaling flags. Since the Middle Ages there were systems of communication between ships using flags but they were very primitive. In time they were improved and created in such a way that flags could spell message letter by letter or one flag could mean the whole standardized message. Flags are also used as semaphores where a signalmen holds two flags (one in each hand) and with relative positions of flags spells messages, letter by letter.
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