The Blue Ensign is a British ensign that may be used on vessels by certain authorised yacht clubs, Royal Research Ships and British merchant vessels whose master holds a commission in the Royal Naval Reserve or has otherwise been issued a warrant. Defaced versions with a badge or other emblem are used more broadly; in the United Kingdom by authorised government or private bodies; and internationally by nations or organisations previously a part of the British Empire.
 | |
| Use | State ensign   |
|---|---|
| Proportion | 1:2 |
| Adopted |
|
| Design | A blue field with the Union occupying one quarter of the field and placed in the canton. |
The evolution of the Blue Ensign followed that of the Union Jack. The ensign originated in the 17th century with the St George's Cross (the Flag of England) in the canton, and with a blue field.
The Acts of Union 1707 united England (which included present day Wales) with Scotland in the Kingdom of Great Britain, thus producing a new Blue Ensign with the new Union Flag, containing a saltire, in the canton. With the Act of Union 1800, Ireland became a part of the new United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and St Patrick's Cross was incorporated into the Union Flag and, accordingly, into the cantons of all British ensigns from 1 January 1801.
-
The modern Blue Ensign of the United Kingdom -
The British Blue Ensign (1707–1801) -
English Blue Ensign as it appeared in the seventeenth century
Plain Blue Ensign
Prior to the reorganisation of the Royal Navy in 1864, the plain blue ensign had been the ensign of one of three squadrons of the Royal Navy, the Blue Squadron. This changed in 1864, when an order in council provided that the Red Ensign was allocated to merchantmen, the Blue Ensign was to be the flag of ships in public service or commanded by an officer in the Royal Naval Reserve, and the White Ensign was allocated to the Navy.
Thus, since 1864, the plain blue ensign (without any defacement or modification) is permitted to be worn, instead of the Red Ensign, by three categories of civilian vessel:
- British merchant vessels whose officers and crew include a certain number of retired Royal Navy personnel or Royal Naval Reservists, or are commanded by an officer of the Royal Naval Reserve in possession of a Government warrant. The number and rank of such crew members required has varied over the years, as have the additional conditions required, since the system was first introduced in 1864.
- Royal Research Ships by warrant whether crewed by former Royal Navy personnel or Merchant Navy personnel.
- British-registered yachts belonging to members of the following yacht clubs:
- Royal Brighton Yacht Club, Victoria
- Royal British Virgin Islands Yacht Club
- Royal Cinque Ports Yacht Club
- Royal Cruising Club
- Royal Engineer Yacht Club
- Royal Geelong Yacht Club, Victoria
- Royal Gourock Yacht Club
- Royal Marines Sailing Club
- Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron, Victoria
- Royal Naval Sailing Association
- Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Yacht Club
- Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron
- Royal Perth Yacht Club, Western Australia
- Royal Northern and Clyde Yacht Club
- Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club, New Zealand
- Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron
- Royal Scottish Motor Yacht Club
- Royal Solent Yacht Club
- Royal South Australia Yacht Squadron
- Royal Southern Yacht Club
- Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, New South Wales
- Royal Temple Yacht Club
- Royal Thames Yacht Club
- Royal Victorian Motor Yacht Club
- Royal Welsh Yacht Club
- Royal Western Yacht Club of England
- Royal Western Yacht Club of Scotland
- Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania
- Royal Yacht Club of Victoria
- The Cruising Association
Permission for yachts to wear the blue ensign (and other special yachting ensigns) was suspended during both World War I and World War II.
In addition, prior to WWI, a number of ships (in particular, the RMS Lusitania and RMS Mauretania) were listed as Royal Navy Reserve Merchant Vessels, receiving an annual subsidy from the navy and were permitted to fly the blue ensign.
Defaced Blue Ensign
Since 1864, the Blue Ensign is defaced with a badge or emblem, to form the ensign of United Kingdom government departments or public bodies. Current defaced Blue Ensigns (besides yacht clubs listed below) are:
 | Aberdeen Harbour Board |
| Border Force | |
| British Antarctic Survey | |
| British Broadcasting Corporation | |
| British Telecom and Cable & Wireless | |
 | Combined Cadet Force (Naval Section) |
| Department of Trade and Industry | |
| General Post Office | |
| Global Marine Systems's cable-ships | |
 | Government Service Ensign |
 | His Majesty's Army Vessels |
 | His Majesty's Coastguard |
| Commissioners of Irish Lights | |
| Lloyd's of London | |
| Marine Society | |
 | Mersey Docks and Harbour Company |
 | Metropolitan Police |
| Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food | |
 | Ministry of Defence Police |
 | Northern Lighthouse Board |
| Ordnance Board | |
 | |
| Port of London Authority | |
| Royal Army Service Corps | |
 | Royal Engineers |
 | Royal Fleet Auxiliary Service |
| Royal Hospital School | |
 | Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service |
 | Royal Ulster Constabulary |
 | Scottish Government Marine Scotland |
 | Sea Cadet Corps |
| Submarine Mining Service | |
 | Welsh Government Marine and Fisheries Division |
Royal Air Force marine vessels (such as seaplane tenders) flew a defaced blue ensign with an eagle and anchor.
Yachting Blue Ensigns defaced by the badge of the club were recorded in the Navy List until 1985, and now they are administered by the Royal Yachting Association for the Ministry of Defence. Current defaced Blue Ensigns are:
| Aldeburgh Yacht Club | |
| Army Sailing Association | |
 | Bar Yacht Club |
| City Livery Yacht Club | |
 | HMS Conway |
| Cruising Yacht Club of Australia | |
| Household Division Yacht Club | |
 | Little Ship Club |
| Little Ship Club (Queensland Squadron) | |
 | Medway Yacht Club |
 | Old Worcesters Yacht Club |
| Parkstone Yacht Club | |
| Rochester Cruising Yacht Club | |
| Royal Air Force Yacht Club | |
| Royal Akarana Yacht Club | |
 | Royal Anglesey Yacht Club |
| Royal Armoured Corps Yacht Club | |
| Royal Artillery Yacht Club | |
| Royal Australian Navy Sailing Association | |
 | Royal Bermuda Yacht Club |
| Royal Bombay Yacht Club | |
| Royal Burnham Yacht Club | |
 | Royal Channel Islands Yacht Club |
 | Royal Corinthian Yacht Club |
 | Royal Cornwall Yacht Club |
| Royal Dee Yacht Club | |
 | Royal Forth Yacht Club |
| Royal Fresh Water Bay Yacht Club | |
 | Royal Gibraltar Yacht Club |
| Royal Hamilton Yacht Club | |
 | Royal Harwich Yacht Club |
| Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club | |
| Royal Irish Yacht Club | |
| Royal Jamaica Yacht Club | |
 | Royal London Yacht Club |
| Royal Malta Yacht Club | |
| Royal Mersey Yacht Club | |
 | Royal Motor Yacht Club of New South Wales |
| Royal Nassau Sailing Club | |
| Royal Natal Yacht Club | |
 | Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club |
| Royal Northumberland Yacht Club | |
| Royal Ocean Racing Club | |
| Royal Plymouth Corinthian Yacht Club | |
| Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club | |
| Royal Prince Edward Yacht Club | |
| Royal Southampton Yacht Club |
| Royal Suva Yacht Club | |
| Royal Torbay Yacht Club |
 | Royal Ulster Yacht Club |
| Royal Welsh Yacht Club | |
 | Royal Yorkshire Yacht Club |
| Severn Motor Yacht Club | |
 | Sussex Yacht Club |
| Thames Motor Yacht Club | |
| The Cruising Association | |
| The House of Lords Yacht Club | |
| The Medway Yacht Club | |
| The Poole Harbour Yacht Club | |
 | The Poole Yacht Club |
Flags of the Crown Dependencies using defaced Blue Ensigns
Government Ensign of Alderney
Government Ensign of Guernsey
Government Ensign of Jersey
Flags of British Overseas Territories using defaced Blue Ensigns
Current flags:
Flag of Anguilla
Government Ensign of Bermuda (the flag commonly used on land is Bermuda's Red Ensign)
Flag of the British Virgin Islands
Flag of the Cayman Islands
Flag of the Falkland Islands
Government Ensign of Gibraltar (there is another flag, not based on an ensign, that is commonly used on land)
Flag of Montserrat
Flag of the Pitcairn Islands
Flag of Saint Helena
Flag of the Turks and Caicos Islands
Former flags:
The defaced blue ensign was formerly used as:
- Flag of Bengal Presidency
-
Bengal Presidency flag, 1612–1947
-
- The flag of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony from 1937 to 1976, then the flag of the Gilbert Islands (1976–1979)
- The jack of the Royal Canadian Navy from its inception until the adoption of the Maple Leaf flag in 1965 The blue ensign was approved by the British Admiralty in 1868 for use by ships owned by the Canadian government.
-
Blue Ensign worn as a jack by the Royal Canadian Navy 1911–1921 (with four provincial arms in the shield)
-
Blue Ensign worn as a jack by the Royal Canadian Navy 1921–1957 (with green maple leaves in the shield)
-
Blue Ensign worn as a jack by the Royal Canadian Navy 1957–1965 (with red maple leaves in the shield)
-
- The ensign (1879–1928) and the jack (1928–1947) of the Royal Indian Navy (HM Indian Marine: 1879–1892, Royal Indian Marine: 1892–1934, Royal Indian Navy: 1934–1950):
-
Blue Ensign worn as an ensign (1879–1928) and a jack (1928–1947) of the Royal Indian Navy
-
Flag of the United States of the Ionian Islands (a British amical protectorate, 1815–1864)
Flag of Hong Kong (1871–1997)
Flag of Weihaiwei (1903–1930)
- Newfoundland
-
Newfoundland Blue Ensign, 1870–1904
-
Newfoundland Blue Ensign, 1904–1931
-
- The ensign (1910–1928) of the Union of South Africa:
-
Blue Ensign flown over the Union's offices abroad, 1910–1928
-
National flags based on the Blue Ensign
These include:
Flag of Australia
Flag of New South Wales
Flag of Queensland
Flag of South Australia
Flag of Tasmania
Flag of Victoria
Flag of Western Australia
Flag of Fiji (light blue)
Flag of New Zealand
Flag of the Cook Islands
Flag of Tuvalu (light blue)
Other flags based on the Blue Ensign
Flag of Ceylon
- Ensign of The Royal Hospital School
George Rex Flag
Tanganyika Territory blue ensign
Fijian government ensign
Fijian customs ensign
Flag of Australasia team at the Olympic games
- Flag of the Blood 148 Kainai Nation of Alberta, Canada
- Flag of Britain First Party
See also
- Australian flag debate
- Ensign
- Green Ensign
- Historical flags of the British Empire and the overseas territories
- New Zealand flag debate
- Red Ensign
- White Ensign
References
- Notes
- An individual warrant is issued by the Secretary of State for Defence for each ship
- Footnotes
- Naval Staff Directorate. "Naval Flags and Ensigns" (PDF). p. 12. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 June 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
- UK Ministry of Defence. "The Navy Directory 2019" (PDF). p. 30. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
- British Admiralty (July 1908). The Navy List for July 1908. H.M. Stationery Office. p. 417.
- "RAF Marine Vessel Ensign". Flying Colours Flagmakers. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
- UK Ministry of Defence. "The Navy Directory 2019" (PDF). p. 31. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
- "Flags of the Royal Canadian Navy 1910–1965".
- Flags of the World: British India
External links
- Blue Ensign page on the "Flags of the World" website
- UK, Naval, Government, Yacht clubs on flags.net
The Blue Ensign is a British ensign that may be used on vessels by certain authorised yacht clubs Royal Research Ships and British merchant vessels whose master holds a commission in the Royal Naval Reserve or has otherwise been issued a warrant Defaced versions with a badge or other emblem are used more broadly in the United Kingdom by authorised government or private bodies and internationally by nations or organisations previously a part of the British Empire Blue EnsignUseState ensignProportion1 2Adopted1620 405 years ago 1620 as the flag of the Blue Squadron 9 July 1864 as used by vessels authorised by warrant DesignA blue field with the Union occupying one quarter of the field and placed in the canton RFA Brambleleaf flying the square Blue Jack based on the Blue Ensign The evolution of the Blue Ensign followed that of the Union Jack The ensign originated in the 17th century with the St George s Cross the Flag of England in the canton and with a blue field The Acts of Union 1707 united England which included present day Wales with Scotland in the Kingdom of Great Britain thus producing a new Blue Ensign with the new Union Flag containing a saltire in the canton With the Act of Union 1800 Ireland became a part of the new United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and St Patrick s Cross was incorporated into the Union Flag and accordingly into the cantons of all British ensigns from 1 January 1801 The modern Blue Ensign of the United Kingdom The British Blue Ensign 1707 1801 English Blue Ensign as it appeared in the seventeenth centuryPlain Blue EnsignPrior to the reorganisation of the Royal Navy in 1864 the plain blue ensign had been the ensign of one of three squadrons of the Royal Navy the Blue Squadron This changed in 1864 when an order in council provided that the Red Ensign was allocated to merchantmen the Blue Ensign was to be the flag of ships in public service or commanded by an officer in the Royal Naval Reserve and the White Ensign was allocated to the Navy Thus since 1864 the plain blue ensign without any defacement or modification is permitted to be worn instead of the Red Ensign by three categories of civilian vessel British merchant vessels whose officers and crew include a certain number of retired Royal Navy personnel or Royal Naval Reservists or are commanded by an officer of the Royal Naval Reserve in possession of a Government warrant The number and rank of such crew members required has varied over the years as have the additional conditions required since the system was first introduced in 1864 Royal Research Ships by warrant whether crewed by former Royal Navy personnel or Merchant Navy personnel British registered yachts belonging to members of the following yacht clubs Royal Brighton Yacht Club Victoria Royal British Virgin Islands Yacht Club Royal Cinque Ports Yacht Club Royal Cruising Club Royal Engineer Yacht Club Royal Geelong Yacht Club Victoria Royal Gourock Yacht Club Royal Marines Sailing Club Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron Victoria Royal Naval Sailing Association Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Yacht Club Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron Royal Perth Yacht Club Western Australia Royal Northern and Clyde Yacht Club Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club New Zealand Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron Royal Scottish Motor Yacht Club Royal Solent Yacht Club Royal South Australia Yacht Squadron Royal Southern Yacht Club Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron New South Wales Royal Temple Yacht Club Royal Thames Yacht Club Royal Victorian Motor Yacht Club Royal Welsh Yacht Club Royal Western Yacht Club of England Royal Western Yacht Club of Scotland Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania Royal Yacht Club of Victoria The Cruising Association Permission for yachts to wear the blue ensign and other special yachting ensigns was suspended during both World War I and World War II In addition prior to WWI a number of ships in particular the RMS Lusitania and RMS Mauretania were listed as Royal Navy Reserve Merchant Vessels receiving an annual subsidy from the navy and were permitted to fly the blue ensign Defaced Blue EnsignSince 1864 the Blue Ensign is defaced with a badge or emblem to form the ensign of United Kingdom government departments or public bodies Current defaced Blue Ensigns besides yacht clubs listed below are Aberdeen Harbour BoardBorder ForceBritish Antarctic SurveyBritish Broadcasting CorporationBritish Telecom and Cable amp WirelessCombined Cadet Force Naval Section Department of Trade and IndustryGeneral Post OfficeGlobal Marine Systems s cable shipsGovernment Service EnsignHis Majesty s Army VesselsHis Majesty s CoastguardCommissioners of Irish LightsLloyd s of LondonMarine SocietyMersey Docks and Harbour CompanyMetropolitan PoliceMinistry of Agriculture Fisheries and FoodMinistry of Defence PoliceNorthern Lighthouse BoardOrdnance BoardPort of London AuthorityRoyal Army Service CorpsRoyal EngineersRoyal Fleet Auxiliary ServiceRoyal Hospital SchoolRoyal Maritime Auxiliary ServiceRoyal Ulster ConstabularyScottish Government Marine ScotlandSea Cadet CorpsSubmarine Mining ServiceWelsh Government Marine and Fisheries Division Royal Air Force marine vessels such as seaplane tenders flew a defaced blue ensign with an eagle and anchor Yachting Blue Ensigns defaced by the badge of the club were recorded in the Navy List until 1985 and now they are administered by the Royal Yachting Association for the Ministry of Defence Current defaced Blue Ensigns are Aldeburgh Yacht ClubArmy Sailing AssociationBar Yacht ClubCity Livery Yacht ClubHMS ConwayCruising Yacht Club of AustraliaHousehold Division Yacht ClubLittle Ship ClubLittle Ship Club Queensland Squadron Medway Yacht ClubOld Worcesters Yacht ClubParkstone Yacht ClubRochester Cruising Yacht ClubRoyal Air Force Yacht ClubRoyal Akarana Yacht ClubRoyal Anglesey Yacht ClubRoyal Armoured Corps Yacht ClubRoyal Artillery Yacht ClubRoyal Australian Navy Sailing AssociationRoyal Bermuda Yacht ClubRoyal Bombay Yacht ClubRoyal Burnham Yacht ClubRoyal Channel Islands Yacht ClubRoyal Corinthian Yacht ClubRoyal Cornwall Yacht ClubRoyal Dee Yacht ClubRoyal Forth Yacht ClubRoyal Fresh Water Bay Yacht ClubRoyal Gibraltar Yacht ClubRoyal Hamilton Yacht ClubRoyal Harwich Yacht ClubRoyal Hong Kong Yacht ClubRoyal Irish Yacht ClubRoyal Jamaica Yacht ClubRoyal London Yacht ClubRoyal Malta Yacht ClubRoyal Mersey Yacht ClubRoyal Motor Yacht Club of New South WalesRoyal Nassau Sailing ClubRoyal Natal Yacht ClubRoyal North of Ireland Yacht ClubRoyal Northumberland Yacht ClubRoyal Ocean Racing ClubRoyal Plymouth Corinthian Yacht ClubRoyal Prince Alfred Yacht ClubRoyal Prince Edward Yacht ClubRoyal Southampton Yacht ClubRoyal Suva Yacht ClubRoyal Torbay Yacht ClubRoyal Ulster Yacht ClubRoyal Welsh Yacht ClubRoyal Yorkshire Yacht ClubSevern Motor Yacht ClubSussex Yacht ClubThames Motor Yacht ClubThe Cruising AssociationThe House of Lords Yacht ClubThe Medway Yacht ClubThe Poole Harbour Yacht ClubThe Poole Yacht ClubFlags of the Crown Dependencies using defaced Blue EnsignsGovernment Ensign of Alderney Government Ensign of Guernsey Government Ensign of JerseyFlags of British Overseas Territories using defaced Blue EnsignsCurrent flags Flag of Anguilla Government Ensign of Bermuda the flag commonly used on land is Bermuda s Red Ensign Flag of the British Virgin Islands Flag of the Cayman Islands Flag of the Falkland Islands Government Ensign of Gibraltar there is another flag not based on an ensign that is commonly used on land Flag of Montserrat Flag of the Pitcairn Islands Flag of Saint Helena Flag of the Turks and Caicos Islands Former flags The defaced blue ensign was formerly used as Flag of Bengal Presidency Bengal Presidency flag 1612 1947The flag of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony from 1937 to 1976 then the flag of the Gilbert Islands 1976 1979 The jack of the Royal Canadian Navy from its inception until the adoption of the Maple Leaf flag in 1965 The blue ensign was approved by the British Admiralty in 1868 for use by ships owned by the Canadian government Blue Ensign worn as a jack by the Royal Canadian Navy 1911 1921 with four provincial arms in the shield Blue Ensign worn as a jack by the Royal Canadian Navy 1921 1957 with green maple leaves in the shield Blue Ensign worn as a jack by the Royal Canadian Navy 1957 1965 with red maple leaves in the shield The ensign 1879 1928 and the jack 1928 1947 of the Royal Indian Navy HM Indian Marine 1879 1892 Royal Indian Marine 1892 1934 Royal Indian Navy 1934 1950 Blue Ensign worn as an ensign 1879 1928 and a jack 1928 1947 of the Royal Indian NavyFlag of the United States of the Ionian Islands a British amical protectorate 1815 1864 Flag of Hong Kong 1871 1997 Flag of Weihaiwei 1903 1930 Newfoundland Newfoundland Blue Ensign 1870 1904 Newfoundland Blue Ensign 1904 1931 The badge in the flag consists of Mercury the god of Commerce and Merchandise presenting to Britannia a fisherman who in a kneeling attitude is offering the harvest of all the sea Above the device in a scroll are the words Terra Nova and below the motto Haec Tibi Dona Fero or These gifts I bring thee The seal was redesigned by Adelaine Lane niece of Governor Sir Cavendish Boyle in 1903 The ensign 1910 1928 of the Union of South Africa Blue Ensign flown over the Union s offices abroad 1910 1928National flags based on the Blue EnsignThese include Flag of Australia Flag of New South Wales Flag of Queensland Flag of South Australia Flag of Tasmania Flag of Victoria Flag of Western Australia Flag of Fiji light blue Flag of New Zealand Flag of the Cook Islands Flag of Tuvalu light blue Other flags based on the Blue EnsignFlag of Ceylon Ensign of The Royal Hospital School George Rex Flag Tanganyika Territory blue ensign Fijian government ensign Fijian customs ensign Flag of Australasia team at the Olympic games Flag of the Blood 148 Kainai Nation of Alberta Canada Flag of Britain First PartySee alsoBritish Empire portalHeraldry portalUnited Kingdom portalAustralian flag debate Ensign Green Ensign Historical flags of the British Empire and the overseas territories New Zealand flag debate Red Ensign White EnsignReferencesNotesAn individual warrant is issued by the Secretary of State for Defence for each ship FootnotesNaval Staff Directorate Naval Flags and Ensigns PDF p 12 Archived from the original PDF on 6 June 2014 Retrieved 1 January 2013 UK Ministry of Defence The Navy Directory 2019 PDF p 30 Retrieved 15 April 2021 British Admiralty July 1908 The Navy List for July 1908 H M Stationery Office p 417 RAF Marine Vessel Ensign Flying Colours Flagmakers Retrieved 9 January 2022 UK Ministry of Defence The Navy Directory 2019 PDF p 31 Retrieved 15 April 2021 Flags of the Royal Canadian Navy 1910 1965 Flags of the World British IndiaExternal linksWikimedia Commons has media related to Blue ensigns Blue Ensign page on the Flags of the World website UK Naval Government Yacht clubs on flags net
