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Unidentified Flags or Ensigns

Flags submitted in 2004

Below is a series of images of flags that have been provided to FOTW, but which we have been unable to recognise. If you can identify any of these flags, please let us know! Contact the director. See also our page of Identified Flags to see flags we have figured out through this page.

Morocco - colours reversed

by Rich Bono

Yesterday I saw a car that had a license tag with what was compositionally the flag of Morocco but instead of a green star on plain red background, the colors were reversed—I modified the Morocco flag to obtain pretty much exactly the emblem I saw on this fellow's car. Do you know what the flag represents? Is it some nation close to Morocco or a region within Morocco or something else? It just bugged me that I couldn't find out what it is! I would be grateful for any help you can give me.
Rich Bono, 28 December 2004

Nine-stripe flag in South Africa

by Andres Burgers

My friend is an inveterate collector of anything under the sun, including flags. Recently he attended the sale of a deceased estate (a former Army officer) in Cape Town and bought a few flags, among them the strange (for us) nine bar red-white-blue-white-red-white-blue-white-red flag which I attach hereto. The heirs could not say how or where their ancestor got it from nor what it represents. I saw a painting of the Drommedaris, one of the three ships with which Jan van Riebeeck arrived at the Cape in 1652, where she was wearing a double Dutch tricolour at the mizzen top, but that of course had only six bars red-white-blue-red-white-blue. The painting is however not contemporary - in fact it is very recent from a still living artist. He has the flag of Amsterdam at the fore and the VOC flag at the ensign staff correct. From this I assume he did his research properly. Might this mystery flag be a variant?
Andries Burgers, 15 December 2004

White with red cross

by Devereaux Cannon

I have been sent a UFE which might be described as a St. George's flag, but with the cross shifted toward the hoist and also toward the top. The correspondent who sent this to me had seen it in several locations in Georgia (US), and in North and South Carolina. He has seen it flown in connection with the Confederate battle flag, and assumed it had a Confederate connection. I am not familiar with the use of such a flag in any connection with the CSA Can anyone identify this flag?

There is a flag for "The North of England" which is similar. The red cross on the white field is a Scandinavian style cross, but this UFE also seems to have the cross ride up towards the top of the flag. In any event, I have no idea why any such flag (other than the St. George of England) would be seen in several locations in Britain's former coastal provinces south of Virginia!
Devereaux Cannon, 10 December 2004

1822 Red Cross flag, maybe in Cuba

by Wendy Wilkinson

The flag appears to be a red X in the upper left-hand corner on a medium blue field. My great-grandfather Adolf was in US Cavalry in the Spanish American war stationed in Cuba, 1898. While there, a comrade (who was an architect's assistant) made him a present of these architectural plans of a castle painted by a senior associate. The plans are dated 1822 but otherwise have no other information. The plans do not indicate the country in which the castle is located. My grandmother told me the castle was "owned by a Spanish prince." But Spain was in control of many countries in those days. The blueprints are in English. I was wondering if the flag (if it is genuine, and not an artist's rendition of a banner) could be a possible clue to the location of this castle. Any help you could give me would be greatly appreciated!
Wendy Wilkinson, 30 November 2004

The first thing that popped in my mind was "badly rendered British blue ensign".
Marc Pasquin, 1 December 2004

St. George's Cross Branchee

by Andres Burgers

While watching the third day of the first cricket test between England and South Africa at St Georges Park in Port Elizabeth on TV this afternoon my attention was occasionally distracted by the Barmy Army. They were there in some strength, well tanked up and in good voice. Many St George crosses waving about especially when the English team did something they approved of. There were among Barmy Army many members wearing the cross of St George on their T-shirts. There were also a few who wore a red cross Branchee or Fichee also on their T-shirts. Would this be only a private variation of St Georges cross among this crowd or has it some sporting connection like a cricket club flag that you know of?
Andries Burgers, 19 December 2004

Flag in Monet painting

I was looking at Monet's Garden at Sainte-Adresse (see http://www.artchive.com/artchive/M/monet/adresse.jpg.html for a larger image) and was wondering what the flag on the left was.
Nathan Lamm, 4 November 2004

We can be sure he actually saw the flags. He painted from life, an important consideration to impressionists who were all about light.
Al Kirsch, 4 November 2004

Red and yellow are the traditional colours of Normandie, which is where Sainte-Adresse is.
James Dignan, 4 November 2004

Having read a commentary on this painting only last week, I can say that:
- the scene is painted from an upper room in Monet's parents' house
- the man in the seat is Monet's father
- the painter called this painting "Chinese" or "Chinese-like" referring, I believe, to the rather startling use of colour.
So there are some realist touches. But I agree on the need for caution when discussing flags in paintings.
Jan Mertens, 4 November 2004

I believe that I can identify the flag in Monet's painting. The same Red and Yellow bicoloured pennant is shown as "France, Commerce, Pendant 4", being the description of flag illustration 328 in "Vlaggen van alle Natien", edited by Steenbergen and published in Amsterdam 1865 [stb65]. I don't have information to identify the signal meaning of Pendant 4 at that time. This would however be consistent with the 1867 date of Monet's Terrace at Sainte-Adresse. I included this painting as one of the many artworks involving flags cited in my lecture to the 20th International Congress of Vexillology, Stockholm.
Ralph Kelly, 5 November 2004

There was indeed a yellow-red bicolour flag used by ships registered in the French Eastern colonies and Africa coast. The flag is shown yellow-red by several sources, and pennant 4 might be an erroneous depiction of this flag ... or the correct depiction of something completely different. Anyway, such a registration pennant is not expected to be hoisted on the promenade of Sainte-Adresse. The pennants were for ships only.
Ivan Sache, 6 November 2004

"Vlaggen van alle Natien" does further note that Pendant 4 was part of the "Reynolds" signal system, which it states was "the same as Marryats signals, besides the pendants". Marryat's Code of Signals for the Merchant Service was a system of 10 numerical pendants used to make a range of 4 digit numbers, each of was assigned a meaning. As the Marryat system, and presumably the Reynolds system usually hoist several flags and pennants together as a grouped signal, the use of a solitary signal flag on the shore is either "decorative", one of a series of signals (unlikely in a private garden) or the single flag had a local meaning, such as a private yacht club racing signal. However, it is not correct to say "The pennants were for ships only" as the pennant was part of a signaling system, it is equally valid to use such flags as part of a signal form shore to sea as from ship to shore.
Ralph Kelly, 6 November 2004

Southern Cross flag

by Tyler Dykstra

I saw this flag recently, but I can't identify it. It's divided diagonally from the lower-hoist corner to the upper-fly corner. The upper triangle is blue and the lower is red, with a yellow stripe dividing the triangles. The southern cross is in the canton. I think it's Australian, but I'm not sure.
Tyler Dykstra, 10 October 2004

Red Eagle flag

by Ivan Sarajcic

Any idea what this flag represented? It measures 2' by 2'. I thought the three stars and five arrows would be a clue, but couldn't find anything like it.
Ivan Sarajcic, 4 October 2004

World War 2 flag

by Philippe Rault

This is a picture of a WW II "patchwork" flag that an English patient of mine found in her attic, and that she wishes to sell. I have already seen pictures of patchwork flags, mainly of WW I, but in 40 years of study of vexillology I had never seen a flag like this. It is in wool, 4x6', and in good condition. Any information and comments about this flag would be welcome.
Philippe Rault, 3 October 2004

Flags on Grandfather's ship

Three unknowns here - I cannot place the first one (with the green diamond). The second one might be either Watts, Watts & Co or J.S. Winslow & Co. with serifs. The third one is the Irish harp flag. If you can help with the first one, or give further details on the rest, please let us know.

My great grandfather was ship's master (captain) of a vessel named the barque "Morning Star." We have an "portrait" of the vessel made from yarn on canvas. Family tradition holds that this "portrait" was constructed by one of the crew by unraveling his socks for the yarn. (I include this information because it might have affected the crew member's color choices). The vessel is flying three flags or ensigns. In the most forward position is a beige flag with an olive green diamond. Above and below the diamond is a red horizontal band. Above and below the red band is a peach horizontal band. Inside the diamond is either a "D" or a "B." In the middle position is a white flag with a blue capital letter W. There are small blue horizontal lines the same size as the blue W forming crosses at the top of the two outside verticals of the W and the central vertical of the W is of equal height to the two outside verticals. The last flag (in what I assume is the honor position) is a British merchant vessel red ensign. Above the ship is a lithograph of my great grandfather. Surrounding the photograph are six flags - three on each side. At the top left-hand side is a US flag. just below it is a British Blue ensign. Just below that is a British Red Ensign. On the right side at the top is another US flag. Just below that is a British White Ensign. Just below that is a green flag with a harp. Each of these six flags is secured to a pole or hoist set at a 45 degree angle to the edge of the lithograph. All six flags are "gathered" back rather than floating "free."

My great grandfather lived from 1818 to 1889. He was born in Scotland but became a US citizen. Although he was a merchant seaman for most of his career he did spend some time on a naval war ship. Any information you can provide regarding the flags and ensigns described above would be greatly appreciated.

Kate, 21 September 2004

The middle flag has the characteristics of a house flag, which means that the first flag is probably not a house flag, and the symbol in the centre might perhaps be an emblem rather than a letter? It was not uncommon, in the mid-19th century, for British ships to hoist the national flag of the country to which they were bound, at the foremasthead. Did your great grandfather trade to one particular country more than any other? The only national flag of that time, that I can think of, which is remotely like your description is that of Brazil, which was a coat of arms in a yellow diamond on a green flag.
David Prothero, 23 September 2004

Unknown flag with flames

by Renaud Berthet

I am a French militaria collector and I possess this flag. Could you help me to identify it? Perhaps it is a XIXth century, German flag?
Renaud Berthet, 30 August 2004

The flames strongly suggest a Swiss regiment in foreign service, but I am afraid I cannot place it. It is not French. The two-headed eagle doesn't seem quite right for the Austrian Empire.
T.F. Mills, 1 September 2004

Just a wild guess: The county of Hohenberg (which was located in what is now central Baden-Württemberg in Germany) used a white-red shield like the breast shield on the eagle. Hohenberg belonged to Austria until 1805. The double eagle could be Austrian. However, that's my complete extent of knowledge on this matter.
Stefan Schwoon, 1 September 2004

The flamed gyronny flag is traditional in Central-Europe, but the arms are also of the Hanzestadt Luebeck in Northern-Germany. And in the Regions in East-Schleswig-Holstein one can find shields gyronny in white and red.
Hans van Heijningen, 30 October 2004

The double eagle seem to suggest Russia. The crowns on the heads are however, not Russian. The colours indicate Poland, and the crowns seem similar to the crown on the Polish eagle. Hence, my guess is, that there is a Polish connection here, e.g., Poland during the time of Russian "occupation" prior to WWI.
Lennart Eriksson, 25 January 2005

UFE seen in antique store in California

by Michael Smuda

I spotted the attached flag in an antique store here in Woodland. It is unidentified and is priced at $50.00 US. It is a swallowtail. Starting at the hoist are red, white and blue vertical bands approx 4-1-4 to about half the lenght. The tail portion is divided into red, white and blue horizontal bands at about the same ratio of 4-1-4. I didn't get exact measurements, if they are important I can go back.
Any ideas?
Michael P. Smuda, 12 August 2004

British White Ensign with golf clubs?

During BBC coverage of the Open at Troon (Scotland) I noticed a flag on the clubhouse flag pole which seemed to be a White Ensign with crossed golf clubs in the bottom left hand quadrant. I suspect it might have a connection to Duke of York who is president(?) of the Royal & Ancient but haven't found anything to confirm this. Can any of your experts shed any light on this?
Jim Drysdale, 21 July 2004

Flag seen in a neighbourhood in Sweden

I frequently see a flag on a house in my neighbourhood that is decidedly out of place. It looks like a standard Czech flag, but has a single rather large 5-pointed white star in the middle of the blue triangular field.
Martin H., 28 June 2004

Flag on ship Cadzow Castle

Looking for assistance in identifying the shipping line for which the Cadzow Forest sailed. She was a bark, built in Glasgow, Scotland, by Russell & Co. in 1878 and hauled cargo between Britain and Australia from 1878-1896. She was eventually wrecked at the mouth of the Columbia River (USA) in 1896. The flag is described as "A house flag, of a white ground, with a red cross edged with blue, and blue letters.
George Hubbs, 29 April 2004

Black flag, yellow rectangle

I've seen a flag, hoisted on a big motorboat, in the Netherlands. It's a black flag, with a yellow rectangle in the middle. I hope you know where this flag stands for.

Dion