Last modified: 2004-06-26 by bruce berry
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by Martin Grieve, 06 Mar 2004
The new SA Naval Ensign is the same as that used previously except the
new SA national flag is in the canton and the badge of the Navy no longer
appears in the fly. It was the third version of the SA Naval Ensign which
comprised the former SA flag in the canton with a green Scandinavian cross
on a white background in the proportion 1:2 in use between 1952-1959. Thereafter
between 1959 and 1981 a white fimbriation was added around the national
flag to separate it from the cross. In 1981 the Naval emblem was added
to the lower fly and the proportions changed to 2:3 (as in the case of
the National flag). This version was used until 1994 when the new flag
was added and once again the naval emblem was dropped from the fly - the
proportions remain 2:3.
Bruce Berry, 6 March 1996
With the adoption of the new South African national flag on 27 April 1994, the use of the previous naval ensign containing the old national
flag was no longer appropriate. Hence a new South African naval ensign was approved by the Chief of the South
African National Defence Force on 29 September 1994. This design differs from its immediate predecessor in that new national flag appears
in the canton and the navy emblem no longer appears in the lower fly. The new ensign is thus:
"a rectangular white flag, in the proportions of two to three; with thereon a dark green cross; and having in the upper hoist canton the
national flag of the Republic of South Africa, with a white fimbriation".
It also needs to be noted that the shade of green has been standardised so that the green cross and the green "pall" of the national flag are
now both the same shade - PMS 349 - whereas previously the cross was the
darker "tartan green".
The new naval ensign was carried for the first time at a Defence Force
parade held in Pietersburg on 11 November 1994 and hoisted on the Ensign Staff of naval vessels at noon on the same day. Between 27 April and
noon on 11 November 1994, the South African National Flag served as a temporary ensign.
Bruce Berry, 23 Apr, 2004
by Martin Grieve, 23 Apr 2004
On 5 March 1981, a new ensign was adopted. This flag changed the proportions of the naval ensign to 2:3. The green cross on white with a fimbriated national flag in the canton was retained; however, the naval badge, the crest of the South African Coat of Arms on a blue ground plan of the Castle of Good Hope, was placed in the lower fly quarter. This flag was flown until 1994.
From 27 April 1994 until 11 November 1994, the South African Navy used
the national flag as the naval ensign. The Republic of South Africa changed
its naval ensign on 29 September 1994. The ensign removed the naval badge
and replaced the old national flag with the current national flag. It was
officially taken into use on 11 November 1994.
There is a South African Naval Colour that consists of the naval ensign
charged with the crest from the coat of arms in the lower quarter."
Sources: SAVA Journal 2/93, "Flags of the Union Defence Forces and
of the South African Defence Force, 1912-1993;" SAVA Newsletter, 11/94;
SAVA Newsletter, 17/96."
Paige Herring, 16 Mar 1998
On 5 March 1981, the Chief of the South African Defence Force approved a
new design for the South African naval ensign, namely:
"a rectangular white flag, in the proportions of two to three; with thereon a dark green cross; and having in the upper hoist canton the
national flag of the Republic of South Africa, with a white fimbriation; and in the lower fly the emblem of the South African navy, to wit:
81.gif)
by Martin Grieve, 23 Apr 2004
On a dark blue ground plan of the Castle of Good Hope of the same shade as the blue stripe in the National Flag, a gold lion passant guardant
standing upon a wreath of six links, alternately white and red; and resting the dexter forepaw on four vertical staves, alternatively gold
and dark blue and tied together with a gold ribbon".
This ensign was hoisted with appropriate honours as "Colours" on 31 May 1981 and was also carried at a parade held in Durban on the same day and
continued in use until the change in the national flag on 27 April 1994.
Bruce Berry, 23 Apr, 2004
by Martin Grieve, 26 Apr 2004
The third naval ensign reverted back to the British tradition. This
version, adopted 14 November 1952, was 'a dark green cross on a white background
with the Union National Flag in the upper canton next to the hoist.' Because
the design specified that the national flag should be of 2:3 proportion,
the flag (1:2 proportion) had a distinctive Scandinavian cross look. The
third South African naval ensign flew until 1959, when a white fimbriation was
added to separate the national flag from the green cross.
Paige Herring, 16 Mar 1998
On 14 November 1952 notice was given under Government Notice No. 2633 in
the Government Gazette that with effect from 25 March 1952, the South African navy had adopted as its ensign:
"a dark green cross on a white background with the Union of National Flag in the upper canton next to the hoist".
This notice cancelled Government Notice No. 1550 of 26 July 1946, in terms of which the first South African naval ensign had been adopted.
The third design for the South African naval ensign marked a return to
the traditional of the British white ensign with overall proportions of one to two. The width of the dark green cross was one-quarter of the
width of the flag and the horizontal arm lay along the centre of the flag. The vertical arm of the cross was placed such that the canton next
to the hoist had the proportion of two to three (for the national flag). In its original form, this design of the naval ensign had the national
flag placed directly against the vertical and horizontal arms of the
dark green cross. However in 1959, in terms of South African Defence Force Order No. 63,
it was stated that the national flag should be separated from the dark green cross by a narrow white stripe (fimbriation)
as shown below.
The choice of dark green for the cross in 1952 has influenced all subsequent naval ensigns used in South Africa. HH Smith (1993) reports that green may have been chosen rather than the red as found on the British white ensign and other naval flags since green was the vertical stripe at the hoist of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek flag.
by
Martin Grieve, 28 Apr 2004
There was a further proposed amendment to this design in 1967 to add to the lower fly the crest from the South African Coat of Arms, namely:
"On a wreath of colours (white and red), a lion passant guardant Gules, supporting with the dexter forepaw four staves erect, alternatively
Argent and Azure and banded Or".
51.gif)
by Martin
Grieve, 28 Apr 2004
Although the South African State Herald was furnished with an approved art card for this amended design, this ensign was never taken into use.
Instead, the design formed the basis of the Naval Colour which was
designed in August 1968 and presented to the Navy by Mr PW Botha, then Minister of Defence on 12 April 1969.
The naval ensign, with fimbriation, was used until a new ensign was
adopted on 31 May 1981.
South African Naval Ensign (1951 - 1952)
by
Martin Grieve, 28 Apr 2004
A new design for the South African naval ensign was recommended by Commodore FJ Dean OBE, then the Director-General of Naval Forces on 15
May 1951, namely: "the national flag of the Union of South Africa with an upper hoist canton consisting of three equally wide horizontal
stripes from top to bottom or orange, white and blue. The white stripe of the canton charged with a lion passant guardant Gules, supporting
with the dexter paw four staves erect, alternatively Argent and Azure and banded Or, from the crest of the Coat of Arms of the Union of South
Africa" (see image below).
by Martin Grieve, 28 Apr 2004
This ensign was approved on 31 May 1951 but HH Smith (1993) reports that it appears not to have found favour in naval circles and as such it was
never flown. This design was also criticised by Dr C Pama - a leading
figure in heraldry and vexillology in South Africa - who suggested that the canton should be omitted and the red lion replace the three small
flags in the centre of the South African flag instead.
by
Martin Grieve, 28 Apr 2004
At the same time as this second design of the South African naval ensign had been proposed, a personal flag to be flown at sea by the Minister
of Defence was announced. This flag was of the same design as the naval
ensign but with a fouled anchor in the fly. According to HH Smith, printed references refer to the anchor
as being orange, but he received a letter from the Chief of the Navy referring to a black anchor. Although the Chief of the Navy stated that this flag was never used, it is referred to in an article by Capt. MF
Stern on the flags of South Africa published in the spring 1963 issue of The Flag Bulletin that the Minister of Defence did indeed fly this
ensign in late 1951.
Bruce Berry, 28 Apr 2004
by Martin
Grieve, 28 Apr 2004
Following World War II, the South African military discarded the British
White Ensign and began to use a solid white ensign with the South African
flag in the canton. Adopted in 1946, the flag was in 1:2 proportion. As
a result, the national flag, as well as the flags in the center, had to
have a 1:2 proportion (Union Nationality and Flags Act of 1927). This ensign
was changed due to the fact that it was difficult to identify.
Paige Herring, 16 Mar 1998
Prior to 01 September 1946, ships of the South African navy flew the British white ensign and the South
African national flag as a jack. The first specifically South African naval ensign was "a plain white flag
with the national Flag in the upper dexter canton". No proportions were gazetted but the ensign followed the
British tradition of being one to two, giving the South African flag in the canton incorrect proportions. It was soon apparent that the new
ensign was not a good flag from a practical point of view. In particular it was difficult to identify at sea in conditions of bad visibility and
it was not popular with naval personnel who referred to it as the "witdoek" (literally 'white cloth'). As a result there was a
recommendation to change the design in 1951.
(Source: SAVA Journal 2/93: Flags of the Union Defence Forces and of the South African Defence Force, 1912-1993 by Prof. HH Smith)
Bruce Berry, 28 Apr 2004
![[South Africa Naval Colour]](../images/z/za^nv-cl.gif)
by Paige Herring, 16 March 1998
There is a South African Naval Colour that consists of the naval ensign
charged with the crest from the coat of arms in the lower quarter.
Paige Herring, 16 March 1998
![[South Africa Commodore]](../images/z/za^co.gif)
by Paige Herring, 16 March 1998
The flag of Rear Admiral Junior Grade in Album 2000 is similar to but
not the same as Commodore flag on FOTW. I guess it was changed recently.
(The rank flags on FOTW might be of the Apartheid era)
Zeljko Heimer, 5 Jan 2001
An on-line Jane's Information Group publication to which I have access
through my work shows the rank structure of the South African Navy the
same as in Album 2000, with the grade between rear admiral and captain
entitled rear admiral (JG) [junior grade]. The insignia is a single
broad stripe, the same as for the UK Royal Navy rank of commodore.
Joe McMillan, 4 Jan 2001
![[South Africa Admiral]](../images/z/za^ad.gif)
by Paige Herring, 16 March 1998
![[South Africa Vice Admiral]](../images/z/za^va.gif)
by Paige Herring, 16 March 1998
![[South Africa Rear Admiral]](../images/z/za^ra.gif)
by Paige Herring -
12 March 1998If this is the senior officer afloat pennant, a vertical green-white-green
triband, it is the "Starboard" signal pennant prescribed for use by NATO
navies to identify the senior officer present afloat (SOPA, in US terminology).
Some NATO navies use only this pennant for SOPA (including US, UK and Canada)
while others (such as France) use it when operating with Allied ships but
have a different SOPA pennant for use when operating unilaterally.
I suppose it has also been adopted by some other navies. The blue
triangle shown as the US SOPA pennant in A2K has not been in use since
about 1950.
Joe McMillan. 4 Jan 2001