White Ensign

^? The British White Ensign

The White Ensign ( German : White Flag ) is today's British naval flag . It consists of the St. George's cross of the English flag with the Union Jack in Gösch (top, mast-side corner of the flag).

History and use

The White Ensign on the roof of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square

The Admiralty Arch is regularly decorated with White Ensigns, here on St. George's Day 2011

With slight changes, the White Ensign was the flag of the White Squadron from 1630, one of the three squadrons of the English, later the British Navy. In 1864 it became the official flag of the Royal Navy , replacing the Blue Ensign , flag of the blue squadron, and Red Ensign , flag of the red squadron.

The Royal Navy deploys the White Ensign on all warships and land facilities. Outside of this use the flag may only be hoisted with the permission of the Royal Navy. All British members of the Royal Yacht Squadron sailing club on the Isle of Wight , who are the only civilian vessels allowed to fly the White Ensign flag instead of the British national flag on their yachts, have had this permission since the Admiralty in 1829 .

This flag can be seen on certain days over St. Martin-in-the-Fields Church in London , the house church of the British Admiralty.

White Ensigns of the Commonwealth of Nations

Some Commonwealth countries have adopted the British flag system and introduced their own White Ensigns for their naval or land forces.

flag	Surname	Country	use
	Royal Australian Navy Ensign	Australia	Royal Australian Navy
	Barbados Naval Ensign	Barbados	Barbados Coast Guard
	Canadian Naval Ensign	Canada	Royal Canadian Navy
	Fijian Naval Ensign	Fiji	Republic of Fiji Military Forces
	Indian Navy Ensign	India	Indian Navy
	Jamaican Naval Ensign	Jamaica	Jamaica Defense Force Coast Guard
	Royal New Zealand Navy Ensign	New Zealand	Royal New Zealand Navy
	South African Navy Ensign	South Africa	South African Navy

White Ensigns outside of military use

Flag of the British Antarctic Territory

The flag of the British Antarctic Territory is a White Ensign with the coat of arms of the territory. It is the only White Ensign in use in UK overseas territory.

A White Ensign without St. Patrick's Cross with a blue lighthouse in the open space is used by the controller of the Northern Lighthouse Board (NLB). The flag is unique in the United Kingdom as it uses the Union Jack from before 1801.

Northern Lighthouse Board Commissioner's Flag

See also

• List of British flags
• Blue Ensign
• Green Ensign
• Red Ensign