Talk:Red Ensign

Archive
Talk:Red Ensign/Archive 1 Talk:Red Ensign/Archive 2

Gallery
I have elsewhere proposed creating a Gallery of flags based on British ensigns which would relocate a large number of images from Gallery of flags by design. The proposed new gallery would show thumbnail images of all flags, national or otherwise, based on British ensigns. It would be subdivided into sections for the Blue, Red & White ensigns, the Sky Blue, and other variations. I welcome discussion on my proposal which would naturally be linked from this page. Dystopos 21:50, 22 September 2005 (UTC)


 * Hello Dystopos,
 * Yes, I support your idea whole-heartedly. I feel that it is a marvelous idea.  One thing that could be addressed is the fact that not only were there British Colonial Ensigns, but there were French Colonial Ensigns as well.  For the former the Union Jack was in the Canton, but for the latter the French Tricolour was in the Canton.  Both Colonial Empires used the same motifs.

 ArmchairVexillologistDon 20:05, 30 September 2005 (UTC)


 * I have created the gallery as proposed and done some more-or-less ignorant categorizing. More knowledgeable vexillologists are invited to help organize and complete the list. Dystopos 05:17, 1 October 2005 (UTC)


 * Hello Dystopos,


 * Great job on the new British Ensign Flag gallery. It looks fantastic indeed.  This is the only true way to determine patterns of flag parentage, i.e., just line them up, and see what jumps out of the page at yaa.  You have done at great job, in my opinion.




 * Thanks alot eh, I didn't know about this Portugal Proposal, I've just learned a new Flag Fact today. Thanks a million!


 * ArmchairVexillologistDon 05:33, 1 October 2005 (UTC)

Trekkie

 * I hesitate to even mention this, but it occurs to me that some use the term "red ensign" to refer to one of any number of minor fictional characters in Star Trek episodes who are prone to being killed while on missions away from their ship. They got the nickname because they usually hold the rank of ensign and usually wear red uniform jerseys. I won't be the one that adds a disambiguation, though. --Dystopos 04:36, 4 April 2007 (UTC)


 * Usual term is "redshirt"... AnonMoos (talk) 18:59, 29 August 2009 (UTC)

Image copyright problem with Image:Royal Navy Recognised Sea Scout Ensign.png
The image Image:Royal Navy Recognised Sea Scout Ensign.png is used in this article under a claim of fair use, but it does not have an adequate explanation for why it meets the requirements for such images when used here. In particular, for each page the image is used on, it must have an explanation linking to that page which explains why it needs to be used on that page. Please check


 * That there is a non-free use rationale on the image's description page for the use in this article.
 * That this article is linked to from the image description page.

This is an automated notice by FairuseBot. For assistance on the image use policy, see Media copyright questions. --21:05, 3 October 2008 (UTC)

Precursor to the American flag
Perhaps it should be pointed out that the Red Ensign was the precursor to the American flag, just as it was the precursor to the pre-Maple Leaf Canadian flag. During colonial days, the Red Ensign was used by the British in the North American colonies that later formed the United States. During the French and Indian War (Seven Years War), the colonial militias differentiated their flag from that of the regular army by adding white horizontal stripes to the red field, resulting in a flag of red and white horizontal stripes with the Grand Union in the corner, much like the Taunton flag shown in the article, but with red and white stripes. (The use of the term "American" to refer to North Americans of British heritage -- instead of Native Americans -- is also believed to have begun during this time period, as is the nickname "Yankee.") A decade or so later, when the Revolutionary War started, the American side at first used the same flag they had used as a colonial militia, with red and white horizontal stripes and the Grand Union in the corner. However, the absurdity (under the circumstances) of incorporating the British flag into the American flag led to replacing the Grand Union with a field of 13 stars, one for each of the 13 colonies. The number of stripes was fixed at 13 at this time, as well. The act of the Continental Congress creating the new flag refers to the field of 13 stars as a "union" -- interesting in view of the fact that it replaced the "Grand Union" that had been on the flag in the same location up to that time. -- 14:16, 30 August 2012‎


 * If any of the three influenced the U.S. flag more than another, it was probably the white ensign -- with possible further influences from the Sons of Liberty flag, the East India Company flag, the George Washington coat of arms, etc. AnonMoos (talk) 09:04, 31 August 2012 (UTC)



As I understand it, the White Ensign would not have been relevant to North America, because it was reserved for the Home Fleet. In addition, please see the modern-day flag of Taunton, Massachusetts which is clearly based on the Red Ensign (as shown in the article):



The Cross of St. George, which is the source of the red-on-white which takes up three-quarters of the White Ensign, may not have been the sort of thing that English speakers of North America would have altered, even during the Revolutionary War period. It was the cross, and the concept of separation of church and state did not come around until the Bill of Rights. During an earlier period than the Revolutionary War, the Puritans of New England used to annoy His Majesty's representatives by flying the Cross of St. George over public buildings instead of the Grand Union Flag.

Finally, with regard to George Washington's coat of arms, he was not the leading figure in 1776 that he was in 1789. Furthermore, Washington was too modest to have sought to incorporate his personal coat of arms into the nation's flag. (Remember, George III referred to Washington as "the greatest man in the world" upon hearing that Washington had rejected being president for life.) -- Bob (Bob99 (talk) 20:17, 1 October 2012 (UTC))


 * " .... as is the nickname 'Yankee.'" - this is actually derived from a Native American corruption of the French term "les Anglais', which is why the term "Yankee" was only originally applied in areas that had contact with the French.

NHS Ensign edit
Well spotted. UK ensigns must, by law, only be worn on vessels boats. Jacksoncowes (talk) 15:43, 18 May 2021 (UTC)
 * , Thanks! The credit should actually go to GPinkerton for suggesting the move over on Wikimedia Commons. (t &#183; c)  buidhe  15:48, 18 May 2021 (UTC)
 * Comming from the US I did wonder if it related to the flotation of the NHSJacksoncowes (talk) 17:53, 18 May 2021 (UTC)Jacksoncowes (talk) 17:55, 18 May 2021 (UTC)

UK Sea Scouts
Can we include Royal Navy Recognised Sea Scouts who have a defaced Red Ensign? Not sure where it might go. Alansplodge (talk) 17:42, 26 August 2023 (UTC)

Yacht club defaced red ensigns
Royal St George Yacht Club, of Dun Laoghaire Ireland has a red ensign defaced with a crown not unlike that of the Royal Windermere. Granted to the club in 1845. 2A02:4E0:2D86:1AD3:361C:27F:BE90:E888 (talk) 07:43, 7 June 2024 (UTC)