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Alternate Terminology: Naval Gazing Part 3 - Flags at Sea

As recently as 2007, UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s move to fly the Union Jack all year round from Downing Street was considered controversial.

I'm not sure how true the pedantry one sometimes across that the Union Jack is what is flown from the front of an RN ship, while all other flags on the same design are properly referred to as the Union Flag.

I've come across people who get very vocal on the difference between the Union Jack and the Union Flag.
The actual controversy was that Brown had to get Downing Street officially commissioned as an RN Ship for this to be made true.
 
As recently as 2007, UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s move to fly the Union Jack all year round from Downing Street was considered controversial.

I'm not sure how true the pedantry one sometimes across that the Union Jack is what is flown from the front of an RN ship, while all other flags on the same design are properly referred to as the Union Flag.

I've come across people who get very vocal on the difference between the Union Jack and the Union Flag.
IIRC I looked into this one once and it's a legally fictitious distinction that was made up by pedants about a century after it had been officially referred to as the Union Jack for everything and nobody cared. Though it's probably more complicated than that, these things usually are.
 
The actual controversy was that Brown had to get Downing Street officially commissioned as an RN Ship for this to be made true.

I

I can't tell if this is true
 
>However, this is only true in some countries, and for example the United States uses the usual Stars and Stripes flag for all ensigns.

800px-Ensign_of_the_United_States_Coast_Guard.svg.png
 
>However, this is only true in some countries, and for example the United States uses the usual Stars and Stripes flag for all ensigns.

800px-Ensign_of_the_United_States_Coast_Guard.svg.png
I have seen that listed before but the sources I checked this time stated the US was using the national flag for everything. Given that the country has literally just this year switched back from DONT TREAD ON ME to the starry jack, I assumed that was a change rather than an inconsistency.
 
I have seen that listed before but the sources I checked this time stated the US was using the national flag for everything. Given that the country has literally just this year switched back from DONT TREAD ON ME to the starry jack, I assumed that was a change rather than an inconsistency.

No, Coast Guard and Revenue are both allowed to fly their own ensigns when conducting duties official. Most of them don't do it often because the physical flag isn't that important these days, but it's still standard to the flag lockers of certain bases and ships. Most of the time I see it on Lake Huron and Lake Superior boats because visual identification is needed in those busy waters. For ocean use, though, it's not often flown.
 
No, Coast Guard and Revenue are both allowed to fly their own ensigns when conducting duties official. Most of them don't do it often because the physical flag isn't that important these days, but it's still standard to the flag lockers of certain bases and ships. Most of the time I see it on Lake Huron and Lake Superior boats because visual identification is needed in those busy waters. For ocean use, though, it's not often flown.
Ah, that might be the root of the inconsistency then - thanks. The only place I've seen the Coast Guard flag with the vertical stripes is when it's on a display behind someone from the Coast Guard giving a statement to journalists about a missing person etc.
 
Ah, that might be the root of the inconsistency then - thanks. The only place I've seen the Coast Guard flag with the vertical stripes is when it's on a display behind someone from the Coast Guard giving a statement to journalists about a missing person etc.

That's the one occasion when everyone pulls out all the stops. Very mea culpa most of the time.
 
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