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241:", showing a determination to fight on and never surrender. In practice, warships would fly more than one battle ensign, so that if the flag was destroyed or brought down during the fighting there would be no confusion. Conversely, keeping the flag flying even though the ship might appear to be past fighting was a sign of determination rather than foolishness. The
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The battle ensign was seen as an important element for the morale of the crew and was held in high regard. If a warship was sinking and had to be abandoned, flags such as the battle ensigns would be taken off the ship before it sank and were entrusted to the senior (surviving) officer.
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in the 17th and 18th centuries was about 20 by 40 ft (6.1 by 12.2 m). It was commonly accepted that so long as a ship flew its ensign it was an active participant in battle; prior to action it was an acceptable ruse to fly a
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by the
Japanese Naval Air Forces on December 7, 1941 was badly stained with oil and it was burned as being 'unfit for further use', before anyone thought to save it.
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gave the order to hoist five 24' by 12' (7·32m by 3·66m) battle ensigns from the main topmast, port and starboard yardarms, the top mizzen and the lower mizzen as
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continued to fly its battle ensign even after all its gun batteries had been silenced by
British shells, and sank with the ensign still flying.
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flew an extra-large battle ensign in the hopes the French Forces would decide not to fight the U.S. Navy. The French decided to fight, and the
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warships as a courtesy when entering or leaving foreign ports, or on national holidays when it is referred to as "Holiday Colors."
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ordered the ship's battle ensign to be hoisted on the mainmast, so "those bastards can see who they're dealing with!"
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as a battle ensign from the mainmast during her celebrated victory over German warship
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In what could become a very confusing situation with thick clouds of gunsmoke the
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637:"HØR: Skule Storheill og "Scharnhorst"-slaget 2. juledag 1943" (in Norwegian).
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If a ship surrendered then it would take down its ensign (which was known as
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as its battle ensign in commemoration of the actions of the NYPD during the
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gave additional identification, hence their large size, which for the
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Postcard commemorating the naval victory of
Australian light cruiser
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continued to fly the large battle ensign, throughout the battle.
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has in its collection a battle ensign taken from the
Spanish
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of 8.2 by 16 m (27 by 52 ft) was captured by
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which measures 9.8 by 14.4 m (32 by 47 ft).
486:, after being ordered to close with and engage the
46:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
409:in 1800, and presented by its captain, one time
274:The battle ensign is sometimes also flown by
259:as the battle ensign, while others use their
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642:, 20 October 2010. Retrieved: 6 January 2016
174:flying her battle ensign as she returns to
237:). This is also the origin of the phrase "
106:Learn how and when to remove this message
550:
214:'s mast just before going into battle.
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44:adding citations to reliable sources
558:U.S. Navy Flag Usage and Ceremonies
640:Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation
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239:To nail one's colours to the mast
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413:of Lord Nelson, to the City of
372:New York City Police Department
327:. The battle ensign flown from
31:needs additional citations for
635:Nils Owren, at the 13:00 mark
297:over the German light cruiser
1:
563:. Retrieved: 26 December 2016
202:is the name given to a large
612:"We're all Australians Now"
497:of the Norwegian destroyer
317:United States Naval Academy
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592:ww38.australianflag.com.au
396:An ensign from the French
343:Naval Battle of Casablanca
477:Battle of the River Plate
470:German pocket battleship
255:Some countries use their
493:with torpedoes, Captain
484:battle of the North Cape
429:Australian National Flag
383:National Maritime Museum
588:"australianflag.com.au"
341:From the start of the
336:attack on Pearl Harbor
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192:Imperial Japanese Navy
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154:Don't Give Up the Ship
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574:"USS Ramage (DDG 61)"
468:turned to engage the
449:In the early days of
444:Royal Australian Navy
370:uses the flag of the
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190:Battle ensign of the
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176:Naval Station Norfolk
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156:battle ensign at the
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420:On 9 November 1914,
376:September 11 attacks
160:, 10 September 1813.
40:improve this article
519:Russian Navy Ensign
391:Battle of Trafalgar
265:Battle of Lake Erie
235:striking the colors
158:Battle of Lake Erie
488:German battleship
389:, captured at the
313:United States Navy
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243:German battleship
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130:Battle of the Nile
472:Admiral Graf Spee
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674:Military symbols
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534:Flag terminology
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457:of the cruiser
440:Battle of Cocos
347:Operation Torch
305:Battle of Cocos
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210:) hoisted on a
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55:"Battle ensign"
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618:on 2012-03-18
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57: –
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51:Find sources:
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29:This article
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620:. Retrieved
616:the original
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96:January 2007
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38:Please help
33:verification
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529:Vexillology
490:Scharnhorst
482:During the
334:during the
269:War of 1812
653:Categories
622:2011-12-03
597:2024-03-13
545:References
455:F. S. Bell
422:HMAS
406:Foudroyant
292:HMAS
228:false flag
223:Royal Navy
204:war ensign
66:newspapers
459:HMS
365:USS
351:USS
321:Annapolis
276:U.S. Navy
561:Seaflags
539:War flag
508:See also
453:Captain
399:Généreux
325:Maryland
307:in 1914.
282:Examples
245:Bismarck
180:Virginia
659:Ensigns
438:at the
415:Norwich
345:during
331:Arizona
311:In the
303:at the
267:in the
212:warship
151:Perry's
149:flying
146:Niagara
128:at the
125:Tonnant
80:scholar
499:HNoMS
466:Exeter
461:Exeter
424:Sydney
367:Ramage
349:, the
294:Sydney
219:ensign
171:McFaul
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501:Stord
435:Emden
300:Emden
132:, by
87:JSTOR
73:books
433:SMS
404:HMS
363:The
329:USS
208:flag
169:USS
122:The
59:news
319:at
42:by
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198:A
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