The ensign or flag of the Royal Navy and of the Merchant Marine has the
Union Flag as its canton, i.e., in the upper left corner of the flag
(the canton is called the union in the Stars and Stripes just to confuse
matters still more). When flown as a jack the fly part of the flag is
not used and only the canton, in this case the Union Flag, is flown. In
other words, the Union Flag is used as the Union Jack by the Royal Navy
and as the canton of the Navy and Merchant Marine ensign. Calling the
Union Flag the Union Jack is technically correct because of this and
widely used.
By the by, what we Americans think of as the Confederate Battle Flag is
also the Confederate Naval Jack since it forms the canton in both the
Second (The Stainless Banner) National Flag and the Third National Flag
of the Confederacy. The original Battle Flag of the Army of Northern
Virginia was square rather than rectangular but in the West it was
changed to a rectangle by units in the Army of Tennessee and as such was
incorporated into the national flags.
Vexillogically yours,
John T. Nichols
'58 TR3A TS32093L 'O'
'86 TVR 280i
Brian Johnson wrote:
>
> "Kai M. Radicke" wrote:
> >
> > > Listers, why is the Brit flag called a = Union-Jack =, I had this asked of
> > > me this a.m. and had no answer, but, sure would like to know. "FT"
> >
> > In the dim and distant past, someone told me that the term Union Jack was
>only used when the flag was on a boat - the 'JACK' description by Kai being
>the place the flag is displayed on a boat, but when it is on a land based flag
>pole it is known as the Union Flag......... and of course there is a right
>and a wrong way up to fly it.
> A lot of Brits also think it is the flag for England, but
> that is the white flag with the red cross on it -the cross
> of St George (who wasn't English - I think he was Spanish).
> Then of course there are the Ensign flags that are flown on
> boats and ships as well...
>
> I never know which one to fly.....
> Someone correct me if I'm wrong......
>
> Cheers
> Brian Johnson (Loughborough - UK)
> 1963 TR4 AFP 503A (UK) / IZS 733(USA) - CT27216-L (now
> not L but O )
> 1954 TR2 46 BHX TS554-O UK Car
> in pieces
> 1989 Vauxhall Cavalier 2.0 GLI - Eurobox but it goes !
> Internet b.johnson@lycosmail.com
> Website http://websites.diamond.co.uk/~b.johnson/index.htm
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