Ok guys.... do we have flag specialists here?... recent days I was trying to dive in the deep and understand which flags need to be flown on my ship. Without big success.
Let's go one by one.
The aft standard. This one I think is the easiest - we need a red ensign of shape used 1707-1750. This one:
View attachment 443010
However even here might be tricky, as there were three squadrons - red, blue and white, each having their own ensign - red, blue and white... But let's stick to the red one. Just to have at least something definite... Correct me if I'm wrong.
Now.. here is the royal standard of king George I (1714-1727):
View attachment 443011
This one... well... did kings used to be present on a navy ship, even a flagship? Honestly I don't know. In case the king is onboard the ship, we need to put this flag on the mainmast.
Next - admiral of the fleet (this is a flagship right?). I'm a little bit confused between terms Admiral of the fleet and Lord High Admiral, especially that each of this terms involves its own flags. But I found, that admiral of the fleet from 1702-1864 would have the folowing flag on the mainmast:
View attachment 443012
Now, if we have both the king and admiral of the fleet on the ship, which flag is on the mainmast and where will go another flag? Or it's better not to put the king on the ship?...
However, the picture becomes looking something like this:
View attachment 443013
Although it's hard to say if the mainmast here has a king standard, or a standard of a lord high admiral as below:
View attachment 443014
This picture also includes a flag with an anchor at the foremast (well, most probably), which I cannot understand the meaning.
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I've read that this is an Admiralty flag and it signifies the
Admiralty and Marine Affairs Office, so it doesn't seem having to be present on a ship. However a painting is showing it.
The other painting that I have seems to represent just an Admiral of the fleet on the ship and without a king:
View attachment 443017
I also still didn't find rules about having the Union Jack on the sprit topmast. Should it be there or not?
So if somebody is able to help and guide me... would be very grateful...