^{This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website}

Bermuda

by Antonio Martins, 4 April 2000

Official Name: Bermuda
Previous name: Somers Islands
Capital: Hamilton
Location: Group of Islands in the North Atlantic Ocean
Government Type: British Overseas Territory with Internal Self-Government
Flag adopted: 4 October 1910
Coat of arms adopted: 4 October 1910
ISO Code: BM

The Flag
Variant with the Motto
Use of Flags by Foreign Ships
The Union Flag

See also:

The Flag

The shade of red on British Union flags and derived ensigns is a dark red. The Pantone reference is 186. It is slightly different from "Old Glory" red which is Pantone 185.
Graham Bartram, 13 September 2000

From <www.geocities.com/p_taggett>:
"The national flag of Bermuda is composed of a red background with the Union Flag (or Jack) in the upper left corner and the Bermuda coat of arms in the lower fly. From 1910, when Bermuda received its own Coat of Arms, unofficial versions of the Union Flag incorporating the Arms appeared in Bermuda. The present national flag was officially approved in October of 1967."
There is also a picture showing the reverse side of the flag.
Gvido Petersons, 16 November 2000

What I believe is still the effective Merchant Shipping Act relating to Bermuda (1988 (Bermuda) Order 1991) confirmed undefaced Red Ensign as the proper colours for ships.
David Prothero, 12 August 2002

The Bermuda Red Ensign was "established" as a sea flag in 1915 but have no record of by whom, and this seems to be in contradiction of the Merchant Shipping (Bermuda) Order of (from memory) 1991 or thereabouts, which stated (or perhaps confirmed?) that the undefaced Red Ensign was the proper colours for ships registered in Bermuda?
I also have it that the defaced Red Ensign was "authorized" for use on land in 1967 (no date), but again, no record of who authorized it?
Christopher Southworth, 14 June 2005

19 August 1955 - Colonial Office to Admiralty. Governor of Bermuda reports; "Despite the fact that no official recognition appears to have been given to it, Red Ensign with the arms of the colony in the fly is widely used here, not only on privately owned vessels but also on private buildings ashore."
"Records of Colonial Office show no authorisation has been given for the use of the Red Ensign in this manner, but its practice is evidently well established and it would probably be difficult to attempt to discontinue the practice."
Head of Naval Law noted that the only flags authorised for Bermuda were the defaced Union Flag and Blue Ensign, and Royal Bermuda Yacht Club. Red Ensign with arms was without sanction or authority from Admiralty. Admiralty would be unable to give any authority to regularise this misuse of the flag. It was therefore for consideration, whether on political grounds the practice should be allowed to continue without interference, and if so whether such an attitude was likely to impair in any way, the Admiralty's control over British flags. It was not unlikely that similar irregularities were occurring elsewhere.
The Admiralty Archivist was unable to trace any reference to the origin of the use of the defaced Red Ensign in Bermuda. 14 September 1955 - Head of Military Branch wrote that prohibition of a long-standing custom could be resented. The position should be explained and further action left to the discretion of the Governor. [National Archives (PRO) ADM 1/26283].
David Prothero, 16 June 2005

Variant with the Motto

by Antonio Martins, 1 April 2000

In Graham Bartram's BR 20 change 5 page, the Bermuda's ensigns, flag and Coat of Arms do not display the motto.
Armand du Payrat , 4 April 2000

The official version does not bear the motto, but this is an area that you do get variations. I've seen British Virgin Island flags without the motto, so I suppose its equally likely that Bermudan flags exist with the motto, but the official design is sans motto.
Graham Bartram , 4 April 2000

There seems to be some controversy over whether the motto is used on any Bermuda flag. I can say that I have never seen it, whether directly on an ensign or in a white disc.
Aidan Stones , 19 May 2000

Use of Ensigns by Foreign Ships

Foreign civilian ships visiting any British Overseas Territory should fly, as a courtesy flag, the Territory's own Red Ensign, if the territory has one and the ship happens to carry one. The undefaced British Red Ensign is always an acceptable alternative. If the ship is a Foreign government vessel it should fly the Territory's Blue Ensign. Foreign warships should fly a British White Ensign.
Basically the British rule is that you may use either the appropriate Red, Blue or White ensign (depending upon your own status) or the land flag, except that you cannot use the Union Flag at all.
Graham Bartram, 1 April 1999

The Union Flag

In the 1961 edition of H. Gresham Carr's Flags of the World [car61] is the following entry on pages 102 and 103:

BERMUDA uses her Arms. On the Union Flag the shield is placed upon the white circular background, which is surrounded by the garland. On the Blue Ensign there is no wreath or background. The shield is with a green-grassy "mound in base, upon which is seated a red lion "affront?." The lion supports a scrolled shield upon which is a representation of the wreck of the Sea Venture, [...] In passing, it is interesting to note that Bermuda has retained the 1606 pattern Union Flag, i.e. without the St. Patrick's Cross, as a reminder of its great age as a colony.

Which is maddingly non-specific! Does this mean the Union Flag in all contexts? Or only when used as a Union Flag (presumably including in the Governor's Flag) It could, of course, be a piece of spurious information Carr accepted as a fact. It's also interesting to note that Carr does not mention