United Kingdom: jacks

Last modified: 2005-03-19 by rob raeside
Keywords: jack | state jack | civil jack | pilot flag | cross: saint george | dunkirk jack |
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• Naval jack
• State jacks
• Civil jack (Pilot jack)
  • Development of the Pilot Jack
  • Discussion about dimensions of the pilot jack
  • Anchor Ball and Pilot Jack
  • Controversy about the legality of the white-bordered union jack
• Dunkirk jack
• Jacks in wartime

• United Kingdom

by Graham Bartram

The Union Flag is the official jack of the Royal Navy - strictly speaking, this is the only time it should be called the 'Union Jack'.
Roy Stilling, 8 February 1996

The Union Jack is reserved at sea for the Royal Navy.
André Coutanche, 28 September 2000

A jack, a flag flown on a staff at the bow of a ship, is a relatively insignificant flag. Ensigns which indicate nationality are, I believe, regulated by international laws, but a jack would be subject only to the laws of the country in which the ship was registered. Thus, in very general terms as I understand it, Britain can prohibit ships registered in Britain from fly the Union Jack, but would not be able to enforce the prohibition against a ship not registered in Britain.
David Prothero, 29 September 2000

See below for the civil jack.

Jacks are probably not used much because most public service vessels do not want to involve themselves in all the rigmarole of lowering the jack when getting