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

United Kingdom: Royal Navy rank flags

Early usage (after 1864)
Admiral of the Fleet
Admiral
Vice-Admiral
Rear-Admiral
Commodore
Commodore of the Royal Navy Reserve
Chief of Squadron

Early usage (after 1864)

A historical note: since the abolishment of the three squadron system in 1864, a plain St George Cross flag was flown by admirals at the main masthead, by vice admirals at the fore masthead, and by rear admirals at the mizzen masthead. A broad pennant of similar design was flown by commodores (1st class at main main masthead, 2nd class at fore masthead). The evolution in warship design soon made such practices impossible. Instead, the vice admiral's flag was given a small red ball at the extreme canton, while the rear admiral's flag got two small red balls, arranged like the circles on the % sign, also at extreme canton. The balls were difficult to be seen from a distance, however, so that the designs were changed to the current forms circa 1900.
Miles Li, 22 September 2000

"British Flags" (W.G.Perrin, Cambridge University Press, 1922) has a lot to say about naval rank flags. In 1864 the 'three squadron' system of the Royal Navy was abolished, and all flag officers came under the St George's cross banner, flown by the admirals in the main masthead, by the vice admirals in the fore masthead, and by the rear admirals in the mizzen masthead. There were also a set of flags for use on boats: the admirals used the St George's cross banner; the vice admirals used a similar flag with a small red ball (before 1864 it was blue) at the extreme canton of the flag; the rear admirals used a similar flag with two red bal