Sri Lanka Military Flags

Last modified: 2005-09-17 by rob raeside
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~3:5   image by Željko Heimer

Smith (1982) describes this flag as blue over red over blue triband with a black and white badge in the middle. The badge consists of a circular shield in front of a two spears topped with an elephant and with a ribbon below inscribed PRO PATRIA. This is presumably obsolete today.
Željko Heimer, 26 January 2003

Summary of Ceylon/Sri Lanka Naval and Maritime Flags since 1802

Government vessels.
1870 - 1955. Blue Ensign, British canton, Ceylon badge.
1955 - ? Blue Ensign, Ceylon canton, crossed anchors.

Lighthouses and Tenders.
The Daily Mirror of 1 April 1976 reported that the Sri Lanka Navy Ensign had replaced the White Ensign at Dondra Lighthouse. The details seem unlikely. The replaced flag was probably the British Blue Ensign of the Board of Trade, which at that time was operating the lights installed by the Ceylon and Minicoy Imperial Lighthouse Service. I don't know when the Board of Trade took over the Lighthouse Service in Ceylon (before 1916), nor whether there is a special flag for Sri Lanka Ports Authority.

Ceylon Naval Volunteer Force.
1937- 1946. Blue Ensign, British canton, Ceylon badge.
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