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Sri Lanka - previous ensigns

Naval ensign
Government ensign
Civil ensign

See also:

Naval ensign

by Željko Heimer

I have made a drawing of the Sri Lanka naval ensign, based on the listing in Jane's Fighting Ships. The naval ensign is the national flag set in the canton of a white field divided by a red St. George's cross. In Jane's the cross is bright red, not the dark red - almost brown - colour of the field upon which the golden lion is placed. However, some old flag books show the cross in the same dark-red colour. This would, in one way, be natural, as the number of colours is kept at a minimum. I do not know what shade of red is correct. In Smith's Flags through the Ages and across the World, the 'normal' Sri Lankan flag is given as the naval ensign.
Jan Oskar Engene, 3 October 1996

Pederson (1971) illustrated the Naval Ensign with a Cross of St George which was introduced in 1955. I assume the cross was dropped due to the Christian symbolism?
Christopher Southworth, 26 January 2003

In 1972 the red St George's cross was removed, when Sri Lanka became a republic.
David Prothero, 4 November 1998

Government ensign

by Željko Heimer

This was the Sri Lankan Government Service Ensign. I believe I saw it in Pedersen's book, but it could have been in an earlier book. I'm not quite sure what the Government Service Ensign could be when there is a blue ensign.
Calvin Paige Herring, 9 February 1998

I received on September 97 from the Sri Lankan Navy information on flags and marks (cf. correction 29 to Album des Pavillons). A blue ensign without anchors but with national flag in canton exists as ensign for merchant navy ships commanded by a reserve Navy officer. Other merchant ships just show a plain national flag as ensign. Warships show an undefaced white ensign (without red cross) with the national flag in the canton. Apparently there is no more such ensign as the one Calvin Paige shows.
Armand Noel du Payrat, 9 February 1998

Civil ensign

by Željko Heimer

The Sri Lanka Civil Ensign showed a strong British influence as it was identical to the British ensign with the exception of the Sri Lankan Flag in the canton.

I believe my source for this flag was from Pedersen.

Calvin Paige Herring, 20 January 1998