Ceremonial Flashcards
Where would you find ceremonial rules for royal events?
BR2 (Queens Regulations in the Royal Navy) chapter 91 details ceremonial rules.
What flag would you fly for the Admiral of the Fleet?
Union Flag
What flag would you fly for an Admiral?
St George’s Cross
What’s the difference between Admirals, Rear Admirals, and Vice Admirals flags?
Admiral - St George’s across
Vice Admiral - same as Admiral with one red ball in upper left canton
Rear Admiral - Same as Admiral with red balls in upper left and lower left canton
Describe the RN Commodores flag.
Swallow tailed pennant with a red st. George’s cross and a red ball in the upper left canton
Describe the RFA Commodores Flag.
Blue swallow-tailed flag with a yellow anchor in a yellow rope circle
Jacks and Ensigns are measured in breadths. How long is a breadth?
22cm/ 9 inches
How many breadths is a boats ensign?
2
How many breadths is a Sea Ensign and where is it flown?
4 breadths and the main mast or a suitable halyard when underway.
How many breadths is a flag flown from a masthead when dressing ship?
6
How many breadths is a harbour ensign when a vessel is alongside, at anchor or at a buoy?
8
How many breadths is a harbour ensign on larger RFA vessels?
10
How many breadths is an RFA jack?
6 - regardless of size of vessel
His Majesty’s ships, when birthed in home ports and roads, are to do colours when?
15th February to 31st of October (incl.) - 0800
1st of November to 14th of February (incl.) - 0900
Rotates around Halloween and Valentines Day
What time is evening colours?
At sunset; if sunset is after 2100, the ceremony of evening colours is 2100
What are Battle Ensigns?
War colours (RFA Jack & Ensign) to be worn continuously day and night at sea.
In action, TWO ensigns are to be flown in a conspicuous position without interfering with signalling.
What is the Harbour Position, what flag should be flown and when?
When in harbour or underway in a pilotage water, the RFA Ensign is to be worn at the Ensign Staff, a pole on the stern of the ship.
When entering harbour, when is the Jack to be hoisted?
- anchoring: when first anchor is let go
- mooring to a buoy: when the picking up rope is secured
- securing alongside: when first line is secured ashore
- at sea the jack is only worn when entering harbour during dress ship occasions and escorting Royal Standards.
What and when are the dress ship dates?
- Commonwealth Day - second Monday in March
- Coronation Day - 6th of May
- The Kings Official Birthday - promulgated by the Yeoman of the Admiralty (15th June this year)
4.Birthday of the Queen a 17 July - Accession Day - 8 September
- His Majesty’s real birthday - 14th of November
Note: when an anniversary falls on a Sunday, ships also dress ship the following day with Masthead Ensigns only during the Gun Salute.
When HM Ships are:
underway in the vicinity of an anchorage, escorting a royal standard at sea, not fitted with dressing lines, if so ordered by the SOPA if dressing is inexpedient, ships undergoing refit or in dock, going to sea less than an hour after colours or berthing or anchoring after 1600.
How should the ship be dressed?
Bonus points for how many breadths
Only with Masthead Ensigns - 6 breadths
What is the custom hoisting flags whilst berthing?
Hoisting the berth number/ name on the outer Halyard after Desig.
What is BR20?
Regulations for flags of all nations
Where would you find ceremonial rules?
Queens Regulations in the Royal Navy, BR2.
In there you’ll find ceremonial rules in chapter 91
How would you signal what ship the senior officer (SOPA) is on, in flags?
The STBD pennant hoisted at the starboard yardarm of the senior officers ship (in BR20).
In the company of NATO nation warships, the senior British officer flys the STBD pennant in the manner above. senior officers of the other nations will do likewise.
