The Canadian Naval Ensign (french: Pavillon naval canadien) is the flag worn at the stern or (optionally when at sea) at the

gaff Gaff may refer to: Ankle-worn devices * Spurs in variations of cockfighting * Climbing spikes used to ascend wood poles, such as utility poles Arts and entertainment * A character in the ''Blade Runner'' film franchise * Penny gaff, a 19th- ...

of His Majesty's Canadian Ships. The

ensign An ensign is the national flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality. The ensign is the largest flag, generally flown at the stern (rear) of the ship while in port. The naval ensign (also known as war ensign), used on warships, may be diffe ...

is also the flag of the

Royal Canadian Navy The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN; french: Marine royale canadienne, ''MRC'') is the naval force of Canada. The RCN is one of three environmental commands within the Canadian Armed Forces. As of 2021, the RCN operates 12 frigates, four attack submar ...

(RCN) and is used on land in this capacity. The ensign consists of a white flag with the

National Flag of Canada The national flag of Canada (french: le Drapeau national du Canada), often simply referred to as the Canadian flag or, unofficially, as the Maple Leaf or ' (; ), consists of a red field with a white square at its centre in the ratio of , in ...

in the canton, and in the fly a navy blue emblem comprising an

anchor An anchor is a device, normally made of metal , used to secure a vessel to the bed of a body of water to prevent the craft from drifting due to wind or current. The word derives from Latin ''ancora'', which itself comes from the Greek ἄ� ...

, an

eagle Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, j ...

and a naval crown. The ensign's emblem is similar to the central device of the former RCN badge (which was redesigned in 2016), but replacing

Saint Edward's Crown St Edward's Crown is the centrepiece of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom. Named after Saint Edward the Confessor, versions of it have traditionally been used to crown English and British monarchs at their coronations since the 13th cen ...

with a naval crown.

History

Prior to the creation of the RCN, Canadian Government Ships of the Fisheries Protection Service had to use a defaced Blue Ensign with colonial badge as per the Colonial Naval Defence Act 1865. The current ensign was introduced in 1968, and it replaced the national flag as the

naval jack A jack is a flag flown from a short jackstaff at the bow (front) of a vessel, while the ensign is flown on the stern (rear). Jacks on bowsprits or foremasts appeared in the 17th century. A country may have different jacks for different p ...

of the Canadian Forces. Naval jacks are worn at the bow of warships, but only when anchored or docked during daylight hours or when "

dressing overall Dressing overall consists of stringing international maritime signal flags on a ship from stemhead to masthead, from masthead to masthead (if the vessel has more than one mast) and then down to the taffrail. It is a sign of celebration, and is ...

" for special occasions. The national flag had replaced both the

White Ensign The White Ensign, at one time called the St George's Ensign due to the simultaneous existence of a cross-less version of the flag, is an ensign worn on British Royal Navy ships and shore establishments. It consists of a red St George's Cross ...

at the ensign staff and the

Canadian Blue Ensign The Canadian Red Ensign (french: Enseigne Rouge Canadienne ) served as a nautical flag and civil ensign for Canada from 1892 to 1965, and later as the ''de facto'' flag of Canada before 1965. The flag is a British red ensign, with the Royal Uni ...

at the jack staff in 1965, and the national flag remained the ensign of Canadian Forces' ships after the introduction of the new jack. Effective May 5, 2013 (

Battle of the Atlantic Sunday A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...

), the two flags switched roles: the white flag with the maple leaf canton became the ensign, and the national flag became the jack. The

commissioning pennant The commissioning pennant (or masthead pennant) is a pennant (also spelled "pendant") flown from the masthead of a warship. The history of flying a commissioning pennant dates back to the days of chivalry with their trail pendants being flown fr ...

was the same as that used by the UK's

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...

until the early 1990s, at which point it was progressively phased out in favour of a new pennant of Canadian design, where the maple leaf replaces St. George's cross. Canadian_Commissioning_Pennant

References

{{Canadian flags Flags of Canada Royal Canadian Navy Navy of Canada Naval ensigns Flags displaying animals

History

See also

References