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Unidentified Flags or Ensigns (2014) Page 3

flags submitted in 2014 - 3 of 3 pages

Last modified: 2014-09-27 by pete loeser
Keywords: ufe | unidentified flags | 2013 |
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Below is a series of images of flags that have been provided to FOTW; some we have recognized, and some we have been unable to recognize. If you can help us identify any of these flags, please let us know! Contact the: UFE Editor.

Identification Key:

= Positive ID (Positive Identification)
= Tentative ID (Tentative Identification)
= Some Speculation

Unidentified Flags on Page 1

  1. Unknown German Inland Shipping J-Company
  2. Unknown Rostock Flag
  3. Unknown Swedish Flag
  4. Unknown Philippine Flag
  5. Signal Flags on the Tusitala
  6. Unidentified Flag on a Tea Cup
  7. Unknown VNSC Pennant
  8. Unknown Yacht Club Burgee
  9. Unknown English House Flag
  10. Confederate Blockade Runner Flag
  11. Unidentified flag or banner from Afghanistan
  12. Unknown signal flags
  13. Glaris flag postcard (Swiss)
  14. Mysterious Flag of Tocancipá
  15. Unknown flag in Ladakh (India)
  16. Political Venezuela UFE
  17. Two UFE Pennants
  18. Russian Military UFE
  19. Ukrainian flag UFE
  20. Strange Rebel Flag.
  21. Flags at Barneo, Russia.
  22. William Wyllie Etching
  23. Four Unidentified Flags from Reddit
  24. Chile Political UFE

Unidentified Flags on Page 2

  1. EAR&H Badge
  2. Ship House Flag on Mug
  3. Unknown Argentine Shipping Line
  4. Unknown Red Swallowtail Flag with Lion
  5. Unknown Chinese Flag
  6. Unusual German Flag, Interwar Years
  7. Cambodian UFE
  8. Phnom Penh International Airport Flags
  9. UFE seen in Crimea, Ukraine
  10. Strange Greek-like Flag Near Portland.
  11. Brunswick Infantry Colour (18th Century)
  12. More Russian UFE's at Barneo Base
  13. Ukrainian UFEs
  14. Turkish UFE
  15. Turkish Airport UFE
  16. A Very Odd Duck
  17. Turkish or Kurdish UFE
  18. Iraqi Military UFE
  19. Three Somalia UFE's Seen on Poster
  20. Somalia Police flag
          

Unidentified Flags on this Page:

  1. Three Unidentified flags from Syria
  2. War Dogs flag
  3. Unknown British (?) Flags
  4. Unknown Italian flag
  5. Possible "Port" Pennant
  6. Unidentified flag in Devont, England
  7. Unknown Flag, possibly Indian
  8. Unknown Flag, possibly Russian
  9. Scissors Flag from Wonderland
  10. Flag found in Flea Market
  11. Strange Double-Headed Eagle Flag
  12. Unidentified Oregon Union Flag
  13. Hussite Church Flag in Prague
  14. Yacht Club UFE?
  15. Portuguese Communal Flag
  16. Gift Shop Flag in St. Georges (Bermuda)
  17. African Refugee Rally Flag in Israel
  18. Strange Botswana Flag
  19. Official French Government Flag found in Mexico?
  20. Unknown Shiite Militia Flag
  21. Unknown flag, RWB with ship's wheel
  22. Ukrainian UFE

Unidentified Flags on other pages


14-45. Three Unidentified flags from Syria Tentative ID and Some Speculation

Image from Hoang Nhan Nguyen, 1 July 2014

Help me to identify two flag on the image taken from the footage of VICE News.
Hoang Nhan Nguyen, 1 July 2014

Well, they're definitely Kurdish. The one on the left is a portrait flag of PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan. The middle one appears to be a variant of the green flag of its affiliate the KKK, but without the yellow sun on which the red star is usually placed. The right one is a novelty, but it has the KKK sun+star in the farthest corner of its canton.
Eugene Ipavec, 1 July 2014

I have several questions regargding that image: 1. Can you provide the original link of VICE news that Mr. Nguyen Hoang Nhan mentions? 2. I see an Abdullah Öcalan flag (first flag from left to right, like the ones post here as the Öcalan flag. It is possible that the other two flags may also be of Turkish origin, rather than Syrian, but do we have the location of where this picture was taken? Perhaps if we identify the place we may have a better chance of identifying the other two flags.
Esteban Rivera, 1 July 2014

     The video you mention is taken on "Syrian Kurdistan or Western Kurdistan (Kurdish: Rojavayê Kurdistan), also commonly referred to as simply Rojava meaning the West in Kurdish, is a de facto autonomous region in northern and north-eastern Syria".
     Regarding the flags in this video, they are the flags of the "Democratic Union Party (Kurdish: Partiya Yekîtiya Demokrat, PYD) is a Syrian Kurdish political party established in 2003 by Kurdish activists in northern Syria. An affiliate of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and a founder member of the National Coordination Body for Democratic Change, it is described by the Carnegie Middle East Center as "one of the most important Kurdish opposition parties in Syria". It is said to control a number of towns in northern Syria." Sources: Democratic Union Party
     The PYD "is basically ruling over the Northwestern part of the country. Since the start of the Syrian Civil War in 2012 the PYD has quietly constructed its own government in Syria including an army (YPG), police force (Asayis), and even conducts it's own foreign policy." Source: Rise of the PYD in Syria.
So the flags in the Youtube video that you mention from VICE news, are:

- YPG (The People's Protection Units (Kurdish: Yekîneyên Parastina Gel; Arabic: Wihdat Himayah ash-Sha'ab), commonly known as the YPG, are the official armed wing of the Kurdish Supreme Committee. The militia has been accused of acting as the armed wing of the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD), although they deny this. Sources: People's Protection Units - Flag image #1, and Flicker Hive Search.
- Asayish (The Asayis or Asayish, Kurdish for security) is the official security organisation of the autonomous administration in Syrian Kurdistan. It was formed during the Syrian Civil War to police areas controlled by the Kurdish Supreme Committee.
Sources: Asayish, Flag Image #1, and Flag Image #2.
     The YPD in turn responds to the Kurdish Supreme Committee (Kurdish: Desteya Bilind a Kurd) is a governing body of Syrian Kurdistan, which was founded by the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) and the Kurdish National Council (KNC), following the signing on 12 July 2012 of a cooperation agreement between the two parties in Hewlêr, Iraqi Kurdistan under the auspice of the Iraqi Kurdistan President Massoud Barzani. The member board consists of an equal number of PYD and KNC members. Source: Kurdish Supreme Committee. For additional information go to the official website of the PYD.
Esteban Rivera, 3 July 2014

Image from Esteban Rivera, 3 July 2014

I forgot to mention one more flag featured in this video (3:26 and 4:38). It is the flag of the Kurdish Supreme Committee. They even had a poll or flag contest: "On its official Facebook page, the Kurdish Supreme Committee (KSC) posted a number of sample flags and logos as potential symbols to represent the unity of Syrian Kurds and different political factions working together under the umbrella of the committee."
Sources: Web Archive File, The Proposals, Northern Iraq Forum and this YouTube video.
It seems that this flag is actually the Asayish (Police Force) flag. So this flag remains an UFE.
Esteban Rivera, 3 July 2014


14-46. War Dogs flag

The War Dog flag has been moved to US Military Veteran Commemorative Flags.


14-47. Unknown British (?) Flags Some Speculation

#47a  #47b  #47c
Images from Julian Boutique and Rob Raeside, 19 July 2014

I have at home a map representing a naval battle, probably from the 17th century, however, I can't identify the flags. I've got no information at all about where or when it happened, or if it indeed did happen. Here is a photo of two flags (#47a) I can find on the map. Could you tell me more about them or the battle?
Julian Boutique, 19 July 2014>

I have just uploaded two additional images (#47b and #47c) of the naval battle scene. Any suggestions? The overall battle scene has geography that might help - could that be Manhattan? Do the Palisades extend that far south (note the cliff shoreline opposite). Was there ever a barrage across the Hudson River? The flags have an obvious similarity to the English flags of the 1600s, but don't seen to match perfectly.
Rob Raeside, 19 July 2014

I don't recognize the battle, but assuming that the larger ships are Royal and that the flags are reasonably accurate, it is possible to place it in the late 16th or early 17th Centuries? I say this because we know that Red Ensigns were introduced into the "Navy Royale" from 1625 onwards, and striped ensigns completely phased out by c1630 (I'd have to look up the exact date).
It appears to be an attack by cannon mounted in the bows of longboats, and whilst I know that this was done (on at least one occasion) in the 18th Century, there is insufficient detail to be sure in this instance? An incident during the war for a free Holland in which Tudor England was involved?
Christopher Southworth, 20 July 2014

Assuming that it is not fictional, it would probably represent an event between the Spanish Armada (1588) and the English Civil War (1642). The topography does not match exactly, but it might relate to one of the expeditions to Cadiz; in either 1596 or 1625?
David Prothero, 21 July 2014

Image from Pete Loeser, 27 July 2014

I provide a drawing of the yet unidentified British naval ensign (#47a). It sure looks like another variant of a Tudor naval ensign to me.
I'm wondering if the ships shown in #47b might be trapped opponent's ships? If so, they appear to be flying a gold Saint Andrews cross outlined in blue (?) on a white sheet. Ring any bells with anybody? I know the French and Russians favored white naval flags, who else?
Pete Loeser, 27 July 2014

14-47 is the Siege of La Rochelle, I think. It's about Louis XIII breaking the edict of Nantes and then having to defeat the Huguenot uprising he caused, which he did despite some English efforts to lift the siege. The interesting bit is that I only know these as mono-colours. But if this is like the original and if Julian has the whole thing, then the identifying numbers can be looked up in the index below it, IIRC.
Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 12 August 2014

Julian agreed off-list that this is the "Siège de La Rochelle", and also that all other images are colourless. His has been framed without the index, and he has no way to determine whether the colour is genuine or added later. Nevertheless, he thanks us for adding that bit of information.
Next step would be to find such a colourless image that has the same print, where we can make out the numbers with certainty, and then find an index to look them up in. Anyone any ideas? But, with nothing definite on this print these colours might, of course, still be a colourer's fancy.
Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 23 August 2014


14-48. Unknown Italian flag Positive ID

Image from Ruppert Baird, 27 July 2014

While watching a BBC World TV report on the last voyage of the Costa Concordia, there appeared in the far background during the comments of the Italian PM, a flag as attached. It was just a glimpse and I could make out little. I could not find a rendition anywhere on FOTW. Any idea?
Ruppert Baird, 27 July 2014

Image from Esteban Rivera, 3 August 2014

Regarding UFE14-48, here's the picture attached (in fact there are two flags atop the Costa Concordia) on this BBC footage at 0:57.
The Italian UFE is the Micoperi flag, a private company "which has been active in the marine sector since 1946 when the company was incorporated as a salvage company to free the shipping routes from vessels sunk during the Second World War". (Source: Micoperi Corporation website)
The other flag seen in the video is that of Titan Salvage, which "was established in 1981 to work in the global salvage field without geographical limitation". (Source: Titan Salvage website)
Esteban Rivera, 3 August 2014

Image from Pete Loeser, 4 August 2014

A bit clearer image of the flags if enlarged [please click on it]. Definitely Micoperi and Titan Salvage.
Pete Loeser, 4 August 2014

Two flags appeared on the ship after it was put upright. Salvagers, I expect. (And scanning what has been added confirms this is so.)
Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 12 August 2014


14-49. Possible "Port" Pennant Some Speculation

Image from Leah Patton, 30 July 2014

I purchased this flag it in Galveston, Texas, in the bin at at an Army-Navy surplus store that my family has frequented for many years. They are going out of business. No one there knew anything about the flag's meanings. I know it is not a letter, number, number pennant, repeater, convoy, or other International code. I begin to suspect, after seeing some "Port of" flags printed in the back of a very old nautical manual, that it might be a "Port of ????" pennant.
I have used the keywords Chevron, inset chevron, pennant, burgee, and, of course come up with more hits for party flags that anything. I have also posted for VURD on Facebook, but no takers there either.
Leah Patton, 30 July 2014

If I knew whom to ask, I would be interested in this very old nautical manual that apparently has Port flags of some kind in it. I wonder how large this flag is. If the hoist triangle was bigger, several designs of yacht club burgees would be similar, except they all have a charge of some kind, as if they are trying to avoid looking like this one. But it too much larger it would more likely be a signal of some kind.
Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 12 August 2014


14-50. Unidentified flag in Devon, England Some Speculation

Image from Jason Saber, 15 August 2014

The attached design was recently seen in Devon and sent on to me. No evident explanation accompanied the flag which was included amidst a range of regular designs. As no one has been able to identify the flag and because I thought it's actually a rather nice design I thought I'd send it to you.
Jason Saber, 15 August 2014

Note that if Jason doesn't recognise it, it's not a well known or official flag from the UK. It seems to be flown in a string with the Union Jack above, and a red, off-centred cross design (like Denmark) below.
Rob Raeside, 15 August 2014

The Union Jack appears upsides down. Do we at least have an idea of where in Devon and in what context? Some of the proposals for Dorset were Green, Yellow and Blue. Is there a tower of a castle in Dorset that the one on the flag could represent?
Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 15 August 2014

I wonder if the tower represents either St Michael’s Tower on Glastonbury Tor in the adjacent county of Somerset, or St Leonard’s Tower in Newton Abbot?
David Prothero, 16 August 2014

I have no idea what the flag is, but it seems unfortunate that the Union Flag in the photo appears to be upside down... [Peter Hans also commented on this]
Micky Sean, 18 August 2014


14-51. Unknown Flag, possibly Indian Positive ID

Image from Roger Sigrist, 20 August 2014, 20 August 2014

Can you help me identify this flag that was offered to me?
Roger Sigrist, 20 August 2014

This to me is probably the wheel of life flag used by Buddhist temples and homes in Thailand.
Zachary Harden, 20 August 2014

The yellow flag is Thai Buddhist flag.
Nozomi Kariyasu, 20 August 2014

The "Indian" flag is from Tahiland. It is the royal-religious flag adopted 5 December 1987. A detail of the central emblem available on request from me (67kb).
Jaume Ollé, 20 August 2014


14-52. Unknown Flag, possibly Russian Positive ID

Image from Roger Sigrist, 20 August 2014, 20 August 2014

Can you help me identify this flag that was offered to me?
Roger Sigrist, 20 August 2014

Is there a way to determine which edge of flag is the top edge? It could indeed be Russian with unknown emblem, but it looks more RBW with an FA monogram to me.
Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 20 August 2014

No obvious way - if it's hanging from the edge of a roof. If the top as hung is the hoist (not seen, behind eavestrough), we are viewing the obverse, and it is WRB, and the stitching of the hem seems to support that we are looking at the obverse.
Rob Raeside, 20 August 2014

This flag belongs to the Broad Front (Frente Amplio, FA) party in Uruguay.
Zachary Harden, 20 August 2014

The "Russian" flag is clearly the flag of Frente Amplio of Uruguay (with the letters FA).
Jaume Ollé, 20 August 2014

14-53. Scissors Flag from Wonderland Some Speculation

Image from Bishop Lamoureux, 22 August 2014

This "Scissors" flags is from "Wonderland" near Toronto. They have these scissors flags mixed among various country flags. The closest I found was the Zulfiqar Flags, a set of former flags from Morocco.
Bishop Lamoureux, 22 August 2014

No, that's not it; if it were the three flags would have been the same. The configuration of the flags suggests they are for something right in front or behind the pole. So, what attraction was next to it?
Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 23 August 2014


14-54. Flag found in Flea Market Some Speculation

 
Images from Bishop Lamoureux, 22 August 2014

This flag was found it at a flea market in Pasadena. It is double-sided, and accommodates a flag pole. Anyone know what its from?
Bishop Lamoureux, 22 August 2014

Looks like an unfinished flag of Georgia.
Tomislav Todorovic, 22 August 2014


14-55. Strange Double-Headed Eagle Flag Some Speculation

 
Images from Bishop Lamoureux, 22 August 2014

This flag was placed on Reddit, but the Vexillologists of Reddit could not identify it. The original poster stated "I got this flag from my dad several years ago and never knew where it came from. It looks like a crest, but it's in flag form. Does anyone know where this came from? And in the same vein can anyone tell me the correct orientation?"
Here is some of the speculation made about the flag on Reddit: 1. "The black and white quartered shield is the coat-of-arms of Zollern and the original arms of the House of Hohenzollern, eventually the royal family of Prussia and later of the German Empire." 2. "The two-headed eagle is a symbol of the Byzantine, Holy Roman, and Russian empires, but based on the Zollern arms and the Latin letters (not Greek or Russian). I think it's from the Holy Roman Empire." and 3. "The flag is probably the personal flag of some relatively low ranking German noble."
Can any of you comment on or identify this flag?
Bishop Lamoureux, 22 August 2014

If he doesn't know the orientation, what makes it a flag?
Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 23 August 2014

Speculative image rotation by Pete Loeser, 23 August 2014

It appears to be some sort of wall hanging, podium or decorative banner to me, but we've done coats-of-arms before. I'd say the orientation of the shields and double-headed eagle on the coat-of-arms would indicate the orientation might be diamond-like, or at least provide a strong clue. A size would be helpful.
Pete Loeser, 23 August 2014

It looks like Sienna aguilla to me. [The contrade are quarters of Sienna which compete in the li palio (a semi-annual bareback horse race). During the festivals - 2 July and 16 August - they use special throwing flags. Click here to see an image of a Sienna Aguilla palio throwing flag. - Ed.]
Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 23 August 2014

The crown is that of a Russian Tsar, but it might as well belong to Byzantine Empire (I don't know). And the arms above refer to St. Peter (look at the keys in base). It would be interesting to find out whether the flag is a replica or a silken original, and what the size of the flag is?
The ratio is similar to a military flag. The Zollern family gave princes to many European countries in the 19th and early 20th century, especially to Romania (but they had had a one-headed eagle), and Greece (they even now identify with the Byzantine Empire).
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 23 August 2014


14-56. Unidentified Oregon Union Flag. Some Speculation

 
Image from Bishop Lamoureux, 22 August 2014

This picture was originally posted on Reddit. A Reddit editor posted this information about the picture. "The window and the pole say Oregon Historical Society. Oregon become a state in 1859, a few years before this flag was made. Based on the clothing the picture would be dated from about c1929. Thus the flag might have something to do with the 70th anniversary of Oregon's admission to the Union."
Another Reddit user surmised the following: "It has thirty four stars, so it would have to be an American/Union flag. The thirty fourth state to join the union was Kansas, so that might have some significance. The Union flag had thirty four stars from 1861-1863. This could have been a regimental flag."
Bishop Lamoureux, 22 August 2014


14-57. Hussite Church Flag in Prague Some Speculation

 
Images from Bishop Lamoureux, 22 August 2014

A description originally posted on Reddit: "I was in a Hussite Church in Prague and they had a pair of flags by the Alter. One was the flag of the Hussite Church in the Czech Republic, and the other was this one I have not been able to identify."
Bishop Lamoureux, 22 August 2014

The wording on either side of the red chalice on the flag is PRAVDA VITEZI, which is Slovenian for "THE KNIGHTS OF JUSTICE." There is a humanitarian aid organization called "The Sovereign Order of the Knights of Justice" that works with the United Nations. They provide aid to the poor and the sick, support schools in poor countries, and help children and the elderly people in Europe, Asia, Africa and America. The Sovereign Order of the Knights of Justice is divided into a number of so-called Grand Priories, Priories, Commanderies and Delegations. They are commanded by Grand Priors, Priors, Commanders and Delegates. One such division is the "Commandery of Czech Republic." I'm not sure they have a flag, but perhaps this is it.
Pete Loeser, 23 August 2014

Seems to be a good guess. As far as I know, the Hussites were divided into moderate Utraquists and radical Taborites (the latter were plundering Saxonia and parts of Brandenburg until they were defeated at Bernau). One of their religious targets, probably of both groups, was to celebrate the communion in both conformations (i.e. bread AND wine). The Catholics celebrated (and celebrate) it exclusively as bread. So a chalice might be an adequate symbol for Hussites.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 23 August 2014

(Yes, I can see how Hussites would be a bit angry after the Catholics gave Jan Huss free passage, but burned him at the stake regardless.)
Considering that "pravda" means "truth", isn't it more likely to be the translation of "Veritas vincit", usually translated as "truth prevails"? It looks like the Hussite motto "Truth triumphs over all", is used in that shortened form by Czechia itself. Combined with the symbol of the chalice, that would suggest a Czechian Hussite flag.
Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 24 August 2014

The use of a chalice on a flag in Prague isn't surprising, the earliest evidence indicates that a "gonfaion" was used for a symbol of the Old Town of Prague as early as 1419, and a Hussite chalice was used on the Prague Banner in c1477. To quote my earlier self: "It was during the Hussite Wars the City of Prague was attacked by the "Crusaders" and mercenary forces, and the city militia fought back bravely under this Prague banner." It is not unexpected to find it also used as a symbol on this modern flag, whatever it may be.
Pete Loeser, 24 August 2014


14-58. Yacht Club UFE? Some Speculation

Image from Albert S. Kirsch, 30 June 2014

[This enquiry is a bit out of order, sorry I was asleep at the wheel - Ed.]

Does anyone recognize this pennant? It would appear to be a yacht club burgee; It was found with WW2 Japanese and German items.
Albert S. Kirsch, 30 June 2014

A tennis ball being something like 6.7 cm, this pennant would be approximately 25 cm. high. It might be slightly more because the apparent size of the pennant changes with the camera angle, while the ball's size doesn't.
As an aside: Don't connect your ropes that way, unless all four ends are secured. This is an open connection and it will over time move towards loose ends. That's why the well-known flag knot has two of the lines crossed, so there'll be tension to keep it in place.
It seems somewhat familiar, but I don't dare to say I've seen it before. I especially don't for all the flag knots I recall.
Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 24 August 2014


14-59. Portuguese Communal Flag Positive ID

Image from Klaus-Michael Schneider, 28 Aug 2014

This one escaped me, and I found no match among the usual suspects. It’s a Portuguese communal flag. The sheet is plain purple. The arms seem to be golden, in base a green hill (or triple mount), crowned by black belfry masoned silver and topped by a red(?) cross. The tower is flanked by two couped purple grapes leaved green. Mural crown with three visible towers (village rank). The scroll is not readable. If my photo shows the obverse, the last letter might be O,D, or even P or R. The flag should belong to either Idanha-a-Nova municipality, or to Penalva do Castelo or to Castelo Branco, perhaps to the eastern edge of Fundao.
Who can identify this communal flag?
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 28 Aug 2014

No, a vale: The green is descending away from the border. We see a bit of an R/P and the A after it, but it's followed by a fold which obscures the rest. I'd say it's Vale de Prazeres. [see coat of arms]
Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 28 August 2014


14-60. Gift Shop Flag in St. Georges (Bermuda)

     
Images from Bishop Lamoureux, 4 September 2014

The original poster, Imnimo, said "I saw this flag flying outside a gift shop in St. George's, Bermuda. It's a bit hard to see because it's wrapped around the pole, but it looks like it's the same as the coat of arms painted on the side of the building. After a bunch of Googling, I haven´t been able to find it anywhere - is this just a random family crest in flag form, or is there more too this flag? As far as I can tell, it isn't the flag of any Bermuda municipality."
Bishop Lamoureux, 4 September 2014


14-61. African Refugee Rally Flag in Israel Some Speculation

Image from Bishop Lamoureux, 4 September 2014

This was the description from wessideride: "Took this photo at a African refugee rally in Israel, could anyone identify the flag for me and give me some information?" Some reddit users posted these theories regarding the origins of the flag.
Bishop Lamoureux, 4 September 2014

I do not know what the flag represents, however I note that it is the Ogaden National Liberation Front flag (red, blue, green stripes) with an additional black stripe and the star enlarged and re-centred.
The ONLF (a separatist group in Eastern Ethiopia) was established in 1984 and diaspora communities are currently commemorating the 30th anniversary of the founding of ONLF on 30 August 1984. The current supporters of Ogaden liberation continue to use the ONLF flag.
The photo was taken at a World Refugee Day event on Tel Aviv in June 2013 for World Refugee Day. It appears to have been a rally of 200 Eritreans who were commemorating the martyrs in Eritrea's struggle for independence.
Ralph Kelly, 5 September 2014

Perhaps it is a new Somali Bantu flag?
Jaume Ollé, 6 September 2014

Could this be the new ONLF flag mentioned on our page "Ogaden (Ethiopia)", but not shown?
Pete Loeser, 6 September 2014

Image from Ralph Kelly, 9 September 2014

I looked at several Ogaden websites and they are all still using the original Ogaden National Liberation Flag as the de-facto flag for Ogaden (called by some Ogadeniya). Tony Burton of Flags Australia recently helped some Ogaden people in Sydney to obtain hand-wavers of this flag for their 30th anniversary commemoration. Chrystian Kretowiicz on 5 Dec 2010 included this illustration of the ONLF flag. It has the ONLF emblem on a white over red bi-coloured flag. As you can see - it is not our UFE.
Ralph Kelly, 9 September 2014

In 2009, the OLF was divided in two factions: the OLF-QC (Oromo Liberation Front - Qaama Ceehumsa) and the OLF-SG (Oromo Liberation Front - Shanee Gumii), both using the same flag. In 2010, one of the factions created the Revolutionary Democratic Oromo Liberation Front (RDOLF). The white over red could be the unknown flag of RDOLF that in 7 March 2011, joined the ULFO. It is known that the OLF didn’t change its flags and the main faction is now using the R-V-R flag.
The ULFO was created in April 2010 by three movements:
     1) The Front for Independent Democratic Oromiyaa (FIDO) / R-V-R flag with central emblem
     2) The United Oromo People’s Liberation Front (UOPLF) / N-R-W flag with central emblem
     3) The Council of Oromiyaa People’s Liberation Front (COPLF) - Gumii adda bilisimmaa ummata / N-R-W flag
The flag of ULFO is the N-R-W version. The RDOLF flag is not known to me. The image from Christyan could be, in fact, a partial image lacking the black upper stripe, rather than a accurate image of the RDOLF flag. Many of the Oromo groups use the N-R-W colors with their own emblem, or variants of this arrangement. An extensive article about flags of Africa, Gambella, Harar, Oromia and Ogadenia will be published in Flag Report 72 that will be distributed in October 2014.
Jaume Ollé, 9 September 2014


14-62. Strange Botswana Flag

Image from M. Schmöger, 6 September 2014

On the Italian Ebay one can buy a collector´s card with a strange design for a flag of Botswana (Beciuania), namely a green-white-black vertical triband. Is this purely fictitious or an early design?
M. Schmöger, 6 September 2014


14-63. Official French Government Flag found in Mexico? Some Speculation

Image from Tom Cseh, 9 September 2014

Any idea who this particular flag with what appears to be the French tricolor in the upper hoist might belong to?
Tom Cseh, 9 September 2014

I have never seen it before, but if the photo was taken in Mexico, it might date back to the occupation of this country by the French army (along with British, Spanish and even Belgian troops, but only the French stayed there for a while) in the XIXth Century. I don't think the French army had enough time to establish a local administration.
Corentin Chamboredon, 10 September 2014

Way outside my area, but could this flag have anything to do with the period in which the Emperor Maximilian ruled the country with French support? Is three years long enough to establish an administration which would require a flag.
Christopher Southworth, 10 September 2014

The flag does not have the coat-of-arms used during the Second Mexican Empire of Maximilian I, but the shield on this flag has a double-headed eagle and may have a connection with Maximilian's Austrian or Holy Roman ancestors, perhaps Austrian troops sent in support of the French claim? Notice the similarities to the Austro-Hungarian coat-of-arms. Examples at Austro-Hungarian Empire: Imperial Standards and Austro-Hungarian Empire: Military Flags.
Pete Loeser, 10 September 2014


14-64. Unknown Shiite Militia Flag

Image from Esteban Rivera, 13 September 2014
[image cropped by UFE Editor]

An article in the online version of the New York Times on September 11, included a picture of a flag of an anti-ISIS group seen during the siege of Amirli. The picture (seen here in its entirety) has a caption that reads "Shiite militias last week after helping free the town of Amerli in northern Iraq from an ISIS siege". The main article deals with the "strange" and rather "odd" alliances that this group (ISIS) has brought together against it.
The flag shows three men, most likely important figures in Islamic religion, maybe prophets or Imam´s, since they seem to be holding books, scriptures and all sorts of sacred items.
Since there were so many belligerents in this particular battle making up the informal coalition of ground forces battling against ISIS, plus Ameril (Amirli) being predominantly populated by Turkmen, it indicates that this flag is of Turkmen origin. Members of the coalition included the Iraqi Turkmen Front and various Special Groups (a term used by the US to identify Iran-backed Shia paramilitaries in Iraq), including the Promised Day Brigades, the Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq, the Kata'ib Hezbollah, the Badr Brigades, and the Peshmerga, who are the armed forces of the Kurdistan Regional Government semi-autonomous Region.
Esteban Rivera, 13 September 2014


14-65. Unknown flag, RWB with ship's wheel Positive ID

#14-65a    #14-65b
Image from Denise Tiderman, 14 September 2014

I recently found this large flag while at an estate sale but have not been able to find out anything about it. It measures about 8 x 10 feet. Red stripe, white center, navy blue stripe. The center has a red ships wheel. Inside the wheel is stitching which resembles the winged foot of the FTD guy. Can you or someone you know help with information on it?
Denise Tiderman, 14 September 2014

I wonder if this might be version of the Explorers Club flag, although I think the red stripe runs all the way down the hoist - perhaps Denise can confirm? It's difficult to be sure from the way the flag is draped. The "FTD guy" is Mercury, messenger of the gods. I have no idea why the stitching of this shoe was included on the flag, other than to note that the wheel appears to be stitched on the flag, and this may have been an artistic attempt to ensure the applique did not sag. Thanks to the second full photo of the flag, I can confirm the red and blue areas are triangular, not stripes, and this flag looks even more like the Explorers Club flag.
Rob Raeside, 15-18 September 2014

This is the World War II-era flag of the US Army Transportation Corps. The diagonal Blue-White-Red flag dated from the World War I-era US Army Transportation Service; the new corps badge should have a winged wheel inside the shield, but this is omitted from the oversimplified badge on this flag.
Miles Li, 18 September 2014

#14-65c    #14-65d
Images made from Joe McMillan's original, 21 September 2014

Being one of the most inaccurate illustrators on FOTW, I submit two possibilities of this Army Transport Service variant, which may not be a variant at all, but simply a damaged flag. Image #65b suggests some verical stripes once existed in a typical US emblem fashion, so I suggested them in #65d, but once again pure speculation. Both these images were obtained by just tinkering with Joe McMillan's original.
Pete Loeser, 21 September 2014

#14-65e
Image made from Joe McMillan's original, 21 September 2014

Well, I really felt showing just the stitching was beyond my skills, but based on Joe's image, I goes this is a reasonable approximation for invisible stitching. Somebody else would have to do the enlarged emblem with the stitching, though.
The photographs show the UFE with more space between the shield and the rim of the wheel, though, which might be true for the full version Army Transport Service (1943-1947) as well - closer to the current Army Transport flag, but with the shielded rounded.
Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 21 September 2014


14-66. Ukrainian UFE Positive ID

Image from Esteban Rivera, 23 September 2014

Two days ago, on September 21, the Spanish newspaper El País published an article on recent pro-Ukraine protests in Moscow. In this article one can see this orange UFE. The very next day, on September 22, Qatar-based news outlet Al-jazeera published another article on the same topic, featuring the same image with the same orange UFE. Does anybody know what this flag stands for?
Esteban Rivera, 23 September 2014

Image from Esteban Rivera, 23 September 2014

This is not an Ukrainian flag, but rather the flag of the United Democratic Movement "Solidarnost" (Solidarity). Founded in 2008, one of co-chairmans is world chess champion Garry Kasparov. They use orange flags with black or white logo, white flags with orange logo etc.
Victor Lomantsov, 23 September 2014

Yes. You can find more information about this movement on Wikipedia.
Zoltan Horvath, 24 September 2014

Is this a separate organisation from the Ukrainian "Solidarity" (old name for the Petro Poroshenko bloc)?
Andrew Weeks, 24 September 2014


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