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# Dictionary of Vexillology: C (Comb – Compony Counter-Company)

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Last modified: 2026-05-09 by martin karner
Keywords: vexillological terms |
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On this page:

- COMB(ED)
- COMBATANT
- COMBINED (or COMBINATION) FLAG (or STANDARD)
- COMMAND FLAG
- COMMAND PENNANT
- COMMENDATION BANNER
- COMMENDATION FLAG (or PENNANT)
- COMMEMORATIVE FLAG
- COMMEMORATIVE FLAG CASE
- COMMERCIAL CODE OF SIGNALS (or COMMERCIAL CODE OF SIGNAL FLAGS)
- COMMERCIAL FLAG
- COMMERCIAL LOGO
- COMMISSIONING or COMMISSION PENNANT
- COMMODORE’S BROAD PENNANT
- COMMON PENDANT (or PENNANT)
- COMPANY COLOURS (or COLORS)
- COMPANY FLAG
- COMPARTMENT
- COMPASS ROSE
- COMPLEMENT
- COMPLETE (ARMORIAL) ACHIEVEMENT
- COMPLIMENTARY FLAG
- COMPONY
- COMPONY COUNTER-COMPONY

COMB(ED)
  In heraldry the crest of a domestic fowl when it is of a different tincture from its body – but see jelloped and wattle(d) 2) (also beaked).

  Flag of Seelze, Germany; Flag of Veltheim, Switzerland; Flag of Galafura, Portugal

COMBATANT
  The heraldic term which can be used when two beasts of prey (usually, but not invariably, lions) are shown facing each other – but see confronting and respectant (also affrontant).

  Flag of Leuzigen, Switzerland; Flag of Northeim County, Germany; Flag of Laranjeiro, Portugal

COMBINED (or COMBINATION) FLAG (or STANDARD)
  The terms which may be used to describe a flag or flag-like image that is usually intended to illustrate unity between those countries allied in an armed conflict – a combination flag or standard – but see patchwork flag 1) (also linguistic flags 1)).

  Flag showing the Allies in the Great War c1914

COMMAND FLAG
  See flag of command.

  Command Flags/Flags of Command of an Admiral, Vice Admiral and Rear-Admiral, Croatia

COMMAND PENNANT
  1) In naval usage, a generally triangular and/or swallow-tailed pennant flown at sea that, unlike a flag of command, broad pennant or burgee command pennant, does not replace the masthead pennant but which signifies an officer in command of other ships who is below the rank of commodore – a group command pennant, flotilla command pennant, senior officer’s pennant, squadron command pennant and others (see also broad command pennant, flag of command, masthead pennant 1), private ship and senior officer afloat pennant).
  2) In US usage, the command pennant of a unit equivalent to the above but of aviation or marine forces.

  Squadron Command Pennants: UK; Denmark; Flotilla Command Pennant: The Netherlands

  Notes
  a) With regard to 1) – not to be confused with the senior officer afloat pennant which (certainly in the case NATO and related services, and of countries whose navy bases its traditions on those of the RN) is only flown whilst alongside or in harbour.
  b) A distinction has been drawn between the standard masthead pennant flown by commissioned warships (occasionally called a pennant of command), and the command pennants as defined above that are flown subordinate to it.
  c) Further to 1), in the former Austro-Hungarian Navy and in some others, the practice of hoisting a command pennant with (or without) the hoist being stiffened by a frame was itself indicative of rank – see frame 2).

COMMENDATION BANNER
  See banner 5).

  C-in-C’s Commendation Banner, Canada

COMMENDATION FLAG (or PENNANT)
  See award flag.

  Navy Unit Commendation Pennant, US (seaflags.us)

COMMEMORATIVE FLAG
  A flag made to celebrate or to mark a particular occasion, such as an anniversary, holiday or international congress – an anniversary, event or occasional flag (see also celebratory flag and memorial flag).

  Golden Jubilee of HM The Queen 2002, UK; WWII Commemorative Flag, US; IAF 60th Anniversary Flag

COMMEMORATIVE FLAG CASE
  See flag case 2).

COMMERCIAL CODE OF SIGNALS (or COMMERCIAL CODE OF SIGNAL FLAGS)
  The system which replaced marryat's code, and in use from 1866–1880 when it was superseded by the international code – see international code of signal flags.

  TZQ in the 1866 Commercial Code of Signals

COMMERCIAL FLAG
  1. See house flag 1) and corporate flag.
  2. In UK usage a term, now obsolete, sometimes used in place of (and referring only to) a country's merchant flag or civil ensign.

  House Flag of Allantone Supplies Ltd., UK; Flag of the Arctic Steam Fishing Co. Ltd., UK; Commercial Flag/Civil Ensign, Spain 1785–1927

COMMERCIAL LOGO
  See logo.

  Flag of McDonalds, Worldwide

COMMISSIONING or COMMISSION PENNANT
  See masthead pennant 1). see supplemental note

  Commissioning/Masthead Pennant, Canada

COMMODORE’S BROAD PENNANT
  See broad pennant 2).

  Commodore’s Broad Pennant, Pakistan

COMMON PENDANT (or PENNANT)
  In English then British RN usage, now obsolete, a commissioning or masthead pennant (often seen) with a split tricolour fly, that was introduced in 1661, and flown (together with a red ensign) until c1850 by warships sailing under Admiralty orders – an ordinary, or tricolour pendant, or a pendant of independent command – see masthead pennant 1) (also man o'war pendant and red ensign 2) and union pendant).

  The Common/Tricolour Pendant, England then UK 1661–c1850

  Notes
  a) Display of a common/tricolour pendent became (or was designed as) a visual indication that the vessel wearing it was under Admiralty orders and (therefore) not subject to the authority of any local flag officer whether of the red, white or the blue – see distinction of colour, however;
  b) There is evidence to suggest that, when introduced, its use was less restricted than became the practice later.

COMPANY COLOURS (or COLORS)
  Small additional colours carried by foot regiments of the British and Canadian Brigade of Guards, and a survival of the general 16th/17th century practice of carrying a colour for each company in a regiment – camp colours or silks (see also camp colour 1), colour 2), colours 2), postures, stand of colours 1) and venn).

  Company Colour, No 1 Company, 1st Battalion of The Irish Guards, UK (Graham Bartram); No 2 Company, Governor General’s Foot Guards, Canada (official website)

  Please note that, while ten was the theoretic maximum, and six or seven the more usual, a regimental stand of nine colours was not unknown for an English regiment of foot in the mid-17th century.

COMPANY FLAG
  See corporate flag.

  Flag of BOAC, UK

COMPARTMENT
  1) In heraldry, the symbolic base upon which a shield and supporters may rest in a full set of armorial bearings – but compare with coupeau, mount (see also Appendix IV, coat of arms).
  2) On flags see cartouche 2).

  National Arms 1932–2000, South Africa; A Flag for Generals at Sea 1649–1653, England (flaggenplatz.ch); National Arms, Tanzania

COMPASS ROSE
  A charge that shows the part of a device which indicates the cardinal points of direction, and is generally seen in the form of a (usually but not invariably faceted) four or multi-pointed star.

  Flag of Nordwestuckermark, Germany

COMPLEMENT
  1) In the International Code of Signals, two or more flags or pennants added to a basic signal to give clarity or precision to the message (see also international code of signal flags, international code of signals and signal flag).
  2) In heraldry a full moon – see moon 2) with following note.

COMPLETE (ARMORIAL) ACHIEVEMENT
  In heraldry see armorial bearings and achievement of arms.

  Flag of Cambridge, UK; Arms of the Dukes of Wellington, UK (Wikimedia); Flag of Bexley, UK

COMPLIMENTARY FLAG
  See courtesy flag.

COMPONY
  The heraldic term used when an ordinary or a border is composed of squares (or occasionally rectangles) in alternating tinctures – gobony, gobone or gobonated (see also counter-compony).

  Flag of Estévenens, Switzerland; Flag of Bougy-Villars, Switzerland

COMPONY COUNTER-COMPONY
  In heraldry see counter-compony.

  Flag of Zeihen, Switzerland

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