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# Dictionary of Vexillology: F (Flag of a Department – Flag on a Flag)

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Last modified: 2026-08-29 by martin karner
Keywords: vexillological terms |
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- FLAG OF A (or THE) DEPARTMENT
- FLAG OF A DEPENDENT OR OVERSEAS TERRITORY (or OVERSEAS DEPARTMENT)
- FLAG OF AN ETHNIC GROUP (or FLAG OF AN ETHNIC MINORITY)
- FLAG OF A SEPARATIST (or NATIONALIST) MOVEMENT
- FLAG OF BRITAIN
- FLAG OF CELEBRATION
- FLAG OF CEREMONY
- FLAG OF COMMAND
- FLAG OF CONVENIENCE
- FLAG OF DEFIANCE
- FLAG (or FLAGS) OF DISTRESS
- FLAG OF FORMER ENTITY
- FLAG OF HONOUR (or HONOR)
- FLAG(S) OF OFFICE
- FLAG OF PRETENCE
- FLAG OF PROTECTION
- FLAG OF ST GEORGE
- FLAG/ENSIGN OF THE AIR FORCE/AIRFORCE
- FLAG OF THE ARMY
- FLAG OF THE MARINE CORPS
- FLAG OF THE NAVY
- FLAG OF THE STATE OF
- FLAG OF TOLERANCE
- FLAG OF TRUCE
- FLAG OF WAR
- FLAG OFFICER
- FLAG OFFICER'S BROAD PENNANT
- FLAG-ON-A-FLAG (FLAG-ON-FLAG or FOF)

FLAG OF A (or THE) DEPARTMENT
  See departmental flag 1) and departmental flag 2).

  Flag of Loiret, France; Department of State, US

FLAG OF A DEPENDENT OR OVERSEAS TERRITORY (or OVERSEAS DEPARTMENT)
  See colonial flags/ensigns and its following note.

  Flag of St Maarten; Flag of TAAF; Flag of Saba

FLAG OF AN ETHNIC GROUP (or FLAG OF AN ETHNIC MINORITY)
  1) See tribal flag.

  Flag of the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs, Canada

FLAG OF A SEPARATIST (or NATIONALIST) MOVEMENT
  A flag representing those whose declared aim is to achieve independence from some central authority (see also tribal flag and its following note).

  Flag of the Free Aceh Movement, Indonesia; Flag of the Alsace-Lorraine Separatist movement, France; Unofficial Flag of the Breton Democratic Union, France

FLAG OF BRITAIN
  1) See british flag.
  2) See union flag.

  Union Flag 1606–1801, England/UK; Union Flag, UK

FLAG OF CELEBRATION
  See celebratory flag.

  Flag of the Mardi Gras Celebrations, Mobile, US

FLAG OF CEREMONY
  See indoor flag.

  Flag of Ceremony/Indoor Flag of the Secretary of Agriculture, US

  Please note that this term is a direct translation of the Spanish "Bandera de Ceremonia" and should not be confused with a ceremonial ensign/or flag as listed separately herein.

FLAG OF COMMAND
  1) In naval usage, the rank flag of an officer entitled to fly a flag or broad pennant when that officer is appointed to command naval forces – a command flag (see also balls of difference, command pennant, flag disc, flag officer 1), flag officer 2), flagship, rank plate, wear a flag, yellow admiral).
  2) An alternative term for a rank flag (see also distinguishing flag 3), individual flag, personal flag 4)).

  Flags of an Admiral, Vice Admiral and Rear Admiral, USN

  Notes
  1) Although these terms are sometimes considered interchangeable, the Editors have drawn a general distinction between the command flags used by senior naval officers, the rank flags employed by officers from the other armed services, the distinguishing flags of civilians and with personal flags.
  2) A further distinction has been drawn between the flag of command which replaces the masthead pennant, and command pennants which do not.

FLAG OF CONVENIENCE
  The flag flown by a vessel registered in one country, but whose owners are not nationals of that country, and usually for reasons of economy or the evasion of more stringent regulations elsewhere.

  National Flags/Civil Ensigns of Panama and Liberia (often flown as a flag of convenience)

FLAG OF DEFIANCE
  A plain red flag widely used in European waters prior to the invention of flag signal codes to signify an intention to give battle – colours of defiance or the bloody flag (see also baucans).

  Please note that although in widespread use prior to this date, the flag of defiance did not appear in English naval Instructions until 1647 (and was dropped in 1799) – see red flag 2) and its following note.

FLAG (or FLAGS) OF DISTRESS
  1) Flag V (Victor) in the International Code of Signal Flags flown at sea as a request for assistance.
  2) Flags N (November) and C (Charlie) hoisted as a group at sea to indicate that a vessel is in distress (see also signal hoist).
  3) In US usage, an orange flag bearing a black square and disk in the centre prescribed by the US Coast Guard for use by small boats and pleasure craft in the territorial and inland waters of the USA.

  Signal Flag Victor; Signal Flags November–Charlie; Coast Guard Signal US (official website)

  Notes
  a) While some may still acknowledge an upside-down ensign as a signal of distress, it is no longer recognized under international rules; and that the waft, also previously used, is now entirely obsolete (see also international code of signal flags, signal flag).
  b) According to the US Coast Guard regulations the orange flag should be either square with vertically arranged symbols, or rectangular with the square and disc horizontal, and that a very similar signal is recommended in the ICS for identification from the air (see also international code of signal flags).

FLAG OF FORMER ENTITY
  A phrase that should be used to describe those flags which represented a community, territory or office etc., but which no longer exist (see also in abeyance).

  Flag of Friltschen, Switzerland; Ducal Standard 1914–1918, Brunswick (Germany); Flag of Lanterswil, Switzerland

FLAG OF HONOUR (or HONOR)
  In now obsolete Austria-Hungarian maritime usage, one of two flags presented to merchant captains for meritorious service in peace (white field) or war (red field), and flown from the mainmast between 1850 and 1918 – an honour flag but see note below (also main, ensign of honour).

  Austro-Hungary 1850–1918

  Please note that the term honour flag has been used for two other designs issued by different authorities under differing circumstances, and it is therefore suggested that this form of the term should be applied only to those flags – see honour flag 1) and honour flag 2).

FLAG(S) OF OFFICE
  That flag (or those flags) which relate to an executive/administrative office (or offices) held under a usually (but not invariably) republican form of government "office flags" – see departmental flag 2), distinguishing flag 1), presidential standard.

  High Officials, Taiwan; Ministry of Emergencies, Ukraine; Vice-President, US

FLAG OF PRETENCE (or PRETENSE)
  1) A newly introduced and heraldically derived term for any flag that displays a symbol or symbolism which assumes the possession of territory or status to which it has no current entitlement, or lays claim to that territory or status – a pretentious flag –, see escutcheon of pretence 1) (also false flag 1), fictional flag, fictitious flag, replica flag).
  2) See anticipatory flag and note b) below.

  National Flag of Comoros; Naval Ensign of Bolivia; 51 Star Flag of The United States

  Notes
  a) The 51 star flag of the United states displays one more star than there are states in the Union, whilst the national flag of Comoros or the naval ensign of Bolivia for example (and illustrated above), show one more star than they have provinces under their current control.
  b) An “anticipatory flag”, on the other hand, such as a 39 star flag of the United States, displays a symbol of granted statehood but in advance of its official appearance on the flag.

FLAG OF PROTECTION
  1) See safe conduct flag 1).
  2) In largely (but by no means exclusively) UK usage now obsolete, a term sometimes employed to describe the flag of a powerful state that has extended its military and/or naval protection over another.

  Flag of the Red Cross; Naval Ensign, UK

  Please note regarding 2) that the “protectorate” in question retained control over its internal affairs, but that their foreign policy was entirely handled by the relevant protecting power.

FLAG OF ST GEORGE
  See st george’s cross 2).

  Command Flag of a Full Admiral, UK

FLAG/ENSIGN OF THE AIR FORCE/AIRFORCE
  See branch of service flag (also armed services flag).

  Flag of the Air Force, Singapore; Flag of the Air Force, Peru; Ensign of the Air Force, Ghana

FLAG OF THE ARMY
  See branch of service flag (also armed services flag).

  Flag of the Army, South Africa; Flag of the Army, UK; Flag of the Army, Georgia

FLAG OF THE MARINE CORPS
  See branch of service flag (also armed services flag and battle colour).

  Flag of the Marine Corps, US; Flag of the Marine Corps, Brazil; Flag of the Marine Corps, South Korea

FLAG OF THE NAVY
  See branch of service flag (also armed services flag and naval ensign under ensign).

  Flag of the Navy, US; Flag of the Navy, Colombia; Flag of the Navy, Peru

FLAG OF THE STATE OF
  The phrase to be used when describing the sub-national flags of those countries whose internal divisions are called states – see seal of the state of (also anti-heraldry, military crest, seal, state arms 3) under arms, state colours 3), state ensign 2), state service flag 1)).

  Flag of the State of Tachira, Venezuela; Flags of the States of Maryland and Arkansas, US

FLAG OF TOLERANCE
  One of six different flags introduced by UNESCO in 1995 and designed to be symbolic of the spirit of tolerance.

  Flag Representing the Balance of Life

FLAG OF TRUCE
  A plain white flag displayed as a sign of surrender, or as a wish for the temporary cessation of hostilities – a parley flag (see also cartel flag).

FLAG OF WAR
  A direct translation of the Spanish term bandera de Guerra – but see war ensign/flag 2).

  Flag of War / War Flag of Peru

FLAG OFFICER
  1) Generally a naval officer entitled to fly a flag of command, which replaces the masthead pennant when that officer is aboard ship (see also command pennant, distinction of colour, flag captain, flag of command 1), flagship, masthead pennant 1)).
  2) Specifically in the British Royal Navy and some others, as above but an officer over the rank of commodore who is entitled to fly a flag – see note below (also balls of difference, flag 3), broad pennant, flag of command 1), red ensign 2), yellow admiral).
  3) In US usage as 1), but the term may also include general officers of the army, air force and marine corps (see also rank flag 1)).

  Rank Flags of an Admiral, Vice Admiral and Rear Admiral, France

  Please note with regard to 2) that in Royal Navy usage all admirals were formerly considered to be flag officers, but that the term is now restricted to those of that rank who are entitled to fly a flag of command aboard ship.

FLAG OFFICER’S BROAD PENNANT
  See broad pennant 3) and officer's pennant.

  Yacht Club Vice-Commodore’s Broad Pennant, Finland

FLAG-ON-A-FLAG (FLAG-ON-FLAG or FOF)
  The terms used when one or more of the main charges on a flag (usually but not invariably part of a coat of arms or emblem) include the depiction of another flag or flags forming an integral part of the design – a flag-on-flag or FOF – but see note below (also coat of arms 1)).

  National Flag and Arms of Ecuador; Naval Ensign, Colombia

  Notes
  a) Three further examples would be the pre-1994 National Flag of South Africa, the National Flag of Haiti and the National Arms on the War Flag of Peru.
  b) This category does not include those flags or ensigns whose canton consists of another flag (such as the British or Indian red ensigns) and for which the term canton flags should be used.

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