Page 9 - Kwasind May 2020 issue

MAY 2020
Under Five Ensigns (1852-2020) Tim Walsh
An ensign, as opposed to a national flag, is authorized by the national authority to be flown from a staff at a vessel’s stern, or similarly from the gaff boom of a sailing ship. In the case of the British Empire or its subsequent Commonwealth, there have been three main types of ensign since our club’s inception: the White Ensign, flown by commissioned ships or shore installations of the Royal Navy; the Blue Ensign, flown by government vessels or warranted naval auxiliaries; and the Red Ensign (“or Red Duster”), flown by ships registered in Great Britain or one of its overseas dominions or possessions. These are the ensigns which have been proudly worn by the Royal Canadian Yacht Club and its member yachts over the last 168 years:
HERITAGE • 9
1852 – 1878 The British Empire’s yacht clubs and vessels were required to fly the Red Ensign. The Royal Union Flag in the canton (upper quarter of the hoist) is in the position of honour, the case with all British ensigns. Sharp- eyed readers will notice that the cross of St. Patrick, as the last addition to the Royal Union Flag in 1801, is not in alignment, as it had to lie below the cross of St. Andrew (added in 1707) in the upper hoist as a matter of precedence.
flag, which bore a simplified shield in the fly representing the founding nations of England, Scotland, Ireland and France surmounting a trio of maple leaves representing the Dominion of Canada. The RCYC retained the Blue Ensign under the terms of the Admiralty Warrant noted previously.
1957 – 1965 In order to reflect minor changes to the national flag of Canada, the harp in the shield (for Ireland) was slightly modified, while the maple leaves (for Canada) were changed from green to red, to more accurately represent Canada’s official colours of red and white as proclaimed in 1921.
1965 – Present As a fulfillment of a campaign promise made in the previous federal election, a new national flag was proclaimed in force by the Liberal government of Lester Pearson on February 15, 1965. It was mandated that this new flag supersede the existing national flag and all previous ensigns, thereby serving both roles to this day.
1878 – 1937 In July 1878, the club received approval from the British Admiralty to be recognized as an Auxiliary of the Royal Navy and to wear the Blue Ensign, “defaced” in the fly by a crown in recognition of its status under the Royal Warrant received in 1854. This was not merely a pro forma honour, as yachts of the club, either in whole or in part, were pressed into the service of their country during The Great War of 1914 – 1918.
1937 – 1957 The Canadian Department of Transport required all ensigns to conform to the style of the national