"Queen Elizabeth" ensign

[Thistle]

I saw the "Queen Elizabeth" when she was in the Forth at the weekend. She seemed to be wearing a blue ensign on her starboard spreader: why blue? why there?

 

[starboard]

Here is the reason....The Master is RNR, story here.

http://www.beyondships.com/QM2-Wells-1.html

 

[DJE]

On a similar matter why does the new ice patrol ship HMS Protector fly a white ensign but display an auxiliary pennant number?

Ok she's not flying it in this image as she was coming in for her commissioning ceremony, but she was as she left on Bank Holiday Monday.

 

[starboard]

DJE...because she belongs to MOD.....

http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/trainin...day/ship-s-badges-and-flags/the-white-ensign/

 

[DJE]

DJE...because she belongs to MOD.....

http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/trainin...day/ship-s-badges-and-flags/the-white-ensign/

But I thought the auxiliary flew the blue.

 

[starboard]

Good point....maybe that Blue started life as White?? She is called HMS though and the auxiliary vessels are not so I guess that's the real reason.

 

[nigel1]

Here is the reason....The Master is RNR, story here.

http://www.beyondships.com/QM2-Wells-1.html

Does not expalin why the Blue Ensign was seen hoisted on the starboard yard arm.

Ensigns are normally flown from the stern when alongside/moored, or from the gaff at sea.

Sure it was a Blue Ensign, some Merchant vessels fly the St Andrews cross as a courtesy ensign in Scottish waters

 

[nigel1]

Good point....maybe that Blue started life as White?? She is called HMS though and the auxiliary vessels are not so I guess that's the real reason.

She is commissioned in the Royal Navy with RN crew.
Same as the old HMS Endurance. '

Blue Ensign for RFA, manned by Merchant Navy crew

 

[ianat182]

Maybe because of the helicopter pad aft on both ships?

ianat182

 

[SAMYL]

Here is the reason....The Master is RNR, story here.

http://www.beyondships.com/QM2-Wells-1.html

Same reason why the Titanic wore a Blue Ensign, Capt. Smith was in the RNR.

 

[DJE]

She is commissioned in the Royal Navy with RN crew.
Same as the old HMS Endurance. '

Blue Ensign for RFA, manned by Merchant Navy crew

Understand that, just puzzled by the "A" in her pennant number.

 

[maxi77]

Understand that, just puzzled by the "A" in her pennant number.

Because she is not a frigate, etc she is an auxiliary, simples. The A does not stand for RFA it stands for auxiliary. Many navies have full naval crews on all their auxiliaries and they all therefore fly their naval ensign. Because the UK is a chealskate nation we tend to use cheaper MN crews for most of our auxiliaries.

 

[nigel1]

Understand that, just puzzled by the "A" in her pennant number.

Some pics of the Endurance, also with an A in the Pennant Number

http://www.maritimequest.com/warshi...es/aux_vessels/endurance_a171_1956_page_1.htm


Bit annoying that her replacement was chartered from a Norwegian Company

 

[Bru]

Some pics of the Endurance, also with an A in the Pennant Number

http://www.maritimequest.com/warshi...es/aux_vessels/endurance_a171_1956_page_1.htm


Bit annoying that her replacement was chartered from a Norwegian Company

Erm, following right in the footsteps of Endurance innit! Endurance, built in Norway as the MV. Polar Circle for a Norwegian company, was initially chartered before being bought in to the fleet

 

[theoldplucker]

But, more importantly, was she flying a Scottish courtesy flag ?

 

[Thistle]

But, more importantly, was she flying a Scottish courtesy flag ?

I do believe she indicated that the "vessel is stopped and is making no way through the water". At anchor, this was not surprising but one really might have hoped that she might have lowered code flag "M" when the anchor was weighed. Really, these blue ensign jobs!

 

[Thistle]

Here is the reason....The Master is RNR, story here.

http://www.beyondships.com/QM2-Wells-1.html

Thanks.

 

[nigel1]

Picture on the web page shows the ensign at the stern, does not explain what it was doing on the stbd yard arm, never know, maybe a first trip gadget detailed to hoist flags

 

[maxi77]

In the RN and I suspect also in some merchant ships the sea going ensign is flown from the mast not from an ensign staff on the stern. The ensign staff on the stern is reserved for harbour use only.

 

[nigel1]

In the RN and I suspect also in some merchant ships the sea going ensign is flown from the mast not from an ensign staff on the stern. The ensign staff on the stern is reserved for harbour use only.

Yes it is, but from the gaff, aft of the masthead, on the centre line, I have never seen the vessels ensign hoisted on the stbd yard arm