Red Ensigns

bobfrost

bobfrost

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I see from today's Daily Mail headlines that we are about to say goodbye to the traditional Red Ensign and replace it with the 'euroflag'.

Whilst this has been mooted before ( and the Mail were only running it due to the resiliance of George Best keeping their tributes off the front page) nevertheless it got me thinking.

What a wonderful idea.

No more threads debating the difference/aptness of red/blue/white/defaced or other ensigns and we would all be able to proudly fly a sign of our euro membership at the same time as reflecting our vibrant multi-cultural and inclusive society.

I wonder if other readers of these fora agree with me ?
 
You don't really believe that Bob! If it is true there will be a market for very small EU flags (say 1 inch) so as to comply with the law.
 
Re: Red Ensign Replacment

Spot on

Not the one with the Red Ensign though, put the English, Scots, Welsh and Irish national flags in the corner as appropiate.

go baby go


Brian
 
Red mist

Ah, there had to be at least one reader and its you! Strangley couldn't fimd reference to it on their web site today, you wouldn't be winding us up now would you?
 
Arg! I can't keep up with the nightmares from the Mail. I though we were all supposed to be german by now anyway, or the world was going to dissolve due to the government taxes and yobbos?
 
I suspect Bob that you were acting as agent provocateur.
I've been proud to sail under both a white and red ensign, but I see no point to the Blue Ensign unless it were restricted to either serving or ex- naval personel. However sailors from the nation, which once boasted the largest navy and the largest merchant service the world had known, having to sail under that Euro rag beggars belief.
 
Was it by any chance one of those famous Daily Mail headlines containing "Fascinating Questions to Which The Answer is No." such as:

"Is this the end of school uniform?"
"Is this the end of civilisation as we know it?"
"Did Nostradamus Predict 9-11?"
"Can Marmite Cure Breast Cancer?"
"Will the E.U Ban Egg-and-Spoon-Races?".

"Is this the end of the British Merchant Fleet?" perhaps.
 
Eurocrats snub Nelson!

In a brilliant piece of undercover journalism our intrepid euro-reporter, Dave Knee, uncovered an evil plot by the Brussel's Beaurocracy to undermine the very basis of the fabric of life in Britain as we know it.

Disguised as a newspaper reporter, Dave (57), was able to infiltrate a group of graduate Euro-trainees as they relaxed over a subsidised continental lunch. He overheard one of the group, as yet unidentified, suggest that - and we quote - "It isn't really a serious suggestion, but perhaps one way to boost the visibility of Europe as a trading block would be for it to provide flagging facilities for merchant vessels, like Panamania and Liberia, and allow them to fly the EU flag instead of whatever they have now".

Horrified by this terrible insult to everything that is great about our Britain, Dave could see that this remark was proof (if proof be needed) of a secret plan, held deep in the hidden covens of the massed ranks of corrupt Eurocrats, to undermine the heritage of our brave seafarers and to revenge themselves on us for defeating them on that glorious day all those years ago.

Thank goodness you can rely on us at the Express Mail to keep our ears to the ground and uncover the worst excesses of those madmen of Europe. Join our campaign - Keep the Ensign!
 
[ QUOTE ]
I see no point to the Blue Ensign

[/ QUOTE ]

The RCT Maritime and RFA used to fly the defaced blue rag with the crossed swords etc. not white because we weren't Navy, and not red because we weren't merchant/private. I was only attached to them as a radio op for 4 months, so I don't know how fiercly they would dispute the need for a Blue Ensign
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I see no point to the Blue Ensign

[/ QUOTE ]

The RCT Maritime and RFA used to fly the defaced blue rag with the crossed swords etc. not white because we weren't Navy, and not red because we weren't merchant/private. I was only attached to them as a radio op for 4 months, so I don't know how fiercly they would dispute the need for a Blue Ensign

[/ QUOTE ]

As I understand it the Blue Ensign is flown by Royal Fleet Auxiliaries as well as vessels that are not MN or RN. Additionally it may be flown by serving RN personnel or ex-RN personnel. It's the only perk I have from being in the Andrew. It doesn't make me special or better. It just means I served in the RN.
 
I'm with Bobfrost all the way. I've always been a fan of Davies, the skipper of Dulcibella in "Riddle of the Sands", who never wore a red ensign as he regarded them as nationalistic nonsense. And that was a patriotic Englishman at the start of the 20th century. If we have to wear ensigns on recognition grounds, I'm happy to be a European. There is perhaps an additional slightly wicked pleasure in contemplating the reactions of the reactionaries and the "flag-snobs", not to mention the likely spontaneous combustion of the RYS.
 
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