Battle ensign facts for kids
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A battle ensign is a very large flag that a warship flies from its mast right before a battle. It's a special kind of war ensign.
Imagine a battle with lots of smoke from cannons! These flags were huge, sometimes as big as 20 by 40 feet (about 6 by 12 meters) for the Royal Navy long ago. Their size helped everyone see which ship was which, even through thick smoke.
As long as a ship flew its battle ensign, it meant the ship was still fighting. Sometimes, before a battle, ships might fly a false flag to trick the enemy. However, they would switch to their real ensign before fighting began.
If a ship gave up, its crew would take down their ensign. This action was called 'striking the colors'. This is also where the saying 'to nail one's colors to the mast' comes from. It means a ship's crew was determined to fight until the very end and never surrender.
Warships often flew several battle ensigns at once. This way, if one flag was shot down or damaged, there would still be another flying. This helped avoid any confusion about whether the ship was still fighting. Keeping the flag flying, even when a ship seemed too damaged to fight, showed incredible bravery and determination. For example, the German battleship Bismarck kept its battle ensign flying even after its guns stopped working. It sank with its flag still proudly waving.
The battle ensign was very important for the crew's spirit and pride. If a warship was sinking and had to be left, the crew would try to save the battle ensigns. They would give them to the highest-ranking officer who survived.
Some countries use their regular national flag as their battle ensign. Others have a special naval ensign just for their navy. Sometimes, unique flags were even created for specific battles, like the one used by the United States Navy at the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812.
Today, U.S. Navy warships sometimes fly a battle ensign as a sign of respect when visiting foreign ports. They also fly them on national holidays, calling them 'Holiday Colors'.
Amazing Battle Ensign Stories
At the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, you can see many historic battle ensigns. These include flags from American warships and flags captured from enemy ships. Sadly, the battle ensign from the USS Arizona, which was at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, was badly damaged by oil. It was destroyed before anyone realized how important it would be to save.
During the Naval Battle of Casablanca, the USS Massachusetts flew an extra-large battle ensign. The crew hoped this huge flag would show their strength and convince the French forces not to fight. Even though the battle happened, the Massachusetts kept its giant flag flying throughout the entire fight.
The USS Ramage has a unique battle ensign. It uses the flag of the New York City Police Department. This honors the brave actions of the NYPD during the September 11 attacks.
The British National Maritime Museum has a giant battle ensign from the Spanish ship San Ildefonso. This flag was captured at the famous Battle of Trafalgar. It measures about 32 by 47 feet (9.8 by 14.4 meters)!
Another huge French ensign, from the ship Généreux, was captured by HMS Foudroyant in 1800. This flag, about 27 by 52 feet (8.2 by 16 meters), was later given to the City of Norwich.
On November 9, 1914, the HMAS Sydney flew a very large Australian National Flag as its battle ensign. This was during its famous victory against the German warship SMS Emden at the Battle of Cocos. This battle was a huge moment, marking the first naval fight and first victory for the Royal Australian Navy.
During the early days of World War II, Captain F. S. Bell of the cruiser HMS Exeter showed incredible courage. He ordered five huge battle ensigns, each 24 by 12 feet (7.32 by 3.66 meters), to be flown. This happened as the Exeter prepared to fight the much stronger German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee at the Battle of the River Plate. It was a bold move against a ship with bigger guns!
At the battle of the North Cape, Captain Skule Storheill of the Norwegian destroyer HNoMS Stord was ordered to attack the powerful German battleship Scharnhorst. He famously ordered his ship's battle ensign to be raised high. He wanted to make sure the enemy clearly saw who they were fighting!
See also
- British ensigns
- Russian Navy Ensign
- Japanese ensigns
- Vexillology
- Flag terminology
- War flag
