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Postal Service Jack 1929–1948

(British Mandate of Palestine 1922–1948)

1:1 image by Željko Heimer

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On 25 March 1929 the Post Master General, Palestine requested authorisation for postal vessels to fly a Blue Ensign defaced with 'POSTS' on a white circle. This was refused but on 2nd May NL1284/29 authorised the use of a square blue jack having a Union canton and defaced 'POSTS' in the fly.
David Prothero, 9 September 2001

There is no evidence how this jack looked like exactly. The square jack pattern is shown in Flaggenbuch 1939 captioned Gösch der Schiffe der Verwaltungsbehörden der Kolonien, Schutzgebeite, Mandate usw. — jack of ships of governmental authorities of the Colonies, Protectorates, Mandates etc. This shows a square blue ensign with white disk in the middle of the fly half inscribed Platz für das Abzeichen, place for the badge. There is no indication how the badge looked like exactly, it is only said that it included the word "POSTS". In my reconstruction I have followed this as literally as possible. Of course, the drawing should not be taken for granted.
Željko Heimer, 18 February 2002

Admiralty Letter NL.1284/29 of 2nd May 1929 directed that,

the flag to be flown on Customs Houses and Vessels in the service of the Customs shall be the Blue Ensign defaced by the word PALESTINE in a white circle. Vessels in the service of the Customs shall fly, in addition to the defaced Blue Ensign at the stern, a jack at the bow consisting of a square blue flag with a Union in the upper canton next the staff, defaced in the fly by the word CUSTOMS.

Similar ensigns and jacks were authorised for mail carrying vessels, with the word POSTS replacing CUSTOMS in the fly of the jack. The appearance of the Posts Jack is not certain. The Admiralty Letter specifies that on the ensign the word 'PALESTINE' will be in a white circle, but on the jack only that, the word 'POSTS' will be in the fly. The word may have been in black letters on a white circle as illustrated, or it may have been in larger white letters applied direct to the blue fly.

David Prothero, 4 March 2002