Last modified: 2015-05-02 by ivan sache
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![[Belgian Naval ensign]](../images/b/be~naven.gif)
Naval ensign of Belgium - Image by Mark Sensen, 8 April 2001
The naval ensign is prescribed by a Decree signed on 23 February 1950 by the Regent, Prince Charles, who hoisted the ensign on board of HMS Georges Lecointe (ex HMS Cadmus) on 2 March of that year.
The flag is white with a black-yellow-red St. Andrew's cross - black on left and right, red on top and bottom, and yellow in the middle. Two cannons crossed per saltire and surmounted by a black Royal crown are placed in the top quarter, whereas a black anchor is placed in the bottom quarter.
The ensign reminds the White Ensign of the Royal Navy, from which the Belgian Navy was re-established.
The St. Andrew's cross was derived from the Cross of Burgundy, which decorated the ensigns of the Belgian ships during the Burgondian rule. The colours of the cross are the national colours.
The crossed cannons highlight the military status of the ensign. The crown is the emblem of the kingdom, The anchors symbolize the ship's crews.
The size of the flag and the dimensions of its elements are given as fllows in an official document.
Flag Horizontal dimension 225 cm Vertical dimension 150 cm Stripe Vertical dimension 12 cm Cannons and crown Horizontal dimension 42 cm Vertical dimension 33 cm Anchor Vertical dimension 36 cm Horizontal dimension 30 cm
The size of the ship determines the dimensions of the ensign, varying between 50 cm to 150 cm on 75 cm to 225 cm.
Léon Nyssen, ivan Sache, Mark Sensen & Jan Mertens, 5 January 2007
Alfred Znamierowski's book The World Encyclopedia of flags (1999 edition) [zna99] erroneously show the flag with the yellow saltire of greater width than the red or black one.
Martin Grieve, 15 May 2005
![[Belgian jack]](../images/b/be-jack.gif)
Naval jack of Belgium - Image by Ole Andersen, 8 April 2001
In an official document, the "description" in French and Dutch says "The jack is a square flag in the national colours" with 2) stating that "It was established by an order of the Prince Regent dated 23 February 1950." There is a construction diagram below this which shows a square tricolour in even stripes, and lower again gives two standard sizes of 1.00 x 1.00 m and 1.50 x 1.50 m.
Christopher Southworth, 7 July 2006
![[Masthead pennant]](../images/b/be~wp.gif){kind=small}
Masthead pennant of Belgium - Image by Željko Heimer, 27 February 2001
The masthead pennant of the Belgian Navy is a long, rectangular black-yellow-red pennant with split fly (indentation 1/4 of length) [Album des Pavillons [pay00]]
Željko Heimer, 27 February 2001