Last modified: 2007-10-28 by rob raeside
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In 1963 the Australian Army Head Quarters, Canberra, asked the War Office for
information about the origin, tradition and names of Flag Stations in London. It
was understood by them that Flag Stations were the only locations at which the
National Flag was flown officially, and that they were normally Forts, Barracks
etc., implying that these official sites were protecting the nation's flag.
The War Office replied that the Flag Stations List was first published in
Queen's Regulations in 1873. "The following is a list of Stations at which the
National Flag (Union Jack) is authorised to be hoisted. (a) On anniversaries
only, or when specially required for saluting purposes. (b) On Sundays and
Anniversaries. (c) Daily."
It was thought that it was issued in 1873 to give formal authorisation to an
existing practice. The only variation since 1873 was that almost all stations
listed flew
the flag daily. There was no firm criterion as to what Residencies, Stations or
Head Quarters were put on the List. It depended upon their military status and
importance. As Army Stations disappeared, they were deleted from the list, and
fresh ones added as they arose.
There was nothing historical or traditional in having a List of Flag Stations.
It was purely utilitarian. The Army's flag was the Union Jack, and those places
listed
in the appendix were issued with it. Those places who wished to fly it, and were
not listed, had to purchase it.
In the 1996 Queen's Regulations sixty-three Flag Stations are listed, ten of
them outside the United Kingdom. Two sizes are specified 12ft x 7.5ft and 6ft x
4 ft,
(3.66m x 2.29m and 1.83m x 1.22m) the larger size being for Sundays and
anniversaries.
The quotation from the 1873 Regulations is perhaps the earliest official
reference to the Union Jack as the National Flag?
David Prothero, 30 July 2004
The 1873 Queen's Regulations, Section 3. Honours and Salutes, combines the three types of Flag Station in one list. Here they have been made into three separate lists, Daily, Sundays and Anniversaries.
Daily Flag Stations
"The following is a list of stations at which the national flag (Union Jack) is
authorised to be hoisted daily. The Royal Standard is only to be used on Royal
anniversaries and State occasions at the stations marked with an asterisk."
| Home Stations. Eastern District. Landguard Fort S.Eastern District. Dover, Castle Keep* Dover, Drop Redoubt* Chatham District. Sheerness* Western District. Plymouth Citadel* Devonport Lines* Pendennis Castle Pembroke Defensive Barracks Woolwich. Gun Park* Royal Arsenal* North Britain. Alderney. |
Jersey. Fort Regent* Elizabeth Castle* Government House Ireland. Curragh Foreign Stations Bermuda. |
Gibraltar. Rock Gun* Montagu Cavalier* Europa Flagstaff * Hong Kong. Head-Quarter House* Halifax. |
David Prothero, 10 February 2005
Sunday Flag Stations
Queen's Regulations 1873. Section 3. Honours and Salutes.
The following is a list of stations at which the national flag (Union Jack) is
authorised to be hoisted on Sundays and anniversaries. The Royal Standard is
only to be used on Royal anniversaries and State occasions at the stations
marked with an asterisk.
| Home Stations. Northern District. Liverpool North Fort Perch Rock Battery Paull Point Battery Tynemouth Castle Eastern District. Harwich Redoubt Yarmouth, N.Battery Yarmouth, S.Battery Office of G.O.C. Camp, Colchester S.Eastern District. Newhaven Eastbourne Chatham District Tilbury Fort* New Tavern Fort Fort Amherst* Southern District. Portsmouth Lines* Southsea Castle Lump's Fort Eastney Fort Fort Cumberland Fort Monkton Fort Block House Fort Brockhurst Fort Gomer Fort Grange Fort Elson Fort Rowner Fort Victoria Cliff End Fort Warden Point Needles Sandown Freshwater Littlehampton Hurst Castle Portland Verne Flags in Portsmouth Lines and Gosport Forts specially hoisted during the stay of the Queen in the Isle of Wight. |
Woolwich. Royal Military Academy Royal Dockyard Aldershot Divisional Head-Quarters Royal Military College The Tower of London. North Britain. Edinbro' Castle* Stirling Castle* Fort George* Torry Point, Aberdeen Broughty Castle Dumbarton Castle Fort Matilda Ireland. Athlone Camden Fort Carlisle Fort Carrig Fort Carrickfergus Charles Fort, Kinsale Duncannon Fort Enniskillen Castle Greencastle Fort Kingston Magazine Fort* Magilligan Tower Ned's Point Fort Pigeon House Fort* Scattery Fort Spike Island* Tarbert Island |
Foreign Stations Barbados. Queen's House, H.Q. Charles Fort Office of G.O.C. Bermuda. Fort Catharine Fort Cunningham Ordnance Island Boaz Barracks Cape of Good Hope. King William's Town Simon's Town Cape Coast. Fort William Ceylon. Galle Trincomalee Honduras. Belize Malta. The Arsenal Palace Tower Fort Ricasoli Fort Tigne Saluting Battery Mauritius. Citadel* |
David Prothero, 10 February 2005
Anniversary Flag Stations
Queen's Regulations 1873. Section 3. Honours and Salutes.
"The following is a list of stations at which the national flag (Union Jack) is
authorised to be hoisted on anniversaries only, or when specially required for
saluting purposes. The Royal Standard is only to be used on Royal anniversaries
and State occasions at the stations marked with an asterisk."
| Home Stations. S.Eastern District Dover, Archcliff Fort Folkestone* Sandgate Castle* Shoreham Blachington Deal Castle Walmer Castle Rye Langley Fort Western District Bull Point Woolwich Practice Range, Plumstead Parade* Alderney Fort Clonque Fort Chateau l'Etoc |
Guernsey Castle Cornet* Brehon Tower Fort George Ireland Dunree Fort Enniskillen Redoubt Knockalla Fort Portobello* Foreign Stations. Hong Kong. Saluting Battery Hospital Ship |
Halifax. Fort Cambridge Fort Charlotte Fort Clarence Fort Ive's Point Fort Ogilvie Tambro Island York Redoubt Jamaica Head-Quarter House Ordnance Store Malta Gozo Mauritius Fort William Mahebourg |
David Prothero, 10 February 2005