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An Admiral has two crossed batons in the red stripe near the hoist of
the tricolour. I think each baton has five lions on it.
Adopted for the last time by Order in Council 31 August 1956 No. 46.
Mark Sensen, 16 and 20 September 1998
Dutch navy regulations VVKM 9 (official flag regulations for the Dutch
navy) don't give the exact size of the bâtons, just the position
of the center. This is at half the height of the red stripe and at one
quarter of the flag length.
Mark Sensen, 24 Jul 2002
Note that the rank of Admiral in the Netherlands navy is equivalent to the rank of Admiral of the Fleet in other navies, while the rank of Lieutenant-Admiral in the Netherlands navy is equivalent to the rank of Admiral in other navies.
Since the Kingdom of the Netherlands was established in 1815, there
have only been two Admirals (of the fleet).
The first was Prince Frederik, second son of King Willem I, who was
promoted to the rank of Admiral on 1 January 1830. In 1840 he laid
down all his functions, after his father abdicated.
The second was Prince Hendrik 'de Zeevaarder' ('the Seaman'),
third son of King Willem II. He was promoted to the rank of Admiral on
his deathbed on 7 january 1879, six days before he died. He was promoted
by his brother King Willem III as a reward for his naval career.
Source: Luc Eekhout, "Het Admiralenboek; De vlagofficieren van de
Nederlandse marine 1382-1991", Amsterdam, 1992.
Mark Sensen, 12 Oct 2003
A Lieutenant-Admiral has four (placed 2 and 2) white six-pointed stars
in the red stripe near the hoist of the tricolour. After WWII each star
was rotated 90 degrees; nowadays they have 1 point pointing upward, before
2 points. Adopted for the last time by Order in Council 31 August 1956
No. 46.
Mark Sensen, 16 September 1998
Dutch navy regulations VVKM 9 (official flag regulations for the Dutch
navy) don't give the exact position of the stars, just the size. These
are 2/15th of the flag height, except 1/10th for so called "Size A" flags
which are used on sloops and motor vehicles. These are 30x45 cm. for rank
flags and don't exist for command flags. I think the latter is logical,
I don't think there are flag officers commanding a sloop or a car...
Mark Sensen, 24 Jul 2002
But it is at least theoretically possible that the flag officer commanding
a squadron could be temporarily flying his flag in a
sloop, if the R.Nl.N. follows the same practice used in the British
and US Navies: that an embarked flag officer's flag flies only in the vessel
in which he is physically present.
Joe McMillan, 25 Jul 2002
A Vice-Admiral has three (1 and 2) white six-pointed stars in the red
stripe near the hoist of the tricolour.
After WWII each star was rotated 90 degrees; nowadays they have 1 point
pointing upward, before 2 points.
Adopted for the last time by Order in Council 31 August 1956 No. 46.
Mark Sensen, 16 September 1998
A Rear-Admiral has two (side by side) white six-pointed stars in the
red stripe near the hoist of the tricolour.
After WWII each star was rotated 90 degrees; nowadays they have 1 point
pointing upward, before 2 points.
Adopted for the last time by Order in Council 31 August 1956 No. 46.
Mark Sensen, 16 September 1998
This function has a very distinctive name in Dutch not comparable to
a term in any other language (at least as far as I know): "schout-bij-nacht"
(literally: "sheriff at night" or "looks out at night")..
Mark Sensen, 24 Jul 2002
A Commodore (Dutch: commandeur) has one white six-pointed star
in the red stripe near the hoist of the tricolour.
Adopted for the last time by Order in Council 31 August 1956 No. 46.
Mark Sensen, 16 September 1998
A Captain commanding a squadron has a square swallow-tailed tricolour.
Adopted for the last time by Order in Council 31 August 1956 No. 46.
Mark Sensen, 17 September 1998
Captain in charge of a Group or Area: Square swallow-tailed Dutch tricolour,
the cut at the fly reaching to the center of the flag.
Mark Sensen, 14 Apr 2003
I think each baton has five lions on it.
Mark Sensen, 20 September 1998
Dutch navy regulations VVKM 9 (official flag regulations for the Dutch
navy) don't give the exact size of the bâtons, just the position
of the center. This is at half the height of the red stripe and at one
quarter of the flag length.
Mark Sensen, 24 Jul 2002
It seems the rank and command flags for the army (Field Marshall, General,
Lieutenant-General and General-Major) are no longer in use, probably already
for quite a long time (I guess since around WWII or so).
Mark Sensen, 12 Oct 2003
After WWII each star was rotated 90 degrees; nowadays they have 1 point
pointing upward, before 2 points.
Mark Sensen, 20 September 1998
Dutch navy regulations VVKM 9 (official flag regulations for the Dutch
navy) don't give the exact position of the stars, just the size. These
are 2/15th of the flag height, except 1/10th for so called "Size A" flags
which are used on sloops and motor vehicles. These are 30x45 cm. for rank
flags and don't exist for command flags. I think the latter is logical,
I don't think there are flag officers commanding a sloop or a car...
Mark Sensen, 24 Jul 2002
There exists a photo of Lieutenant-Admiral (Conrad) Helfrich standing
in front of his car, with his rank flag with the four stars five-pointed
instead of six-pointed. He was commander of the forces in the Netherlands
Indies/the Far East 1939-1942/1942-1946. Most likely this flag was locally
made in Australia, Ceylon or so, after description only.
Mark Sensen, 12 Oct 2003
After WWII each star was rotated 90 degrees; nowadays they have 1 point
pointing upward, before 2 points.
Mark Sensen, 20 September 1998
After WWII each star was rotated 90 degrees; nowadays they have 1 point
pointing upward, before 2 points.
Mark Sensen, 20 September 1998
Commodore (Dutch: commandeur) - After WWII each star was rotated
90 degrees; nowadays they have 1 point pointing upward, before 2 points.
Mark Sensen, 20 September 1998
The senior officer uses in addition a triangular tricolor (2:3) in the
national colors (who touch each other in the point at the fly).
Adopted for the last time by Order in Council 31 August 1956 No. 46.
Mark Sensen, 17 September 1998
A Flotilla commander uses a red triangular flag with a white "F".
Mark Sensen, 17 September 1998
These letters are stylised, they don't have roundings but are made of
stripes placed at 45 degrees of each other. The letters are 18/40th of
the flag height high. The "F" is 9/40th of the flag height wide, the "D"
and "S" 12/40th. The stripes of the letters are 3/40th of the flag height
thick. The letters are placed with the edge at 6/40th of the flag height
from the hoist, and vertically centered.
Mark Sensen, 14 Apr 2003
A Squadron commander uses a white triangular flag with a red "S".
Mark Sensen, 17 September 1998
A Division commander uses a blue triangular flag with a yellow "D".
Mark Sensen, 17 September 1998
Finally I have drawn several rank flags. Please say me if they are in use currently: