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Dictionary of Vexillology: R (Remembrance Flag - Riverwheel)

Last modified: 2024-09-28 by rob raeside
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REMEMBRANCE FLAG
See ‘memorial flag 2)’.

9/11 flag
9/11 Remembrance/Memorial Flag, US (fotw)


RENAISSANCE SHIELD
The term often used to describe a variously detailed but elaborate late-medieval, post-medieval, Baroque or heart-shaped shield – see ‘shield’ (also ‘horse-head shield’).

renaissance shield renaissance shield renaissance shield
Flag of Požega, Croatia (fotw); Flag of Ilok, Croatia (fotw); Flag of Ravna Gora, Croatia (fotw)

Please note that several of the terms giving shields a national identity, as well as those describing a specific type, are still in the process of standardization, and that no consistent approach has thus far been identified, however, use of this specific term is both widespread and consistent, so it may be employed with some confidence.


REPEATER (or REPEATER PENNANT)
See ‘substitute’.

ICS flag ICS flag ICS flag
I-L-L (India-Lima-Lima) in The ICS using the First Repeater/Substitute Pennant (fotw)


REPEATING FRIGATES
The 18th/19th Century term, now obsolete, for those frigates that were stationed outside or behind the main line in a fleet of sailing or steam-assisted warships in order to relay flag signals to ships out of view of the flagship (see also ‘flagship’, ‘man-o-war’ and ‘signal flag’).

frigate
British Frigate c1805 (Wikipedia)

Please note that in the context of the above definition a frigate was a naval vessel which carried her main armament on a single, part-enclosed deck.


REPLICA FLAG (or REPRODUCTION)
The terms which may be used to describe that flag which is a visual or actual reproduction of an earlier design – a reproduction (see also ‘fictitious flag’ and ‘flag of pretence 1)’).

replica flag replica flag
A rejected design of 1919 (for a Flag of the RAF) flown as a Replica in 2010 (fotw); Reproduction of the Standard of Constantine the Great c323 (fotw)


RESERVE ENSIGN
See under ‘ensign’.

British reserve ensign ensign
Reserve Ensign of the UK (fotw); Reserve Ensign of India (fotw)


RESPECTANT
The heraldic term used when two animals are depicted facing towards each other – but see combatant and affrontant.

respectant respectant respectant
Flag of Nax, Switzerland (fotw); Flag of Northeim County (Germany); Flag of Samouco, Portugal (fotw)


RETREAT CEREMONY
In military usage, a formal ceremony requiring a full guard and band for lowering the national flag at the end of the day on special occasions (see also ‘reveille’ and ‘sunset’).

Please note that this ceremony has its roots in late Medieval and early Renaissance period with the formal ceremonies associated with closing the gates of fortresses and castles for the night.


REVEILLE
In UK, US and some other military usage, the ceremony of hoisting the national flag at the start of a day and taken from the name of the bugle call sounded to awaken the troops (see also ‘colours 5)’ and ‘retreat ceremony’).

REVERSE
The less important side of a flag which in the Western tradition is always depicted with its hoist to the observer’s right and is generally, but not invariably, a mirror image of the obverse – see ‘obverse’ (also ‘ceremonial flag 1)’, ‘colour 2)’, ‘right hoisted’, and ‘unique flag’).

Portugal reverse St. Kitts & Nevis reverse Guinea reverse
Reverses: National Flags of Portugal, St Kitts and Nevis and Guinea (fotw)

Please note that a distinctive reverse design or charge will usually only be found on unique flags, ceremonial flags, regimental colours and similar, there are however, occasional exceptions - see 'double-sided 1)' and 'two-sided 1))'.


REVERSE BEND
See ‘bend sinister’

reverse bend
Flag of Monfarracinos, Spain (fotw)


REVERSED
1) On flags, the term is used to refer to a charge or charges that run in the opposite direction to that in which they are normally placed (see also ‘reversed chevron’, ‘reversed pall’, ‘reversed pile’ and ‘reversed triangle’).
2) In heraldry, as above but the term is also used when arms or a charge are reversed or turned downward – debased, everted, inverted, subverted, subvertant or transposed.

Birżebbuġa, Malta reversed example
Flag of Birżebbuġa, Malta (fotw); Example


REVERSED CHEVRON
See ‘chevron 1)’ and ‘chevron 2)’.

reversed chevron
Flag of the California Transport Corp. c1953 (fotw)


REVERSED PALL
See 'pall 1)'.

[reversed pall]
Flag of Krasnoarmeyskiy, Russia (fotw)


REVERSED PILE
See ‘pile 1)’.

[reveresed pile]
Flag of Paszowice, Poland (fotw)


REVERSED TRIANGLE
See ‘triangle 1)’.

reversed triangle
Flag of Łomża rural district, Poland (fotw)


RHOMBUS
See ‘lozenge 1)’.

rhombus
National Flag of Brazil (fotw)


RIBBON
1) See ‘scroll’ (also ‘ribbon scroll 2)’).
2) See ‘cravat 2)’ and ‘draping’.
3) A term that is also (and inaccurately) used to describe a wavy stripe – see ‘wavy’.

RIBBON SCROLL
1) Generically, see ‘scroll’.
2) Specifically, the term used for a narrow ribbon in the form of a scroll but of greater length than is usual); it is normally (but not exclusively) placed below and/or around the shield in a set of armorial bearings or an emblem, and is generally inscribed with a motto – a ribbon.

Saint John Dorog Dorog
Flag of Saint John, Canada, (fotw); Arms and Flag of Dorog, Hungary (Wikipedia & fotw)

Please note with regard to 2) that further examples (amongst several) are to be found on the flags of the US States of Iowa and Massachusetts (see also ‘scroll’).


RIGHT DIAGONAL (or RIGHT DIAGONAL BAR)
See ‘bend’ and ‘descending diagonal 1)’.

right-diagonal right-diagonal
Flag and Arms of Waaxens, The Netherlands (fotw)


RIGHT-ANGLE TRIANGLE
See ‘bicolour 1)’ (also‘triangular panel 2)’).

right-angle triangle
National Flag of Papua New Guinea (fotw)


RIGHT-HOISTED
A term that may be used (in place of its heraldic equivalent) when the obverse of a flag is depicted (or is manufactured) with its hoist to the observer’s right in accordance with Arabic tradition – but see ‘sinister hoist’ and the note below (also ‘hoist 1)’, ‘obverse’ and ‘reverse’).

right-hoisted
National Flag of Qatar (fotw)

Please note that the Editors recommend use of the heraldic term as being more accurate and will avoid any potential confusion.


RIKSBANNER (or RIJKSVAANDEL)
See ‘coronation flags’.

Riksbanner
Riksbanner/coronation Flag, Norway 1906 (Official Website)


RING
1) On flags a charge in the form of a narrow circular band typically (but by no means exclusively) used to separate a sun’s central disc from its rays, as on the flag of Kyrgyzstan (as illustrated below) – a torus or disc/disk voided (see also ‘disc’ and ‘cartouche’).
2) In heraldry see ‘annulet’.
3) A piece of wood or metal for attaching a windsock to its pole and for keeping it open (see also ‘windsock’).
4) See ‘battalion ring’ and ‘battle honour’.
5) One of a number of circular metal bands used as an increasingly (but not entirely) obsolete method of attaching a military colour, parade flag or gonfalon to its staff - see ‘colour 2)’, ‘parade flag 2)’ with its following notes and ‘gonfalon 2)’ (also ‘loops’ and ‘ties’).

ring ring ring
National Flag of Kyrgyzstan (fotw); Flag of Bercher, Switzerland (fotw); Flag of the Kurdish Workers Party, Turkey (fotw)


RISING
1) In heraldry the term used when a bird is represented as in the act of taking flight (see also ‘displayed’, ‘vol’ and ‘volant’.
2) In vexillology the term often employed to describe a sun complete with its (usually – but not invariably – expanding) rays – a rising sun (see also ‘rays’ and ‘sunburst’)

[rising sun example] [rising example] [rising example] 
Flag of Nova Aurora, Brazil (fotw); Arms and Flag of Złocieniec, Poland (fotw)


RISING DIAGONAL
See ‘ascending diagonal’.

[rising diagonal example]
Flag of Franekeradeel, Netherlands (fotw)


RISING FROM
See ‘issuant’ (also ‘rising 1)’.

[rising form example]
Flag of Schinznach, Switzerland (fotw)


RISING SUN
See ‘rising 2)’.

[rising sun example]
Flag of the Airforce, The Soviet Union (fotw)


RIVERWHEEL (or RIVERMILL WHEEL)
See ‘waterwheel’.

[Fafe, Portugal] [Fafe, Portugal]
Flag of Fafe, Portugal (fotw)


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