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Dictionary of Vexillology: B (Black Liberation Flag - Bow Pennant)

On this page:

BLACK LIBERATION FLAG (or COLOURS)
BLAZON
BLAZONING
BLESSING OF A FLAG
BLEU CELESTE
BLOODY FLAG (or COLOURS)
BLUE ENSIGN
BLUE PETER
BLUE STAR BANNER
BOAT ENSIGN
BOAT FLAG
BOAT-TAILED
BOB (or BOB-FLY)
BORDER
BORDERED
BORDERING
BORDER OF TRIANGLES
BORDURE
BOWED
BOW FLAG
BOW PENNANT

BLACK LIBERATION FLAG (or COLOURS)

See ‘Garvey colours’.

Marcus Garvey’s Flag 1917 (fotw)

BLAZON

The description, either oral or written, of an armorial banner, set of armorial bearings or a shield from those arms, given according to heraldic conventions conventions (see also ‘armorial bearings’, ‘banner of arms’, ‘emblazon 2)’, ‘heraldry’ and ‘shield 1)’.

Please note however, that the term and its use should apply only to heraldic symbolism, and be employed in vexillology solely in that context.

BLAZONING

(v) The act of describing heraldic symbolism as defined in ‘blazon’.

BLESSING OF A FLAG

See ‘consecration’.

BLEU CELESTE

The heraldic term for the colour sky-blue - see ‘shades of tincture’ in ‘Appendix III’.

BLOODY FLAG (or COLOURS)

1) See ‘flag of defiance’.

2) See ‘red flag 2)’.

BLUE ENSIGN

1) In British maritime usage, the ensign worn (undefaced) by those merchant vessels commanded by an officer of the Royal Naval Reserve – but see 2), the note below and ‘archivexillum’ (also ‘armorial ensign’, ‘government ensign’ ‘red ensign 1)’, ‘undefaced’. ‘white ensign 1)’ and ‘yacht ensign’ under ‘ensign’).
2) In English then British RN usage, now obsolete (and largely – but not exclusively - dependent upon the rank of the admiral in command), the junior of three alternative (undefaced) ensigns carried by a warship until 1864 – see ‘red ensign 2)’ and ‘white ensign 2)’.
3) Generically, any canton flag (either plain or defaced) with a blue field – particularly (but not exclusively) if flown at sea – a British-style ensign (see also ‘canton flag 1)’, ‘deface’ and ‘red ensign 3)’).

From left: Blue ensign c1630 – 1707, England (fotw); Reserve Ensign, UK (fotw); Reserve Ensign, Sri Lanka (fotw); Government Ensign, Mauritius (fotw)

Please note with regard to 1) that the blue ensign is also used either plain or defaced as the ensign of many British yacht clubs, as an archivexillum (or template) for the flags of Government departments and – with few exceptions – of British Overseas Territories (see also ‘armorial ensign’, ‘colonial flags’, ‘defaced’ and ‘warrant’).

Ensign of the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club, UK (Graham Bartram)

BLUE PETER

A blue flag with a white panel in the centre, flown alone whilst in harbour to signify that all persons should report on board as the vessel is ready to proceed to sea - now also Papa in the International Code of Signals, but in use (with the same or similar meaning) since the 1750’s (see also ‘International Code of Signal Flags’, ‘preparatory flag’ and ‘signal flag’).

Signal Flag P (Papa) (CS)

BLUE STAR BANNER

See ‘service flag 3)’.

Blue Star Banner/Service Flag, US

BOAT ENSIGN

1) A small ensign (usually storm ensign size) used on ship's boats for identification when more than one nation's naval vessels are present in an anchorage (see also 'storm flag 2)').

2) See ‘boat flag 1)’ below.

Please note with regards to 1) that the ship's boats of naval vessels would not normally wear ensigns when operating in an anchorage if no foreign ships are present.

BOAT FLAG

1) In US naval usage, now obsolete, a small national ensign of modified design (with 13 stars rather than the number on the normal U.S. ensign) formerly flown on small boats and submarines.

2) In US army usage, that version of a positional or rank flag intended to be flown on boats, or sometimes in front of that officer's headquarters (see also 'positional flag' and 'rank flag').

3) In British RN usage, that version of a flag of command or broad pennant which was originally for use only in boats, but from which the current versions of those flags are derived (see also ‘ball(s) of difference’, ‘barge flag’, 'flag of command', 'broad pennant' and vessel flag).

Late 19th – Early 20th Century, US; Boat Flags of a Rear Admiral, a Vice-Admiral and a Full Admiral from 1864 and Command Flags from c1870, UK (fotw)

Please note with regard to 3) that prior to regulations of 1898 the balls of difference were smaller, and that those on the flag of a rear admiral (as illustrated above) both appeared in the upper hoist canton.

BOAT-TAILED

See ‘ogival’.

Flag Ascribed to Ibernia, 14th Century (fotw)

BOB (or BOB-FLY)

In UK usage, the term for a small flag or pennant flown from the topmast truck of a sailing barge, bearing the owner’s logo and/or colours, and used to indicate wind direction – a bob-fly or Kent vane-fly (see also ‘colours 6)’, ‘house flag 1)’, ‘logo’, ‘main’, ‘truck 1)’, ‘vane 1)’ and ‘vane 2)’).

Bob of the Thames Barge Sailing Trust, UK (CS)

BORDER

The term for a (comparatively) wide band surrounding a field of a different colour, which may consist of one colour - either plain or have charges placed upon it - or may be made up of two or more colours in a variety of designs – a bordure (see also ‘double-tressure’, ‘flammulets’, ‘inner border’, ‘inset border’, ‘orle 1)’ ‘panel’, ‘pierced 1)’, ‘plain 2)’, ‘tressure’ and ‘wolfteeth’).

From left: National Flag of Maldives (fotw); Flag of King João II, Portugal 1485 - 1495 (fotw); National Flag of Grenada (fotw); Royal Standard of Bulgaria 1908–44 (fotw)

Please note - not to be confused with a fimbriation which is invariably plain and whose sole purpose is to divide one colour from another (see also ‘charge’, ‘fimbriation’, ‘panel’ and ‘rule of tincture’).

BORDERED