Flags of RMS Titanic
by James T. Liston and James Ferrigan, III
In April 1912, the White Star liner Titanic departed from England on her maiden voyage, only go down both in the North Atlantic and history. Recently, interest in the lost ship has enjoyed a surge of popularity as a result of a highly acclaimed motion picture.
The flags flown by RMS Titanic are of some interest and shed light on the subject of maritime flags.
1. The Blue Ensign. An ensign is a maritime flag of national character worn
by a ship to denote her nationality. By universal custom, it is worn from the
stern staff (ensign staff) when the ship is moored, anchored, or made fast
alongside, and is often shifted to the gaff (provided a ship has one) while
underway. Titanic's mainmast had a gaff As a civilian British ship, Titanic
was eligible to wear the British Red Ensign, in accordance with section 73
of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894.
However, because Titanic's captain (Captain Edward J. Smith) was a member of the Royal Naval Reserve (RNR) and because at least 12 of her crew were members of the RNR, she received permission (i.e., a warrant) from the Admiralty to wear the plain Blue Ensign in lieu of the Red. Other British merchantmen meeting these requirements were granted this privilege. In 1912 as now, the Blue Ensign announced a British civil ship in the hands of RNR men; this explains why today's liner Queen Elizabeth II often wears one. While theoretically available to any British merchantman, the numbers of RNR ratings required in the early decades of the century tended to make the ensign privilege available to stately liners, while more remote for, say, a shorthanded tramp steamer or coal carrier. As can be imagined, wearing the Blue Ensign was a matter of prestige because it was a relatively exclusive distinction.
Though prestigious, the Blue Ensign does not mean a ship becomes part of the Royal Naval Reserve; the commercial ship that wears it remains privately owned. In contrast, Naval Reserve ships are Crown owned, have an obvious naval appearance (they are gray), and wear the White Ensign and Union Jack.
A ship-specific Admiralty Warrant (since 1964, a warrant from the Ministry of Defense) is issued to merchantmen authorizing display of the Blue Ensign. In addition, a list of all British ships so entitled individually listed by name, together with their eligible captains and owners-- published in the periodically issued Navy List. Should the captain be replaced, the authorities must be notified, the warrant is withdrawn, and the Navy List is modified. This same procedure applies today, though the number of RNR ratings required to be among the crew has been reduced since 1912.
Titanic was eligible to wear, and in fact wore, the Blue Ensign. While in port, this was hoisted at the ship's stern staff, from 0800/ 0900 until sunset; underway, from the gaff on the mainmast (the mast nearest the stern). James Cameron's Academy-Award winning motion picture, Titanic (1997), correctly depicted this. It is very likely Titanic hauled down her ensign from the gaff after losing sight of the Irish coast, never to hoist it again. There was no reason to have hoisted it at sea, other than perhaps briefly hoisting it to announce Titanic's national identity to a passing craft. Presumably, the ensign went down with the ship, secured in its locker. While a few older movies have depicted Titanic's ensign flying proudly as the ship sinks at night hundreds of miles from land, this melodramatic notion is unseamanlike and improbable. A British manual of seamanship from the 1930s laments that British merchantmen had become so accustomed to hauling down the ensign for frugalitys sake, they did so even to cross the English Channel from France, a distance shorter than 50 nautical miles. Flying the ensign at night, a thousand miles from land was unthinkable.
Contemporary news accounts mention Titanic wearing the Blue Ensign in port, and it can be safely assumed that when flown by this ship in port and along the coast, it was flown daily, and given naval treatment in port (it was not flown in port during the night).
2. The "Pilot Jack," Pilot-Summoning Signal and Pilot Aboard Signals.
a. The Jack: A jack is a flag of national character smaller than the ensign worn at a ship's bow on the jackstaff. After centuries of sailing-ship practice, the custom has developed that a jack is worn only when a ship is anchored, moored, or made fast alongside. In British marine practice, a jack may be properly flown while steaming, provided the ensign is simultaneously displayed and the ship is either dressed with masthead ensigns, or is saluting a national holiday. Otherwise, however, oceangoing ships do not ordinarily fly a jack while underway.
Britain's civil jack is the so-called "Pilot Jack," a Union Jack surrounded with a white border one-fifth the width of the jack. This flag dates from 1823, when it was designed by the Admiralty to be a pilot-summoning signal (a signal flag announcing, "I need a pilot"). A pilot is a locally knowledgeable guide to local waters. The flag was initially intended to be a jack, however.
Since 1634, British law has consistently restricted use of the familiar Union Jack to military ships. In the nineteenth century, British civilian ships desirous of flying a jack instinctively started to use the pilot-summoning signal as their jack. This extralegal use later received tacit official approval in July 1864, and today, certain non-military ships operated by the British Government wear it as a civil jack. Most modern commercial ships, however, do not bother with a jack.
A jack is pulled down when a ship raises anchor or casts off and gets underway. Like the ensign, it is flown from between 0800/ 0900 and sunset while in port. It must be accompanied by the ensign at the stern.
Like other large liners of the era, Titanic had a beautifully tapering bow and was naturally equipped with a fine jackstaff. Unlike shipsof today, she doubtless had sufficient crew (and ample budget) to make the effort to wear a jack. It appears she did so. Sailing with vast crews in an age attuned to niceties, the lavish Great Liners were an exception to the steady decline in jack usage by civilians throughout the twentieth century.
b. Pilot-Summoning Signals: In 1912, the white-bordered Union Flag still had its original pilot-summoning function, dating from 1823. This traditional role was not formally abolished until April 1970, but it was slowly declining in favor of internationally accepted code flags or radio. (Since 1970, the International Code of Signals "G" and/or radio is solely used for pilot summoning in Britain). In 1912, Titanic could have properly hoisted the white-bordered Union Jack to her foremast in home an reign waters to summon a pilot. Had she done so, she would be underway, so e jack would not be flown at that time. Alternatively, she could have hoisted the 1901 International Code signal to call for a pilot (the signal flags "P" over "T"), which was also acceptable under Britain's Pilotage Act in 1912. Sadly, she sank before she reached North American pilotage waters, making this choice moot. However, she may have made such a signal in British ports.
c. Pilot Aboard Signal: Once a pilot comes aboard ship, a pilot-summoning signal is replaced by a "Pilot Aboard" flag. Today, most all nations use the International Code of Signals flag "H" (white to hoist, red to fly). In Britain, however, this has been the Pilot Flag (horizontal, white over red) since 1808. The 1808 British flag inspired the later International Code flag "H," but has slowly been losing ground to the International flag throughout the twentieth century.
If such a flag was used by Titanic in 1912, it was used in British waters and it is likely she hoisted Britain's traditional (1808) pilot flag.
Today, however, many British ships use International "H" to announce they have a pilot aboard; the 1808 flag remains legally available, however. The 1808 pilot flag is unchallenged when carried by British and Commonwealth pilot boats to announce they have a pilot aboard who is willing to offer services to arriving ships. This practice has been unbroken since 1808.
3. The House Flag of the White Star Line: Titanic was the pride
of the White Star Line. As such, she flew the company's House Flag from the peak
(top) of her mainmast. This was a red, tapering swallow-tailed pennant, bearing
a single, white five-pointed star. This signal was flown by all vessels owned by
the Line, and it represented the reputation the Line had accumulated since it
was founded in the 1850s. This house flag became one of the most famous and
recognized on the North Atlantic.
This flag was not merely flown from the mast, however. It was ubiquitous throughout the ship. It could be seen on tickets, posters, stationery, china, cutlery, decorations, uniform buttons, officer cap badges, and painted on the bows of lifeboats.
The house flag remained in use after even after Cunard acquired White Star Line in 1934. The Cunard-White Star Line flew the two flags together (a twin house flag consisting of Cunard's flag directly atop the White Star Line) until 1968, when the White Star flag fell from use. Today, Cunard vessels hoist the White Star Line house flag annually on April 20, to commemorate the death of the last White Star Line officer and the loss of Titanic in April 1912.
4. The
Commodore's Flag of the White Star Line: A flag that may
possibly have been flown by Titanic would have been the broad pennant of the
White Star Line Commodore. (In merchant shipping practice, a company's most
senior captain is informally designated "Commodore" both as a courtesy
and honor; this tradition is different from the naval rank of Commodore). A
special version of the house flag may be created by a shipping company to
distinguish this rank. Titanic's captain, E. J. Smith, was indeed the White Star
Line's Commodore, but it is not known whether he actually used this
distinguishing flag on Titanic. If so, it would have been displayed in lieu of
the company's house flag.
A White Star's Commodore's Flag was definitely flown by later White Star commodores. It is simply a white-bordered house flag. Today, some British companies simply use a blue cross of St. George on white to distinguish a Commodore.
5. The
Royal Mail Pendant: An important flag flown by Titanic was the Royal Mail Pendant, which was displayed from her
foreyard, or flown prominently from her foremast. This white pendant was displayed by commercial ships engaged in carrying
British mail and confirmed the privileged title Royal Mail Ship (RMS). In 1912, air mail was unknown and speedy ocean liners
were expected to swiftly carry trans-Atlantic mail. Ships carrying the mails were accorded special docking privileges, and the pendant
was a special distinction, reflecting a ship's speed and trustworthiness.
The mail pennant was introduced in Queen Victoria's reign. The version in use in 1912 features the so-called King's Crown that was introduced by Edward VII (approximately 1901) and remained in use until Queen Elizabeth 11 introduced the St. Edward's Crown in Blue Ensign
1952. Regardless of its stylistic rendition, the crown symbolizes Royal service; the legend "Royal Mail" and the post horn (all in red) complete the design.
All of Titanic's five postal clerks remained at their duty stations and went down with the ship.
Editor's Note: Exact replicas of all the flags and signals mentioned in this article (Blue Ensign, Royal Mail Pendant, White Star Line flag, Commodore's Flag, "Pilot Jack' and Pilot Flag) are manufactured in 12" x 18" nylon and in certain larger sizes and are available from Flag Services Company, Inc., of Reno, Nevada, USA. For information, contact NAVA member, Mr. Jim Ferrigan, III at (888) 404-3524.
