New Zealand Flag Institute

GLOSSARY

 

 

 

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by mounted units.

4) When referring to ships, the ship's ENSIGN, JACK, and FLAG or PENNANT collectively.

5) A general term describing a national flag, or any flag flown to denote nationality.

 

Colour Fastness -

The ability of a cloth or other material to resist fading, and colour change or migration through the material.

 

Colours (maritime) -

 The flags worn by a ship.

 

COMMAND FLAG -

A CAMP FLAG of a military command.

 

COMMISSSION PENNANT or COMMISSIONING PENNANT -

A very long and narrow pennant flown from the main mast of a naval vessel. It is flown permanently by HM’s Ships in commission, unless replaced by the COMMAND FLAG of a Flag Officer, or by a Commodore’s BROAD PENNANT. It is used to indicate the royal or state authority under which the ships sails. Also called a masthead pennant, narrow pennant, coachwhip pennant, or CAPTAIN’S PENNANT.

 

CORNET -

Variously:

1) Similar to a cavalry guidon or standard. A small flag, sometimes  swallow-tailed. Used most often during the 17th and 18th centuries.

2) An alternative title to GUIDON, for the standard of a cavalry regiment.

3) An 18th-century cavalry officer's rank, for the junior officer who carried the regimental standard. The title was used for junior officers in the South African Army during the 1950’s. Similarly the infantry rank of "ensign" was