Ship's Flags

Historically, flags have been used aboard sea vessels for three main purposes: communication , identification, and decoration For communication purposes, flags played a vital role to seamen in the days before wireless communication. Two main systems of flag communication were developed: The Semaphore flag signaling system, and also the International Nautical System of Alphabet Flags.

The Semaphore Flag system is an alphabet signaling system based on waving a pair of hand-held flags in a particular pattern. The flags are held, arms extended, in various positions representing each of the letters of the alphabet. The pattern resembles a clock face divided into eight positions for each of the left and right hands. The flag usually resembles the image below.

The International Nautical System of Alphabet Flags assigns one flag to each letter (numbers were assigned pennants).Each letter flag was assigned a different name and meaning. For instance, the flag representing the letter ‘M’ is illustrated below. When flown on the foremast, this flag, ‘Mike,’ is a symbol for “My vessel is stopped and making no way through the water.”

Flags were not always used singularly for communication. Quite commonly, a combination of two flags was utilized in order to pass messages between ships. For instance, the two letters N + C flown together would mean, “I am in distress.”

Not only were flags used for communication, but they were also used for identification. Occasionally, flags were strung up in order to spell out short messages or names of vessels. This is what "Titanic’s" name looks like spelled out in the nautical flag alphabet:

Obviously, spelling out the ship’s entire name in flags simply was not practical, therefore, vessels were assigned signal letters by the Registrar General of the General Registrar and Record Office of Shipping and Seaman (Eaton & Haas, 140.). On March 25, 1914, Titanic was assigned the signal letters “HVMP.” This sequence of letters is illustrated below.

And Lastly, flags were used for decorative purposes. Flags were used to decorate, or ‘dress’ a ship for special occasions, such as national holidays or the vessel’s maiden voyage. The ship was dressed, using the International Alphabet flags, at eight o’clock in the morning, and remained so until sundown. A vessel never remained decorated in flags while underway. Since the ratio of alphabet flags to numeral pennants is two to one, the pennants are placed after every two flags. The following picture of Titanic illustrates this sequence:

Titanic was dressed in flags only once. Due to a rushed schedule, the White Star Line was unable to open her for public inspection before she sailed. Therefore, as compensation, White Star ordered Titanic dressed in flags the morning of April 5, 1912, Good Friday.

The Titanic Stop © 2000