Australian Red Ensign Page 3

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Category: Flags

The Red Ensign Page 3

As the 2 book covers above illustrate the authors and publishers of recent times, having done their research, use the Red Ensign, as did the 1st & 2nd AIF.


Australian Red Ensign. USA National Flag, Union Flag of UK.
AIF Recruiting poster, circa 1943	Australia will be there (with a Red Ensign)

When Australia welcomed the American 'Great White Fleet' in 1908 it was the Red Ensign that was chosen as the flag for postcards.


Australian Comforts Fund pin back button with the Red Ensign in the background, 1918	Hindley St Decoration Committee for the visit by the Prince of Wales (with Red Ensign)

<<< Corop Peace Day 1919 with Red Ensign

1917 Australia Day pin back badge >>>


America Day badge (with Red Ensign)	Aust. Comforts Fund Appeal badge with Red Ensign

This 1908 souvenir of the visit of the American "Great White Fleet" to Australia shows the Red Ensign (with the original 6 point Federation Star).

The fleet and its hosts had NOTHING to do with the Merchant Navy so it is just another example of the Red Ensign being part of our history in it's use as a Civil Flag.

14th Battalion AIF certificate to Private Albert Sherlock for Great War service clearly showing the Red Ensign along with an (authorised) photo of King George V.


Salvation Army Appeal badge circa 1922	Welcome Home button. Prospect Honour Roll

This 1916 catalogue for a piano solo march honouring the Anzacs clearly shows an Australian Red Ensign, stylized in the same or similar manner to that applied to the other national flags.

Lest We Forget
1914	Honour To Those Who Upheld Our Honour	1918

The Allied Commander Pays The Highest Tribute To The Australian Forces. On November 7th 1920 the remains of an Australian soldier and a French soldier were buried in the Amiens Cathedral. The Bishop of Amiens and Marshal Foch expressed themselves thus:- The Bishop of Amiens:- "We bow to you, Messieurs les Australiens, for the magnificent deeds that you did in those days, now happily at an end, for your country and for France, and for the victory of hope and sanity. The soil of France is transfigured to a new divinity by your sacrifices. In the whole of history we cannot find an army more marvellous in it's bravery, and in the war there was none that contributed more nobly to the final triumph". Marshal Foch:- "We intend today in Amiens to express to you and the Commonwealth of Australia our gratitude......Our aspirations and our will had to be agreed, they could not be too closely allied. Although our task was never easy, it was made less difficult by the patriotism and the passionate valour of the Australians which served as an example to the whole world. That wonderful attack of yours at Villers Bretonneux was the final proof, if any were needed, that the real task of the High Command was to show itself equal to it's soldiers. You saved Amiens. You saved France. Our gratitude will remain ever and always to Australia. (Note the Australian Red Ensign).



3 pin-back badges from 1918 or 1919 showing the use of the Red Ensign. Of course we also recognized the Union Jack as "Our Flag" as well (not instead of).

How different factions "lie" to make their case
The group that want to keep the Australian National Flag unchanged (as I do) try to ignore the Red Ensign, thinking that it will weaken their position of defending Australia's flag, "unchanged" since 1903. They present 25 images showing "Anzac" affiliation with the Blue Ensign (some contrived) but NOT ONE showing Anzac affiliation with the Red Ensign. I have over 50 such images here on this site and more to come. The mob that want to alter the flag ( I am against that) use the Red Ensign to tell the "lie" that "See, the flag has changed, so what does another change matter?" The truth is that the flag has NOT changed. The Blue Ensign (now the Australian National Flag) and the Red Ensign both came into existence at the same time. They remain as originally designed except for the number of points on the various stars.
	The original image held by AWM
The group that want to keep the Australian National Flag unchanged (as I do) use the image of Derrick VC raising the Blue Ensign at Sattleberg in PNG. What they don't tell you is that the image of the Blue Ensign has been overlaid on the original image, post war. It is a colour image overlaid on a black and white photo for the front page of a patriotic publication.	New Guinea, 1943-12-03. Sergeant T. C. Derrick (DCM, and later VC) of Adelaide, SA, who led a South Australian Unit in a successful attack against the Japanese held village of Sattleberg, hoists the Australian Flag. AWM text. (Derrick's biographer who interviewed men who were there reports that it was a Red Ensign).
	On the cover of the book Bravery Above Blunder (John Coates, Oxford Press) the correct image has been used. This book is the WW2 history of the Ninth Division AIF. Derrick's biographer, who could not speak with him (Derrick was KIA just before war's end), but who spoke with men from Derrick's unit makes it clear that Derrick's Sattleberg flag was a Red Ensign. My personal position is clear. I want NO CHANGE to our flag........BUT, I want to honour the history of our flag and the Red Ensign, used as a de-facto Civil Flag, is an important part of that history. Unfortunately, as in most political fights, as in war-time propaganda, "Truth Is The First Casualty". Celebrating the history of the Red Ensign is NOT an attack on the Blue (Australian National) Flag.