Last modified: 2004-11-06 by rob raeside
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The crossed swords blue ensign of the Royal Army Service
Corps was chosen as the ensign of the Royal Corps of Transport Fleet formed on
5th July 1965. A badge of the ensign, introduced during the 1939-45 War, was
still the shoulder flash on the uniforms of both civilians and soldiers.
In October 1966 a Royal Warrant was issued; "HM the Queen has graciously
permitted operational vessels of the Army flying the Army Ensign commanded by
Army officers and manned by military personnel in uniform to be titled Her
Majesty's Army Vessels and to fly the Union Flag at the fore (?) when moored, or
dressed overall under way."
There was no Army Ensign, the crossed swords ensign being the ensign of a
corps, and the task of designing an Army Ensign was given to HQ Maritime Group
RCT Portsmouth, who produced a Blue Ensign defaced by crossed swords
superimposed with the royal crest. It was approved by the Queen
and announced in Army Order 53/66, and
Defence Council Instruction (General) 62/67. The ensign was first flown on 17
May 1967 by
Tank Landing Craft engaged in Exercise Wagon Trail.
The Army Ensign was the army equivalent of the navy's White Ensign, while the
crossed
sword ensign was comparable to the vertical anchor Blue Ensign of the Royal
Fleet
Auxiliary Service. The army copied navy tradition by flying the Union Jack in
the bows
of ships being launched, with the Army Flag (instead of the Admiralty Flag)
amidships.
On 5th April 1993 the Royal Corps of Transport was merged with the Royal Army
Ordnance
Corps, the Royal Pioneer Corps, the Army Catering Corps and the Postal and
Courier
elements of the Royal Engineers to form the Royal Logistics Corps. The last
HMAVs, Arakan
and Ardennes, were decommissioned in 1998, and the Army Ensign became dormant,
leaving
only the crossed sword ensign still in use.
David Prothero, 29 September 2004