- BACKING
- The material or surface upon which an old flag is placed for the purposes
of stabilization or preservation.
- BADGE
- 1) Generically, any emblem sometimes derived from the symbols contained in
a full set of armorial bearings, but which does not contain a shield (see also
armorial bearings,
emblem,
charge and
shield).
- 2) That emblem formerly placed in the fly half of a defaced
Blue (or Red)
Ensign in order to distinguish between British colonies, and used in place of
a full set of armorial bearings, or the shield there from (see also
deface, disc
and government ensign under
ensign).
- 3) The insignia of a military or naval unit often incorporated into the design
of its colour or other organizational flag - but see
emblem, military and governmental
(also grommet 2)).
Please note however, that with a large degree of
heraldic justification, some sources propose the charge to be an integral part
of a flags design and generally not used separately, whereas, in general a badge
may. It is, therefore, suggested that the entry badge in heraldry below and
a suitable glossary or heraldic dictionary be consulted.
- Badge in Heraldry
- A mark of distinction somewhat similar to a crest, though not placed on a
wreath, nor worn upon the helmet. Badges are rather supplemental bearings quite
independent of the charge of the original arms; they are borne on various flags,
and formerly upon the breasts - or more frequently the sleeves - of servants and
followers (see also badge banner,
pinsel and
standard 4)).
Please note however, that
In Scottish heraldry, the crest on the wreath may be used as a badge.
![[badge illustration]](../images/v/vxt-d028.gif)
The Badge of HRH Prince Charles, UK (Official).
- BADGE BANNER
- The term for a small square flag showing a persons badge, probably against
livery colours, and particularly (but not exclusively) for use at that persons funeral
a practice now largely obsolete
(see also Badge in Heraldry
bannerole,
great banner,
grumphion
livery banner and
'livery colours').
- BADGE PENNON
- See pennoncel (also
pennon 3)).
- BALCANIFER (or BALDAKINIFER)
- A medieval term for the standard bearer of the Knights Templar (see also
bauceant).
- BALZAUS
- See bauceant.
- BAND
- See stripe and
Appendix VI.
- BANDERARIUS (BANDARENSIS, BANDONARIUS or BANDEZATUS)
- A medieval term, now obsolete, for a standard bearer.
- BANDEROLE (BANDEROL, BANDEROLLE, BANDROL or BANDROLE)
- 1) A term, now obsolete, for a small banner (see also
banner 1)).
- 2) A streamer or ribbon often with an inscription normally used alone
(as on a crosier) rather than as an accessory to a flag (see also
scarf and
streamer).
- 3) A heraldic term for the streamer attached to a helmet or crest (see also
crest and helm).
- 4) A small flag flown as an accessory to a larger one.
Please note - not to be confused with bannerole.
- BANDUM (or BANDERIA)
- 1) A medieval term, now obsolete, for a small banner (see also
banneret and bannerette).
- 2) The Latin form of the Greek bandon which was a Byzantine military flag.
Please note, that banderia is a plural form of bandum,
and that it has been suggested 1) may have been Latinized from a Celtic original.
- BANERA (BANERIA, BANERIUM or BANNERIUM)
- A medieval term, now obsolete, for a banner.
- BANNER
- 1) A square or rectangular flag charged overall and whose field corresponds
exactly with that of a shield in a set of armorial bearings an armorial banner,
banner of arms and heraldic banner (see also
armorial bearings,
shield and
quarterly).
- 2) See hanging flag and its
following note.
- 3) A usually (but not exclusively) elaborately designed flag-like cloth (possibly shaped and fringed on its bottom edge),
or rectangular with plain field and inscription, that is suspended from a crossbar and/or between two vertical poles, and carried
in procession or at a gathering or flown from a flying line a religious banner, processional banner, trade union banner, protest banner,
sporting banner, advertising banner or similar (see also 'flying line'
and gonfalon 1)).
- 4) 4) A flag-like cloth, usually (but not exclusively) rectangular with a plain or elaborated field
and inscription that is used in a commercial context and often displayed between two fixed points or from
a flying line - an advertising banner (see also flying line).
- 5) In Australian usage, the ceremonial flag of a military organization not
entitled to bear colours.
- 6) Generically (and poetically) any flag, especially one that is carried by
a military force.
Please note, an example of a banner of arms is that
of the Canadian province of New Brunswick, which should not be confused with a
plain flag bearing those arms on a shield in its centre as on the flag of Alberta,
or with the separately described heraldic standard (see also the illustration
under heraldic standard and
standard 4)).
![[banner illustration]](../images/v/vxt-d030.gif)
From left: Flag of Alberta, Canada (fotw); Banner of New Brunswick
(fotw); Arms of New Brunswick
Please note also, that the most common heraldic
terms used in describing a banner of arms are listed separately herein; however,
it is suggested that suitable a glossary or heraldic dictionary be consulted for
further details.
- BANNER OF ARMS
- See banner 1).
- BANNER OF COUNCIL
- In English naval usage, now obsolete, a flag (often the Royal Standard) that
was used prior to the invention of a signal code to summon a council of war aboard
the flagship (see also flagship).
![[badge illustration]](../images/v/vxt-d032.gif)
English Royal Standard c1400 (Martin Grieve)
Please note that a banner of council first appeared
in English sources during the first half of the 14th Century (dates of between
1337 and 1351 are suggested), however, please also note that use of a flag with
this meaning was by no means limited to Englands navy, with instructions for
a combined Mediterranean galley fleet of 1366 being just one example.
- BANNER ROLL
- An 18th Century corruption, now obsolete, of the also obsolete term bannerole
(see 'bannerole').
Please note, it is suggested that this term could also apply to a roll or scroll
depicting banners.
- BANNERET
- 1) A term sometimes used to describe a miniature banner; this is often (but
not invariably) straight-sided and swallow-tailed, is designed to be displayed
vertically and usually shows emblems of both national and local significance (see
also bannerette,
emblem, general and
swallow-tailed).
- 2) A medieval term, now obsolete, for a knight entitled to lead men into battle
and whose lance pennon as square-ended, or for the group of knights so lead
a banneretus (see also
lance pennon 1)
and pennoncier).
- BANNERETTE (BANERETTE or BANNERET)
- 1) A small ceremonial banner decorating a set of bagpipes, a drum or a trumpet
a drum banner, pipe banner or a trumpet banner or tabard (see also
war banner).
- 2) See banner 3.
- BANNERETUS
- A medieval term, now obsolete, for a banneret (see
banneret 2)).
- BANNERMAN
- 1) In largely Scottish usage a term, now obsolete, for one who bears a standard.
- 2) A late 19th early 20th Century term, now obsolete, for a Chinese soldier
belonging to one of the eight banners (or divisions) of the Manchu army.
- BANNEROLE (or BANNEROL)
- The term, now obsolete, for a small flag (usually square) that displayed a
single quartering from a deceased persons coat of arms for use at that persons
funeral a banner roll (see also badge banner,
canton 3),
coat of arms,
great banner,
grumphion and
quartering).
Please note - not be confused with banderole (see
banderole).
- BAR
- See Appendix VI.
- BARGE FLAG
- In UK usage, one of a number of varying flags (usually a banner of arms) which
are flown from the ceremonial barges of Londons livery companies (see also
boat flag 3)).
- BARRULET
- See Appendix VI.
- BARRY
- See Appendix VI.
- BASE
- The heraldic term for the lower section of a shield or banner of arms, however,
heraldic use frequently suggests that the base should be roughly one-third of
the total depth of that shield or flag (see also banner 1),
coat of arms,
field, pointed
and shield).
- BASE FLAG
- In US Air Force usage, a post flag (see also
post flag 1)).
- BATTALION RING
- A term for a metal band sometimes placed on the staff of a military or national
colour (usually below the lower edge of the flag), and showing the battalion and
regiment to which it belonged a ring (see also
battle honour, colour 2)
and staff 2).
Please note that as far as can be determined, this
was a custom formerly in the US Army (but still in use in the US Marine Corps)
and also in some European forces. see supplemental note
- BATTLE COLOUR (or COLOR)
- In US usage, the organizational colour of a combatant Marine Corps unit or
of the Corps as a whole when carried by dismounted troops (see also
branch of service flag).
- BATTLE ENSIGN(S)
- One or more large naval ensigns flown from the yardarms of a warship prior
to commencing - and during - a surface engagement at sea (see also naval ensign
under ensign and
yardarm).
Please note that a warship raises additional large-sized
ensigns prior to an engagement at sea for added identification and in case one
or more are shot away.
- BATTLE FLAG
- 1) A flag (either official or unofficial) that is specifically intended for
use in battle either to avoid confusion with the flag of an enemy or to convey
a patriotic sentiment and used in addition to or instead of military colours
(see also colour 2),
colours 2) and
Southern Cross 2)).
- 2) In US naval usage, an unofficial flag flown from the yardarm when entering
or leaving port, completing underway refuelling, parting company with other ships,
or similar occasions a house flag or unrep flag (see also
yardarm).
Please note with regard to 2), that these flags
have no standard pattern, official existence or meaning, but are designed and
used by individual ships companies to express pride in their vessels, that their
use has become traditional in the US Navy, that US and that other naval forces
have official naval code signals to order and conduct operations such as underway
replenishment (with these unofficial flags being hoisted in addition).
- BATTLE HONOUR (or HONOR)
- A mark of distinction, usually including the name of a battle or campaign,
added to a regimental or other unit colour to show units military service. This
may take the form of an inscription within a ribbon scroll applied to the field
of the colour, or a metal band (or bands) around the staff, or a metal clip attached
to a streamer, or to the streamer itself a battle streamer (see also
battalion ring,
colour 2),
ferrule,
staff 2)
streamer 1) and
streamer retaining ring,
and compare with augmentation of honour).
Please note however, that in many navies ships show
their battle honours on a carved board or similar on ceremonial occasions, or
when the ship is open to visitors rather than on a unit flag.
- BATTLE STANDARD
- A term, now obsolete, for the Scottish heraldic standard as carried in battle,
and there are indications that it was the smallest of three sizes (see also
standard 5),
pageant standard and
great standard).
- BATTLE STREAMER
- See battle honour.
- BAUCEANT (BAUCENT or BEUCENNUS)
- A medieval term for the black and white banner of the
Knights Templar the balzaus
(see also balcanifer).
![[Bauceant]](../images/v/vxt-d034.gif)
One interpretation of the Bauceant (CS)
- BAUCENS (or BAUCCEDILLIAN)
- A 13th Century term, now obsolete, for the plain red streamer flown from a
ships masthead (in northern European waters) to signify that no quarter would
be given, and the size according to record was 30 yards (24.45m) long by 2 yards
(1.82m) wide (see also
flag of defiance and
streamer 2)).
![[Baucens]](../images/v/vxt-d036.gif)
Please note that this flag first appears in records
of the 1290s, and is considered to have been a direct ancestor of the later flag
of defiance. Note also no quarter would be given indicates that surrender would
not be accepted and all prisoners killed.
- BEARING
- See charge and
charged.
- BEAUFORT
- An early 18th Century alternative term, now obsolete, for bunting see
bunting 1) (also
bewper and breadth 2)).
- BECKET
- A loop at the end of the hoist line of a flag that fastens to a toggle at
the end of the halyard when hoisting a flag a running eye or eyesplice (see
also halyard,
hoistline,
running eye and toggle).
![[becket]](../images/v/vxt-d038.gif)
Becket and toggle (AB)
- BED SHEET FLAG (or BSF)
- See logo on a bed sheet.
- BELAYING PIN
- An increasingly obsolete method of belaying, turning up or securing the halyard
by means of movable vertical pins fitted into a frame or rack at the foot of the
mast now largely replaced by the cleat (see also cleat
and halyard).
- BEND (and BEND SINISTER)
- See Appendix VI (also
abased,
ascending diagonal and
descending diagonal).
- BEND ON (or BEND ONTO)
- (v) A nautical term for securing two pieces of rope together as in attaching
the hoistline of a flag to the halyard of a flag pole or mast (see
halyard and
hoistline).
- BENDLET (& BENDLET SINISTER)
- See Appendix VI.
- BENDY
- See Appendix VI.
- BETHEL FLAG
- The flag of a seamans missionary organization occasionally flown in the 19th
Century by some US and European merchant vessels to indicate that a church service
was taking place (see also church pennant).
![[Bethel flag]](../images/v/vxt-d040.gif)
- BEWPER (OR BEWPERS)
- A 17th Century term, now obsolete, for bunting (see also
bunting 1)).
- BICOLOUR (BICOLOR or BI-COLOUR)
- 1) A flag of two stripes or bands of colour (whether divided vertically, horizontally
or diagonally) and whether defaced or plain (see also
stripe).
- 2) An undefaced flag with two equal (vertical or horizontal) stripes or bands
of colour a simple bicolour.
![[bicolor flags]](../images/v/vxt-d042.gif)
From left: National flag of Haiti (fotw); National Flag of Portugal
(fotw); National Flag of Bhutan (fotw)
