KINGDOM & REPUBLIC OF EGYPT

NAVAL & MILITARY ENSIGNS & FLAGS  •  1923-58

Though nominally part of the Ottoman Empire, in 1914 Egypt was under de facto British rule and when war broke out Britain declared a formal protectorate. Egypt was granted independence after the war, though in reality Britain maintained control of the country for another thirty years. The national flag adopted in 1923 became the basis for all Egyptian naval and military flags and ensigns. Crossed anchors and crossed swords were added in the upper hoist of the national flag to create the naval ensign and the army flag respectively. The air force ensign followed the pattern of the British RAF Ensign, with a sky blue field, the national flag as a canton and the air force roundel in the fly. Naval and army rank flags were the same as the naval ensign and the army flag, with the addition of stars in the upper and lower fly. Air Force rank flags were based on those of the RAF. The color for regiments and separate battalions of the Army was a fringed national flag to which battle honors could be added in the form of scrolls. The 1923 flags continued in use after the overthrow of the monarchy and the establishment of a republic in 1952. The 1952 revolution, however, introduced the Arab Liberation Flag to Egypt: a horizontal tricolor of red, white and black with the eagle of Saladin centered on the white stripe. The Arab Liberation Flag was often flown jointly with the 1923 flags and it soon became in effect an alternate national and war flag. All these flags were abolished when Egypt joined the United Arab Republic in 1958.  Image Added December 2016 Color for Army Regiments & Battalions