Through the Ages & Around the World


NOVEMBER 2007

FEATURED FLAG
 

KINGDOM OF FRANCE
 

Corps Royal d'Infanterie de Marine
Drapeau d'Ordonnance, Régiment de Bordeaux, 1772-82

Between 1772 and 1782, the marine corps of the Royal French Navy was organized into eight regiments, one for each of France's major naval ports. The duties of the Corps Royal d'Infanterie de Marine (not to be confused with the Compagnies Franches de la Marine) included maintenance and repair of shipboard ordnance, and service ashore as infantry. Marine sergeants and bombardiers also supervised naval gun crews on those occasions when it was necessary to send ships' cannon ashore. Officers wore naval uniform; the troops were uniformed in blue coats faced scarlet and equipped as infantry. Bombardiers wore bearskin bonnets like those of the grenadiers of infantry regiments.

The drapeaux d'ordonnance of the Corps Royal d'Infanterie de Marine were of the Army infantry pattern, colored differently for each regiment, with the naval connection symbolized by anchors in the quarters. The distinguishing color of the Régiment de Bordeaux was dark red. Since the corps bore the appellation "royal," the white crosses of the drapeaux were strewn with fleurs-de-lis. Regiments of the corps were not, however, permitted to carry an all-white Colonel's Color. In 1782 the corps was reorganized, the regiments being disbanded and replaced by three "sections" stationed in Brest, Toulon and Rochefort

See also Kingdom of France, Naval Ensigns & Flags, 1600-1792.


FLAGS OF THE US ARMY
 

ORGANIZATIONAL FLAG, 103rd SUSTAINMENT COMMAND (EXPEDITIONARY)

The US Army's 2004 and 2005 Modernization Plans resulted in the creation of a new type of headquarters unit called the Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) (ESC). These headquarters are configured to provide command and control for the full spectrum of combat service support units required to support deployed combat forces. As such, the ESC is similar in concept to the Support Command, but the organization of the headquarters is more flexible. The organizational flag for  the ESC is the same as that for a Support Command: buff field with scarlet fringe and the unit shoulder sleeve insignia centered. Dimensions are 3 feet on the hoist by 4 feet on the fly plus 2 1/2-inch fringe; the flag is made of heavyweight rayon banner cloth. Unit citation and campaign streamers, if authorized, are always displayed with the flag.

The 103rd Sustainment Command descends from the World War II-era 103rd Infantry Division, which served in the European Theater and was inactivated in September 1945. In the postwar period, the 103rd was reactivated as a US Army Reserve divisional command headquarters. Later it was converted to a support brigade, then to a support command (corps), and finally in 2006 it received its current designation. The 103rd ESC is among the many contemporary units that perpetuate the lineage of the Army's World War II-era divisions.

See US Army Brigades for the organizational flag of the 103rd as a support brigade.


"BOOTS & SADDLES"
 

HEADQUARTERS FLAG, 1st DIVISION, CAVALRY CORPS
US DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND
1863-65

The Federal Army of the Cumberland originated as Army of the Ohio in the Department of the Cumberland, established in November 1861, under the command of Brigadier General Robert Anderson. When Major General William S. Rosecrans assumed command of the Army of the Ohio and the Department of the Cumberland in October 1862, he combined the two organizations under the name of the Army of the Cumberland. At that time the army consisted of a single corps—the XIV—which was for tactical purposes divided into three wings. After the Battle of Stones River (31 December-2 January 1862), the army was reorganized, the three wings of XIV Corps becoming XIV, XX and XXI Corps. Eventually the army’s cavalry was also organized under a corps headquarters. 

The distinguishing flags of the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Cumberland all bore the crossed sabers of the cavalry branch. The flag of the corps headquarters was a fringed blue-white-scarlet tricolor with the sabers in golden yellow; the division flags were rectangular and the brigade flags were triangular. The various divisions and brigades of the corps could be identified by the color combination of their flags and the numbers applied to them. Thus, for example, the 1st Division’s flag was white with scarlet sabers and the numeral “1" in blue, the 2nd Division’s flag was blue with white sabers and the numeral “2” in scarlet, etc. 

See also Headquarters & Corps Flags of the Union Army.


YOUR HOST

                             

Tom Gregg

WAR FLAGS features selections from my extensive collection of GIF images. Watch for monthly updates and future site upgrades. I also invite you to visit Twenty-Six Letters, my blog devoted to politics, current affairs and culture.

I enjoy hearing from people who share my interest in flags of all kinds. Comments and questions about the images on this page, as well as information about military and naval flags, past and present, are always welcome. And if you're interested in flags, consider joining:

THE NORTH AMERICAN VEXILLOGICAL ASSOCIATION

TO VISIT NAVA'S AWARD-WINNING WEBSITE, CLICK ON THE NAVA SEAL.


ribbons2.gif (7044 bytes)


SITE ESTABLISHED

February 7, 1999

LAST UPDATE

November 13, 2007

NEXT UPDATE

January 5, 2008

WAR FLAGS © 1999-2007 Thomas M. Gregg


Hit Counter