KINGDOM OF DENMARK

NAVAL FLAGS  •  1900-40

Since the early seventeenth century the forked version of the Danish national flag has been reserved for use by the armed forces and other government departments, many of which add a distinguishing badge in the canton. The plain version of the Splittflag, as it is called in Danish, has been the country's naval ensign since the sixteenth century. The version in use in between the turn of the century and 1940 was identical to Denmark's contemporary naval ensign. The jack was identical to the ensign but half the size. Naval auxiliary vessels manned by civilians flew as an ensign a Splittflag with the badge of the Ministry of the Navy in the canton. The commissioning pennant for naval vessels followed the design of the ensign. The Minister of the Navy had a distinctive flag for use at sea: the Splittflag with the badge of the ministry on a white panel at the intersection of the cross. Naval rank flags and pennants were also based on the Splittflag with white, six-pointed stars denoting flag ranks. Danish ensigns and other flags for use at sea used a darker shade of red than that used for flags on land. Most of these flags remain in use today despite the creation of a unified Defense Ministry and changes in the naval rank structure after World War II. Image Added October 2021 War Ensign, Eighteenth Century