KINGDOM OF DENMARK

CURRENT NAVAL & MILITARY FLAGS

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, is used as the naval ensign and jack; naval auxiliary vessels fly the ensign with the badge of the Ministry of Defense, a crowned anchor, in the canton. The Minister of Defense and the Chief of the Defense Staff each have a distinctive flag for use at sea. Naval rank flags are based on the ensign with white, six-pointed stars denoting rank. The number of stars displayed for each rank was altered after World War II to conform with US-NATO practice. The command flags of the Danish Army are simple designs in the national colors. The Army as a whole uses the Danish state flag as its war flag: the plain Splittflag. Danish ensigns and other flags for use at sea feature a darker shade of red than that used for flags on land. Image Added January 2016 War Flag