Volume 48, No. 17, Sepetember 21, 2006
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AN ENSIGN is an official flag or banner, normally used by a country or a country’s services. The RAAF Ensign is flown in place of the Australian National Flag (ANF) at its various establishments in Australia and overseas, and is used by CAF as his official banner on ceremonial occasions.
The RAAF was formed on March 31, 1921 and the new arm of the fighting services needed its own distinctive ensign. Initially it adopted the Royal Air Force (RAF) ensign. Consequently, it also became the RAAF’s ensign as the new force came into being.
In 1948, there was concern that the continued use of the same ensign would create confusion between the two air forces and a design, based on the ANF, was created.
The new ensign retained the light blue of the British ensign and the Commonwealth Star and Southern Cross of the ANF, but incorporated the roundel, reduced in size. The Southern Cross stars were rotated 20 degrees clockwise to fit the roundel.
In 1956, the red kangaroo replaced the red circle in the Australian roundel, but the standard roundel was retained. However, the Vietnam War created some confusion as the UK was not involved, so the use of the existing roundel became inappropriate. As a result, on May 6, 1982, the present RAAF ensign entered service.
Got a question about the Air Force you’d like us to answer? Email raafnews@defencenews.gov.au
Information sourced from the Australian War Memorial and Department of Administrative Services.”
