S2C Forum Archives
Main Section => Workshop Wisdom => 602's Musings => Topic started by: w3526602 on September 08, 2022, 09:39:40 AM
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Hi,
I moved from Wales, several years ago, and now live in Milton Keynes (East Midlands). Is it time to review my flag?
I spent 9 years in the RAF, probably longer than I have spent anywhere else during my adult life. While in the RAF, I served at RAF Sharjah (I think the crest involved a khukri (oriental, curved knife), and 33sqn RAF, but on an RAAF fighter base, two hoots and a holler from Vietnam (The Ossies were fighting in 'Nam ... our new Ozzie CO never arrived, believed shot down). 33sqn (Bloodhound SAMs) crest was a deer's head, as the squadron originally flew Hawker Hart biplanes. Nothing meaningful there.
I did my RAF Trade Training, then posted, in situ, to Permanent Staff, at No.8 School of Tech Training, RAF Weeton .... which does have a meaningful crest .... two gear wheels in mesh.
Pretty please? Alternatively, how about the RAF Ensign (similar to the Red Ensign ... which is Merchant Navy ... but RAF blue)?
602
OT. The Royal Navy fly the White Ensign. I think the navy blue ensign is claimed by some posh Boat Squadron. Anybody know?
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The 1st point is that the flags and badges that appear under your name are in my gift.
They help us see where a forum poster is from, particularly if the person is overseas and we can't tell them to pop into Halfords for some wiper blades remembering that they drive on the wrong side of the road (mostly) and pub meetings are non-existent.
Or they are at my whimsy :stars
I tend to give S2C members, overseas users, and prolific forum posters a badge.
I live in Norfolk, but I was born in Derbyshire, hence my badge (although Norfolk & Derbyshire colours are the same).
(http://www.series2club.co.uk/new_forum/Smileys/flags/derby.gif)
(http://www.series2club.co.uk/new_forum/Smileys/flags/norfolk.gif)
I thought 602's origins are Welsh.
(http://www.series2club.co.uk/new_forum/Smileys/flags/wales.gif)
If you don't like the Welsh flag I can offer some choices ....
This one would be cruel ... but on topic.
(http://www.series2club.co.uk/new_forum/Smileys/flags/blue_badge.gif)
Milton Keyes is a recently contrived city and has no ceremonial history -
I found this:-(http://www.series2club.co.uk/new_forum/Smileys/flags/milton_keynes.gif)
better than concrete cows.
The Buckinghamshire coat of arms needs some work, not very inspiring, looks like a hanging sheep.
(http://www.series2club.co.uk/new_forum/Smileys/flags/buckinghamshire.gif)
For RAF connections I can offer:-
(http://www.series2club.co.uk/new_forum/Smileys/flags/RAF_flag.gif)
or
(http://www.series2club.co.uk/new_forum/Smileys/flags/RAF_roundal.gif)
or maybe you have more suggestions ???
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The Royal Navy use the white ensign. For the others I think the following is true, but please double check!
The blue ensign is usually used by certain yacht clubs that have RN reserve officers present, although most Thames based clubs use it. The red ensign (red duster) is merchant navy and can be used on any UK registered vessel. My sons yacht is on the small ships register so can fly it.
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Hi Ferret,
I knew it was somebody posh who could fly the blue ensign. (That's navy blue, not RAF blue)
Does RAF Blue have a proper name? The RAF also use Traffic Blue for their equipment, such as jacks, axle stands etc.
Our missile handling Fork trucks, and fleet of knackered Land Rovers, at RAAF Butterworth were painted Ollive Drab, but the Bedford RL, and the CO's Standard Vanguard were the normal RAF blue ... as was the brand new Mini that arrived just before I returned to UK.
The RAF Regiment were issued with green towels and underpants ... just thought you'd like to know that.
602
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It's all explained on this Wikipedia page... :wiki
RAF Blue (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Force_blue)
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At the end of the day Milton Keynes is in Buckinghamshire. I quite like our “muddy duck” - well it’s a swan really! I’ve flown the bucks flag at the last few club rallies.
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You don’t have to be very posh to fly a blue ensign. Even I have a warrant for one.
These days it tends to be yacht clubs that the crown has seen fit to issue a permission to the clubs members. Usually as recognition to services performed by members during various wars.
The history is a bit more convoluted but put simply, naval and naval reserve officers and Royal Mail ships.
The red ensign is for everyone.
The white is for the Royal Navy and the royal yacht squadron who I believe earned the right due to the number of vessels they were ab;et to lend the Government during the Crimean war.
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It's relevant to the sad death of the queen to note that flags at half-mast are correctly lowered by an amount equal to the height of the flag - ie there is space above the flag of one flag-height only.
It is a common mistake that people often think "half-mast" means half way down the mast.
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One third down, at least the depth of the flag.
GOV.UK
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.....and let's hope the union flag is flown the right way up.
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I think we can rely on Buckingham Palace to get it right - correct way up, correct distance short of the top.
Also, flags are lowered at sunset and raised again the next morning, not left up permanently to get tatty and forgotten.
I remember watching my father in 1953 making a flagpole for coronation day. The truck was made from a large tin of Four Square Yellow tobacco nailed on top of the pole, all painted white.
Then we watched the coronation on his home-made TV, constructed from ex-RAF war surplus parts, housed in an immense wooden cabinet, with a 5" screen that came from some kind of radar display. The entire village squashed into our sitting room to watch.
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with a 5" screen that came from some kind of radar display.
Hi Clifford,
I assume that screen was "cathode ray", which I understand had a black line zig-zaging across the screen several hundred times per second, getting thicker to turn the screen dark, or thinner to turn the screen white.
602
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I think the new flag is right on target ;-)
It's all explained on this Wikipedia page... :wiki
RAF Blue (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Force_blue)
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Hi Alan.
RAF BLUE?
Of course they are ... I looked at them often enough during my 9 years.
It's the 55 years that followed that has screwed my mind.
602
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with a 5" screen that came from some kind of radar display.
Hi Clifford,
I assume that screen was "cathode ray", which I understand had a black line zig-zaging across the screen several hundred times per second, getting thicker to turn the screen dark, or thinner to turn the screen white.
602
Yes, definitely cathode ray. It was green and white, rather than black and white, but no matter, it worked!
It was perfect for cricket matches - those are the only two colours!
It was tuned in for Scottish TV, and never really worked so well after we moved south and everything had to be rewound. It had very large and deadly capacitors - I remember my father carelessly discharging them with a screwdriver before touching, with a large bang.
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My father built a projection television for the coronation so that the whole of his village could watch on a large screen in the village hall. He is now in his nineties ( he also served with the RAF in the Far East ) and one of his current projects is building an electron microscope - he also restores old clocks and military radios.