Defaced Blue Ensign

 

Defaced Blue Ensign

‘Ensign’ has a couple of meanings. In the British army it used to be the lowest ranked commissioned officer, now known as a second lieutenant. In the US navy an ensign is the lowest commissioned officer.

The ensign referred to here is a flag.

In the 17^th century, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, the English fleet was organised in three squadrons for more efficient deployment. In order of precedence, they were plain unadorned flags ranked red, blue, and white.

In the mid-nineteenth century, the Royal Navy standardised its flags. The White Ensign was assigned to RN warships, the Red Ensign was reserved for merchant ships, and the Blue Ensign was allocated to ships commanded by Royal Naval Reserve officers. This change meant that the Blue Ensign became a symbol of official service.

The Blue Ensign is deep blue with the Union Flag in the top left corner. It can be flown by British government ships, merchant ships under the command of RN Reserve officers, and some privileged yacht clubs, like the Royal Yacht Squadron.

When an ensign is defaced, it is not vandalised or despoiled. It simply has been modified with an emblem added to it to signify which organisation is using it. Below are some examples of defaced Blue Ensigns.

Defaced Blue Ensign of Wales

Defaced Blue Ensign of Metropolitan Police

Defaced Blue Ensign of Bermuda

Whistling

Whistle while you work?

Boatswain's call

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Is whistling unlucky? Superstitions abound. In Russia, whistling indoors is believed to ‘whistle money away’ and, as people don’t willingly wish poverty on themselves, they don’t do it, although they’re free to whistle out of doors. It’s also considered unlucky in Romania and Lithuania for the same reason. I shall have to check with Liviu, my Romanian grandson-in-law!

Chinese and Korean people will not whistle at night because wandering spirits will follow the whistler home. That would create a problem – how does one entertain ghostly house guests? Not having any substance, they could not accept food or drink. Maybe some would be helpful and amusing, though again, having no substance, they would be no good at ‘doing things’.

Women should never whistle, not because it’s considered ill-mannered or unladylike but because it is unlucky. The legend giving rise to this says that as the crucifixion nails were being forged a woman standing by was whistling. That is strange because all sorts of things would have been happening at the same time – wearing clothes and breathing, for example. Are they considered unlucky, too?

There was one place where whistling was not encouraged and that was on a Royal Navy ship. There were several reasons for this. One ill-founded belief was that whistling challenged the wind which would be angered and create a terrible storm.

Whistling on board was forbidden on board HM ships following the Nore Mutiny of 1797, when whistling was used as a way of communicating between the mutineers.

The much more pragmatic reason for continuing the ban is that it interferes with the piping of orders. Sailors need to hear the different signals to tell them where to go and what to do. The boatswain’s (bosun’s) call (whistle) is still used to pipe various orders, such as ‘All hands on deck’ or ‘Away Boats’ as well as welcoming distinguished visitors aboard. It has a high piercing pitch that can be heard above other noises. It has various tones, from a single note to a rising and falling note, sometimes embellished with a warble or trill, depending on the order.

ABC Wednesday – C is for Cunningham

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Andrew Browne Cunningham was born in 1883 and grew up to join the Royal Navy where he was known affectionately as ‘ABC’. He cut his teeth as a Midshipman during the Boer War and in the First World War commanded the destroyer HMS Scorpion. During this time he was decorated with the DSO and two bars.

Image courtesy of the Imperial War Museum

He became the most famous British admiral during the Second World War, assuming the post of Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet in 1939. His flagship was HMS Warspite.

As C-in-C, ABC’s main concerns were for the safety of Malta and of convoys heading to Egypt.  In 1940 and 1941 he was victorious at Calabria, Taranto and Cape Matapan and gave invaluable support, without air cover, in the face of relentless bombardment from the Luftwaffe, to the evacuation of thousands of troops from Greece and Crete in April and May, 1941. The fleet suffered severe losses – three cruisers and six destroyers were sunk and fifteen more warships were damaged – but heeded his command that the ‘Navy must not let the army down.’ (His younger brother, incidentally, was General Sir Alan Cunningham)

He served under and was highly regarded by General Dwight D Eishenhower, who appointed him Supreme Commander, Allied Expeditionary Force. In his diary Eisenhower wrote:

"Admiral Sir Andrew Browne Cunningham. He remains in my opinion at the top of my subordinates in absolute selflessness, energy, devotion to duty, knowledge of his task, and in understanding of the requirements of allied operations. My opinions as to his superior qualifications have never wavered for a second."

As Supreme Commander Cunningham commanded the large fleet that covered Operation Torch (the Anglo-American landings in North Africa)

In 1943 he became the First Sea Lord, a post he filled until his retirement three years later. In this position he was responsible for the overall strategy of the navy for the rest of the war. In 1945 he was raised to the peerage, taking the title Baron Cunningham of Hyndhope and one year later became Viscount Cunningham.

In his retirement he attended the House of Lords, twice served as Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, and participated in the coronation of Elizabeth II as Lord High Steward.

He died suddenly after a meeting at the Admiralty in June 1963 and was given a naval burial off Nab Tower, Portsmouth, his body being consigned to the deep from HMS Hampshire.

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

There is a bust of Cunningham in Trafalgar Square. It was unveiled by Prince Philip in 1967. 

Charming Denise Nesbitt and her Careful, Conscientious Collaborators organise this weekly Cheery Challenge. Look for more Cs here.

On the Square (Part 1)

Hong Kong 1928 - aged 24

For more than sixty of his eighty-four years of life my father was a practising Freemason. His father, who drowned when his ship went down off Sheerness in 1914, was also a Freemason. In fact, his Masonic regalia was washed ashore and returned to his widow and eventually passed on to the youngest of her three sons, my father, who was then ten years old. He in turn passed it on to his only son, my late brother, in whose care it went up in flames with the rest of his possessions in a log cabin in BC, Canada many years ago. Freemasons who have only just met me know within a very short time of conversing with me that I am a Freemason's daughter, not because I tell them but because there are certain expressions or words I use that are a key to this knowledge. I don't know what they are! I used to observe my father discovering a brother mason through apparently casual conversation but never fathomed how he did it.
My father always maintained that Freemasonry was not a secret society but rather a society with secrets; there is a subtle difference. He often stated that anyone could find out anything about Freemasonry if they carried out some research. Throughout his time in the Royal Navy, which totalled more than thirty years, he knew that, as a Master Mason, wherever he went in the world he would be welcomed as a brother at any Masonic Lodge governed by or affiliated to the United Grand Lodge of England. The language might be different but the ritual was familiar and comforting. Added to this was the fact that he was an accomplished organist and pianist and could be called upon to play at meetings if required. At a time when naval commissions could take three years, recognisable surroundings and ceremonies provided a pleasant change from shipboard life and a reminder of home in often exotic locations.
My father's eldest brother, Will, was also a Freemason and continued his participation after he emigrated to Canada. Whether Harry, their middle brother and their mother's favourite, was ever initiated was never known since he removed himself from the family and cut all contact, leaving their mother heartbroken for the remainder of her life.
It is not clear how and why Freemasonry arose as an organisation. In its ritual it makes reference to the builders of King Solomon's Temple but I have always thought that its origins lay in the formal foundation of guilds of stonemasons. I suspect I was told this indirectly by my father as I'm sure this is what he believed.
The term freemason was believed to have been coined in the fourteenth century and there are several definitions of it. One of these describes a worker in free-stone. Quarry stone used in everyday building was unevenly laid down and had either a coarse crooked grain or a grain like that of a plank of pine wood. This meant that it could not be cut or carved with any degree of accuracy as it might split along any of its grains. Stone used for carving needed to have either no grain or a very fine grain so that it could be worked without cracking or chipping and could be polished if required. This stone was called free-stone. Thus a mason working with this material would be known as a free-stone mason.
Another definition describes how local stonemasons under normal circumstances were constrained by guilds and civil law to work only in their own parishes. However, masons involved in church and cathedral work were not restricted and could move freely from parish to parish. This was at a time when an ordinary workman going into a parish other than his own would be regarded as a foreigner, even if he had travelled from a neighbouring parish. Street riots could be caused by incursions from such outsiders.
Mediaeval stonemasons traditionally served a seven-year apprenticeship. Apprentices were indentured, or under contract, to their masters in payment for their training. At the end of his contract the apprentice would be examined and then set free as a master mason to follow his trade. Accordingly a master mason was considered to be a free mason.
A city or town charter is a legal document establishing a municipality which is a clearly defined area governed by a mayor and his council. This concept was developed in Europe in mediaeval times. When a town was granted a charter it was able to govern itself and its residents became citizens, free from bondage to local landowners. Within the town or city walls there was freedom from serfdom. Outside serfdom persisted legally up to the 17^th century in England. So a mason in a chartered town would be a free citizen while a mason outside the walls would not be free. Strangers entering a municipality with the intention of living there might receive their freedom or citizenship after a residential period of one year and one day.
Free stonemasons working on ecclesiastical buildings restricted their contact to other masons, keeping themselves apart from local workmen working with them. It would appear that they did this under the authority of the church. Stonemasons were highly skilled, the élite of the workforce and held in great respect by other less accomplished artisans. The craft attracted the more ambitious candidates among otherwise poorly-educated recruits.
It is uncertain how or when or even why guilds of working or operative masons began to accept speculative, intellectual, non-operative masons. What is known is that some lodges in England were composed entirely of non-operative masons by 1646.
Where does the expression 'on the square' come from? It is understood as meaning an individual behaving honestly and straightforwardly in his dealings with his fellow man. Around 945 BC, at the time of the construction of King Solomon's Temple, the ancient Egyptians referred to truth and justice as being 'on the square.' In 500 BC Confucius spoke of 'the squareness of actions' and Aristotle in 350 BC linked 'square actions' with honest behaviour. So to be 'on the square' is understood, from ancient times, to be resolute and dependable.
(I have used many sources in my research. I have been unable to recover the links but am indebted to those whose work has provided me with a greater insight into Freemasonry. I believe I have not plagiarised anyone's work – that was not my intent – there is a large body of information 'out there' to which I have added my own small knowledge garnered from my late father according to the facts he felt able to share with me.) 

Face of the Week #13 Rickshaw man

My father travelled the world while he was in the Royal Navy. One of the treasures he brought home was a silver condiment set in the form of a rickshaw. This is the face of the man pulling the rickshaw.
Sistertex of 'Spacial Peepol' organises and hosts this meme. Thank you, Sistertex. To see more please click here - and perhaps you will be inspired to join in!

ABC Wednesday Round 6 E is for Ensign

(Ensign from the Old French 'enseigne', Latin insignia)
When we go sailing I am always interested in the flags and pennants flown by different vessels. Sometimes ships in port are dressed overall for special occasions and they always look very colourful and inviting.
'Ensign' has more than one meaning. It can be a national flag flown on ships and aircraft and often has a special insignia denoting a branch or unit of the armed forces. Sometimes it is a standard or banner representing, for example, a military unit. In times gone by it was used to describe the person carrying a standard.
Ensign is a commissioned rank in the US Navy or Coast Guard below that of lieutenant junior grade. Ensign is also a badge of office or power.
As in all things, there is a great deal of data about ensigns and the correct wearing thereof and the following is just a short overview. I am grateful to Wikipedia for much of the information and the depictions of the various ensigns.
In Great Britain the ensigns with which we are most familiar are the Blue Ensign, Red Ensign and White Ensign. They are worn plain or defaced – that is, with an emblem or badge depicting their business, interest or allegiance.

The Blue Ensign is flown by ships in public service, like Her Majesty's Coastguard, Port of London Authority, the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency, the Northern Lighthouse Board and by some long-established British yacht clubs as well as by some ships not in the RN but commanded by an officer of the Royal Naval Reserve.

The Red Ensign, also known as the 'Red Duster' identifies ships of the United Kingdom's Merchant Navy and civilian merchantmen. It is the courtesy flag that should be worn by foreign private vessels in UK waters.

The White Ensign or St George's Ensign is used by the Royal Navy, British Antarctic Territory and the Royal Yacht Squadron.

There is also a Royal Air Force ensign and a civil air ensign, both of which have a sky blue (air force blue) background. The RAF ensign is defaced with the RAF roundel.

There was also, from the 17^th century to the early 20^th century a Green Ensign which was flown by some Irish merchant vessels.

All ensigns shown here are the most modern versions.

Thank you to the ABC team for hosting this meme. To see more Es please click here.

ABC Wednesday Round 5 U is for Uniforms

U is for Uniforms . . . School uniforms

Army uniforms
Uniforms for gymnasticsUniforms at Royal Military Academy Sandhurst

More school uniforms
Uniforms for judo
Royal Navy uniform

Do you wear a uniform? Do you like uniforms?

Thank you to Denise Nesbitt for hosting this meme.

What can U see elsewhere? Click here to find out.

The art of photography - again!

This photograph of my maternal grandmother was taken around 1904 in Southsea, Hampshire. I believe she worked as a cook in a 'big house' before her marriage. After marriage women were not expected to work outside the home. I never met her for she died in hospital in great pain of stomach cancer when relatively young. The doctors told my mother that they could not increase the morphine dosage as it would kill her! In those days, the late twenties/early thirties, doctors adhered strictly and not always humanely to the Hippocratic oath. After her death my maternal grandfather, a policeman, went to live with my parents and their young daughter, my sister Beryl.
Here are my mother and her parentsin 1904. She had two older brothers and I wonder why it was not a family portrait? Perhaps they were more expensive. My mother and the younger of her brothers were very close. Indeed, when my father sailed away on a three-year commission in the Royal Navy when Beryl was three weeks old, many people assumed Charlie was my mother's husband as they were so often together with the little girl. It must have been confusing for my father's name was Charles too, though my mother always called him Charles or Char.
My mother said that her parents were strict but never unkind; it was not quite a case of being seen but not heard but they were certainly expected not to talk at meal-times.

Learn by heart . . .

At the 'Festival of Britain, 1951. I was seven years old, my brother Brian was thirteen and wearing his first long trousers with his Grammar School blazer (Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School for Boys, no less! In those days boys were not allowed to wear long trousers at the Math school until they were in the 6th form aged 17 so he was being quite daring!) Our older sister Beryl, then 22, had taken us to the Festival as a treat.The principal exhibition site, where this photograph was taken, was on the South Bank of the River Thames, near Waterloo Station. Six years after the end of the Second World War much of London was still in ruins and redevelopment was sorely needed.The Festival was intended to make Britons feel that recovery and progress were being made and to lift their spirits and also to celebrate the centenary of the Great Exhibition of 1851. It was devised by Gerald Barry and Herbert Morrison, deputy leader of the Labour Party (and Peter Mandelson's maternal grandfather) There were other exhibitions in East London, South Kensington and Glasgow's Kelvin Hall. There were also travelling exhibitions and major festivals in many other cities across the land.

The Festival of Britain emblem was designed by Abram Games. This is from the front cover of the South Bank Exhibition Guide, 1951 (image from Wikipedia)

My parents used to encourage me to 'learn by heart' when I was very small. I remember reciting a shopping list to my mother before trotting off to carry out the errands. I must have been about five years old for I had not yet started school and could not read. The list was never very long – after all, there's a limit to how much a small girl can carry. The greengrocer was at the far end of the street and I would collect potatoes and carrots there and move on to the baker's shop. It was so difficult to resist breaking off pieces of the crust to eat as I continued my journey. I was scolded for doing that though not severely. 'Home and Colonial' might be on my list of shops and the boxes of broken biscuits smelt so good. If I had to buy sugar the grocer would take his silver scoop and pour the sugar onto the scales to measure the required amount. Then the sugar would be transferred to a bag made from thick blue paper.

I wasn't expected to buy meat - indeed it may still have been on ration - but when I went into the butcher's shop with my mother I was always fascinated by the sawdust on the floor and tempted to draw patterns in it with my toe. Perhaps the sawdust masked the smell of raw meat but butcher's shops today seem to have a much stronger odour than they used to. The last place I passed before reaching the shop door was the public house next to my home. I don't remember it ever being particularly rowdy but I disliked the smell of stale beer and smoke from there. It seems incredible now – I certainly would neither expect nor allow any four-year-old for whom I had responsibility to go shopping unaccompanied. In fact my children were considerably older before they were allowed out of my sight other than to go to school but it's a faster-moving world now.

When my father left the Royal Navy he didn't want to spend the rest of his working life in Chatham Dockyard and decided his independence lay in small business and so he and my mother bought a newsagent's and confectioner's shop in the High Street of an unprepossessing town in Kent. (It was not Chatham – as the saying goes, 'Kent is the Garden of England and Chatham's the dustbin in it.') We lived in the flat above the shop. There was only one entrance and we had to walk through the shop to reach the stairs to the flat. All the shopkeepers knew each other and everyone knew me since I was a familiar sight skipping along singing. There was little traffic on the roads then and the few vehicles there were moved rather slowly and ponderously. There were many eyes to see me and keep watch over me and I was safe.

I recall the first day I went to Infant school in Rochester. My mother and I set off across the bridge and through Rochester High Street past Dale's grocery and Robey's shoe shop to turn right past Buckett's baker's shop where we sometimes used to buy delicious fresh meringues or other delicacies. It seemed a long way but was probably only two miles. Eventually we reached the school and my mother left me. I cannot recollect whether she met me after school – I think she must have done so that I could learn the return route. The next morning and every morning after that I walked alone to school and back again. It was the normal thing to do in those days when parents were obliged to remain outside and were rarely invited onto the premises.

I cannot tell whether this early training was 'good' for me but I have always been an observant person and my memory is sharp.

My parents encouraged all of us to find pleasure in books, both fact and fiction. I used to learn poetry and songs and regale various trade acquaintances of my father with them. It was quite common for me to call into one of the shops on my way home and recite or sing the latest thing I had been taught or to read from my current book. The habit of learning verse remained with me through my formative years and I can still 'proclaim' some Shakespearean speeches but there are two little poems that have stuck in my mind. One I learnt from my sister's book of poetry at home; the second was taught me by my mother and I subsequently taught it to my children and some of the children in some of my classes.
The first is incomplete and I have never been able to trace it. I guess it's rather banal but it appealed to me as a little girl.
'A little grey mouse, so plump and sleek,
Crept out from I know not where,
And betwixt the rails of the iron road
Sat nibbling its dainty fare.

A paper of crumbs most happily found
And by somebody cast aside,
Did now for the tiny bright-eyed thing
A heaven-sent meal provide.'

I don't know any more of this so I can't tell if the 'little grey mouse' came to a sticky end or not – probably not, I think! I puzzled for a long time over 'the rails of the iron road' and imagined a tarmac road with railings to the sides.

The second verse is about manners:
'There's a magic little word
That works wonders when it's heard
Though it sometimes seems to lose itself with ease,
But there's such a charm about it

That we cannot do without it
And that magic little word
Is simply – Please.'

Arctic Convoy Second World War

During the Second World War my father sailed on a Royal Naval warship escorting Arctic Convoys. Merchant ships sailed from UK and USA to the northern Soviet ports of Arkhangelsk and Murmansk to deliver vital supplies under the Lend-Lease programme and were escorted by warships for protection.
The route around occupied Norway was particularly dangerous. There were plentiful German forces in the air and on and under the sea. Severe weather was common - they were frequently sailing in fog through drift ice. There were strong currents to contend with and the mixing of cold and warm waters made the use of sonar equipment awkward. Sailing at night in constant darkness meant that navigation was difficult and convoy cohesion hard to maintain. Daylight brought the ever-present threat of attack from air and sea.
Bitter cold - enough to remove flesh from unprotected hands