#Green yellow red flag submarine update

A submarine was entitled to fly the flag when returning from a successful patrol: it would be hoisted as the submarine passed the boom net, lowered at sunset, and could not be flown again until another successful patrol had occurred.

#Green yellow red flag submarine update

Once handed over, it became the responsibility of the boat's personnel to maintain the flag and update it with new symbols indicating the submarine's achievements. After this, the commanders of submarine flotillas began to issue the flags to submarines following the boat's first successful patrol. The flotilla leader wanted to recognise the boat's achievement, which had involved penetrating deep into the heavily guarded Adriatic, so had a Jolly Roger made and delivered to Osiris. In October 1941, following a successful patrol by HMS Osiris, during which she sank the Italian destroyer Palestro the submarine returned to Alexandria, but was ordered to remain outside the boom net until the motorboat assigned to the leader of the 1st Submarine Flotilla had come alongside and delivered a 'special recognition signal'. The practice restarted and became more widespread in World War 2. The Admiralty disapproved of the practice, but was unable to stop it. The practice of flying the Jolly Roger was adopted by a small number of other submarines: HMS E12 flew a red flag with the skull and crossbones on return from a foray into the Dardanelles in June 1915,and the first known photograph of the practice was taken in July 1916 aboard HMS H5. Initially, Horton's submarine HMS E9 flew an additional flag after each successful patrol, but when there was no room for more, the practice was changed to a single large flag, onto which symbols indicating the submarine's achievements were sewn. Part Two - Progressive Development of Design and Equipmentįollowing the introduction of submarines in several navies, Admiral Sir Arthur Wilson, the First Sea Lord of the British Royal Navy, stated in 1901 that submarines were underhanded, unfair, and damned un-EnglishĪnd that he would convince the British Admiralty to have the crews of enemy submarines captured during wartime be hanged as pirates.ĭuring World War 1, remembering comments by First Sea Lord, Lieutenant Commander Max Horton began flying the flag after returning from successful patrols.Lieutenant Commander Martin Eric Nasmith.

Lieutenant Commander Geoffrey Saxon White.

Lieutenant Commander Malcolm David Wanklyn.

Lieutenant Peter Scawen Watkinson Roberts.Lieutenant Commander Anthony Cecil Chapel Miers.Lieutenant Ian Edward Fraser, Royal Naval Reserve.Temporary Acting Leading Seaman James Joseph Magennis.RN Subs In Association with the Barrow Submariners Association