Publisher: Chatham Publishing
Publication Date: 2007
Halifax, Nova Scotia was the last port of call for the Tall Ships Challenge 2000 before the fleet set sail for Amsterdam. The sight of all the flags on the masts of the largest fleet ever in Halifax, dressed overall, inspired Vicki de Kleer to try to sort them out. She had long been interested in flags and had searched through texts listing them alphabetically, geographically or politically. Her own idea was to group them graphically, identifying them by their visual patterns. The resulting slim volume starts with a quick (very quick) history of flags. Vexillology (the study of flags) is, we are told, derived from ‘vexilloids’ (solid emblems, perhaps carved, such as eagles or lions), but without reference to the Latin vexillum (a military standard or flag). The author’s organising principles are then explained: design, colour, shape and complexity. Drawings of basic flag designs are followed by pages of clear colour illustrations of particular flags, grouped for ease of identification. There are short sections on the use of flags aboard ships (in which the described usage of courtesy flags and the Q flag reflects what is presumably trans-Atlantic practice rather than what we are more familiar with here), the International Code of Signals, the author’s suggestions for the significance of the colours used, a brief glossary and a bibliography.
This, as the title indicates, is a visual guide. It could be useful if speedy identification is needed. When? Perhaps when a boat is coming alongside wearing an unfamiliar ensign… Whose is it? You’ve got five seconds to find out before taking their lines. This book could tell you. - CC