Union Flag (Admiralty Broad Arrow / Crow’s Foot, WWII)

ID: FG-051

• Object: Union Flag (“Union Jack”), multipiece wool bunting
• Measured size: 84 × 174 cm (hoist × fly)
• Hoist marking: “3 × 6” (stencil), pencil “25”, Admiralty broad arrow (crow’s foot)
• Likely date: Late 1930s–1940s
• Provenance: Private collection (Denmark)

Flag facts

• Size & proportions: Marked 3 × 6 ft; measured 84 × 174 cm. Dimensions align with expected shrinkage of wartime wool bunting; overall geometry remains close to the 1:2 Union Flag proportion.
• Material: Thick naval-grade wool bunting with visible horizontal weaving lines; matte, no synthetic sheen.
• Construction: Multipiece assembly; straight lockstitch (no zig-zag); cotton thread likely; correct counter-changed St Patrick.
• Heading / hoist: Heavy cotton canvas header with internal hemp rope and turned-wood toggle; double-stitched; stencilled “3×6”; pencil “25”; broad arrow Crown property mark.
• Condition: Numerous small moth losses (esp. blue fields); honest handling wear; no modern repairs observed.

Technical observations

Sewing density and seam alignment are consistent with Royal Navy loft manufacture. The header canvas corresponds to government “duck” grades used pre-1950. The rope is natural hemp with tar finish; toggle is lathe-turned hardwood with uniform patina. The pencilled “25” is typical for inspection or batch notation applied prior to stencilling.

Historical context — The Union Flag (“Union Jack”)

The Union Flag, commonly known as the Union Jack, represents the political and maritime union of England, Scotland, and Ireland under one sovereign. Its present form was officially adopted in 1801 following the inclusion of St Patrick’s red saltire for Ireland. The design combines:

• the red cross of St George (England)
• the white saltire of St Andrew (Scotland)
• the red saltire of St Patrick (Ireland)

Within the Royal Navy, the Union Flag served both as a national symbol and as the Union Jack when flown at the bow of warships in harbour. During the Second World War, Admiralty-issued Union Flags were produced in multiple sizes for jacks, shore establishments, and official buildings.

Manufacture was standardised under Admiralty contracts, typically using heavy wool bunting and marked with the broad arrow to denote Crown property. These flags were functional tools of identification rather than decorative items, replaced when worn through use at sea.

Placement & usage

A 3×6 ft Union Flag served as a general-purpose size across Royal Navy practice — suitable as a jack at the bow in harbour and for shore establishments. The robust bunting and rope/toggle fittings indicate repeated outdoor service rather than decorative use.

Admiralty broad arrow (crow’s foot) mark

The broad arrow — also called the crow’s foot — denotes British Government (Crown) property. Introduced under the Board of Ordnance by the 17th century and protected under the Public Stores Act 1875, it was stencilled on naval stores including flags, canvas, tools, and fittings. On FG-051 its presence confirms official Admiralty or government issue rather than private purchase.

Terminology & search variants: “Admiralty broad arrow”, “broad-arrow mark”, “crow’s foot mark”, “Crown property mark”, “War Department /|\ mark”.

Maker

No maker’s stamp is visible in the current images. The construction quality and fittings are consistent with Admiralty-contract suppliers of the WWII period.

Detail images

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Sources & References

• Public Stores Act 1875 — legal protection of the broad-arrow mark.
• Historic British Government property marking conventions (broad arrow / crow’s-foot) in naval stores, early 20th c.
• Comparative observations across RN WWII-era bunting, toggles and rope fittings (internal FlagGeek corpus).