![[Royal Fleet Auxiliary Service]](../images/g/gb-rfase.gif)
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by Tom Gregg
Last modified: 2009-05-18 by rob raeside
Keywords: blue ensign | royal fleet auxiliary service | royal maritime auxiliary service | rmas | rnxs |
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by Tom Gregg
The Royal Navy's logistical support is provided, not by commissioned
naval vessels, but by the civilian-manned ships of the Royal Fleet
Auxiliary Service - tankers, underway replenishment ships, and the
like. For this reason they do not fly the White Ensign, and the names
of these ships are preceded by "RFA" instead of "HMS".
Tom Gregg, 8 February 1997
H. Gresham Carr mentions the Royal Naval Minewatching Service (RNMWS), and the Royal Naval Auxiliary Service (RNXS) not at all. Carr seems to imply that the RNMWS was still active in 1961 when he was writing, and that it received its ensign in 1954 - the date you state for its replacement by the RNXS. Make of this what you will! Anyway, Carr describes the RNMWS ensign as being a Blue Ensign bearing the following badge:
The badge is blue, of a somewhat lighter shade [than the blue of the Blue Ensign], charged with a white representation of a mine on the upper of two wavy bands, in white, encircled by a length of cable which is surmounted by a naval crown in gold. On a panel, also in gold, beneath the last mentioned, are the letters 'RNMWS' in black.
There was also a RNMWS senior officer's burgee - dark blue rectangular
flag with a swallow-tail cut out and the RNMWS badge towards the hoist.
I might mention that a "naval crown" is a crown made up of alternate
sails and sterns of typical 18th / early 19th century warships, and is
much used in the Royal Navy and associated services in badges. The
RAF has a similar construction: an "astral crown" made up of alternate
eagles' wings and stars.
Roy Stilling, 11 February 1997
The Blue Ensign with horizontal yellow anchor is the government ensign
used by departments not authorized a distinctive badge, i.e. it is the
'default' government ensign. With two yellow waves added under the anchor,
it is the ensign of the Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service. With a vertical
yellow anchor it is the ensign of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Service.
Tom Gregg, 25 August 1997
I am unaware of any official statistics for the RFA Ensign (although such may
well exist is some Government file), however, the current Edition of
BR20 published by the Ministry of Defence shows
a flag with an anchor 5/9 of flag width high by slightly over 4/9 across -
centred in the fly half. The actual spec on a flag of 90 x 180 units would be
45-45 for the hoist, 90-26-38-26 for the length and 20-50-20 for the fly. The
anchor is shown as yellow (with a small amount of fine black detailing) and is
lightly shaded in gold. The official recommendation for the yellow is Pantone
Yellow C.
Christopher Southworth, 20 April 2005
![[Royal Fleet Auxiliary Service]](../images/g/gb~rfasb.gif)
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by Jim Woodward
On a BBC tv programme called 'Coast' they showed a visit to the River Clyde
in the West of Scotland where some shipbuilding still survives. The launch was
shown of the new Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessel, 'Cardigan Bay'. I noticed two
vexillological points of interest.
(1) The ship was launched flying at the stern not the RFA flag, but what is
described above as "the 'default' government ensign" - a blue ensign with a
horizontal anchor. I can understand that at this
stage she wasn't commissioned,
so perhaps she didn't qualify to fly the RFA ensign - but she was
flying the Union Jack at the bow! A subtle bit of flag use, or just
ignorance of the niceties?
(2) When the vessel was actually launched, a small boat in the river was flying
a red flag with the word 'LAUNCH' on it (presumably to warn other river users
that several thousand tons of metal were about to hit the river in a
semi-controlled way!).
André Coutanche, 14 August 2005
I cannot think of any 20th century ensigns that had a foul anchor. A foul
anchor is used on badges, seals and some flags, but, as far as I know, only
those that are not ensigns. During WWII Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels were owned
by the Admiralty and manned by civilian seamen, but their Blue Ensign had a
horizontal plain anchor.
David Prothero, 12 February 2007
![[Royal Fleet Auxiliary Queen's Colours]](../images/g/gb_rfaqc.png)
image by Martin Grieve, 21 December 2008
[Click on image for larger version.]
David Prothero observes:
"On 18 July 2008 the Royal Fleet Auxiliary
Service was presented with a Queen's Colour by HRH The Earl of Wessex, on RFA 'Largs
Bay' at Portsmouth. The Colour, designed by Graham Bartram, is the first awarded
to a civilian organization."
Martin Grieve, 21 December 2008
![[Royal Fleet Auxiliary Service]](../images/g/gb~rmas.gif)
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by Jim Woodward
1864. When Squadron Colours were abolished a Blue Ensign defaced with a
horizontal yellow anchor became the ensign of Admiralty owned naval auxiliaries.
It was known as the Transport Ensign, because its anchor had been the seal of
the 1694 Transport Office, but later became generally known as the Admiralty
Ensign.
1905. An Admiralty circular of 3 August directed that auxiliary
vessels manned by mercantile crews and owned by the Admiralty should be known as
Royal Fleet Auxiliaries (RFA). This was an internal matter and the term did not
appear in the Navy List until 1913.
1922. The captains of some RFAs chose
to fly the Red Ensign instead of the Admiralty Ensign. An Admiralty Fleet Order
was issued stating that all Admiralty-owned RFA tankers, including those under
commercial management, were to wear the Admiralty Blue Ensign except when on
charter to commercial concerns when the Red Ensign should be worn.
1968.
HM Queen Elizabeth II approved a separate ensign for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary
Service; a Blue Ensign defaced with a vertical yellow anchor. It was introduced
from 16 June 1969.
1969. Captain Cartwright RN, Director of Marine
Services, designed another ensign in which two wavy yellow lines were placed
below the horizontal anchor of the Admiralty Ensign. This was introduced from 29
May 1970, but which vessels were meant to wear it is not clear. It came to be
called the Royal Maritime Auxiliary Ensign, but that organisation was not
created for another five years.
1974. Various independent units that
provided harbour services were amalgamated to form the Royal Maritime Auxiliary
Service (RMAS). The ensign with two wavy lines below the anchor was now
specifically the RMAS Ensign, while the old Admiralty Ensign was re-named the
Government Service Ensign, and became the ensign of Ministry of Defence (Navy)
owned vessels that were not part of the RFAS or RMAS. The following year ocean
tugs, Ministry of Defence cable ships and some trials vessels were incorporated
into the RMAS.
1996. In August most RMAS vessels were transferred to
Serco Denholm Ltd, who operated them on a bare-boat charter under a government
owned/commercially operated contract. They wore the Government Service Blue
Ensign (horizontal yellow anchor, no waves). A few vessels remained in the RMAS.
2008. Serco Denholm Marine Services were awarded a fifteen year contract to
manage all Royal Navy marine services, and on 1 April the Royal Maritime
Auxiliary Service was formally disbanded in a ceremony at Portsmouth when the
ensign on the salvage vessel "Moorhen" was hauled down.
Note. The Royal
Maritime Auxiliary Service should not be confused with the Royal Naval Auxiliary
Service, which was a separate organisation. See "United
Kingdom: Naval Auxiliary Ensign".
David Prothero
Although it operates only a couple of ships now - the rest are under civilian contract - the RMAS had a long and strong history of operating non-combatants, mostly tugs and tenders.
Jim Woodward, 1 May 2003
