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Army rank flags (Australia)

Last modified: 2010-02-12 by jonathan dixon
Keywords: australia | stars: southern cross | southern cross | crown | lion | sun: rising | swords: crossed |
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Chief of Army Flag

[Chief of Army flag] image by Miles Li, 7 Oct 2005

Here is the current version of the Australia's Chief of Army Flag. It replaces the old Chief of General Staff flag featuring the British lion-and-crown crest (see below). Note the badge on the new flag - the Army "rising sun" and the crossed swords - is the badge of the Chief of Army.
Miles Li, 7 October 2005

According to Malcolm Farrow's Colours of the Fleet [frr9X],

“Chief of the General Staff (Australia). Authorised 1/10/1992.
In 1992 the defacing badge of CGS(Australia) was changed from the traditional British Army crown and lion device in favour of the Australian Army General Service badge.”
David Prothero, 1 October 2005

The RAAF Manual of Ceremonial, AAP 5135.002, which is downloadable at this Air Cadet Corps site, states that this flag is a car flag only.
Joe McMillan, 22 November 2003

I believe it is also flown in front of the Department of Defence in Canberra.
Miles Li, 22 November 2003

The Chief of Army flag comes in two sizes: 90cm by 180cm and 15cm by 23cm as a car flag.
(Source: Australian Army Ceremonial Manual, Volume 1, Annex E to Chapter 22, available as a PDF file.)
Miles Li, 6 November 2007

Former Chief of General Staff Flag

[Former Chief of General Staff flag] image by Miles Li, crest by Martin Grieve, 21 Feb 2005

The Chief of Army (formerly Chief of General Staff) flag is the Australian National Flag with the Royal Crest (crowned lion standing on crown) in full colours at the centre of the lower half of the flag.
Miles Li, 27 February 2002

The illustration above was drawn according to Flags of All Nations [hms58], which specified it as a car flag, 6 inches by 9 inches in size. However a full-sized version in proportions of 1:2 was also known to have existed. Also, the crest in this illustration has the "King's Crown", therefore it depicts the way the flag appeared before 1952.
Miles Li, 10 November 2007


Command Pennants

The following flags are all Army car flags, 15cm by 23cm in size, known as command "pennants" in official Army parlance, even if they rectangular. Before the days of metrication, they followed the traditional British size of 6 inches by 9 inches.

The source for the entire is the Australian Army Ceremonial Manual, Volume 1, Annex E to Chapter 22, available as a PDF file.
Miles Li, 6-8 November 2007

Deputy Chief of Army

[Deputy Chief of Army command pennant] image by Miles Li, 6 Nov 2007

Command pennant of Deputy Chief of Army, a Major General (2 stars).
Miles Li, 6 November 2007

Commander Land Command

[Commander Land Command command pennant] image by Miles Li, 6 Nov 2007

Command pennant of Commander Land Command, a Major General (2 stars).
Miles Li, 6 November 2007

Special Operations Commander

[Special Operations Commander command pennant] image by Miles Li, 6 Nov 2007

Command pennant of Special Operations Commander, a Major General (2 stars).
Miles Li, 6 November 2007

Support Commander - Army

[Support Commander - Army command pennant] image by Miles Li, 6 Nov 2007

Command pennant of Support Commander - Army, a Major General (2 stars).
Miles Li, 6 November 2007

Commander Training Command - Australia

[Commander Training Command - Australia command pennant] image by Miles Li, 7 Nov 2007

The command "pennant" of another Major General (2-star) of the Australian Army, namely that of Commander Training Command - Australia. It has the Army's Rising Sun badge in black (or rather the silhouette of it!) on a green-gold-green horizontal tricolour.
Miles Li, 7 November 2007

General Officer Commanding an Army

[General Officer Commanding an Army command pennant] image by Miles Li, 8 Nov 2007

The command "pennant" of a General Officer Commanding an Army (no specified rank in Australia) is a straightforward copy of its British counterpart, except for proportions. It is not defaced by any formation badge or number in current official specifications.
Miles Li, 8 November 2007

General Officer Commanding a Corps

[General Officer Commanding a Corps command pennant] image by Miles Li, 8 Nov 2007

The command "pennant" of a General Officer Commanding a Corps (no specified rank in Australia) is a straightforward copy of its British counterpart, except for proportions. It is not defaced by any formation badge or number in current official specifications.
Miles Li, 8 November 2007

General Officer Commanding a Division

[General Officer Commanding a Division command pennant without formation numbers] image by Miles Li, 8 Nov 2007

The command "pennant" of a General Officer Commanding a Division (a Major General - 2 stars) is a straightforward copy of its British counterpart, except for proportions. It is defaced with formation numbers in white.
Miles Li, 8 November 2007

Brigade/Task Force Commander

[Brigade/Task Force Commander command pennant without formation numbers] image by Miles Li, 8 Nov 2007

The command "pennant" of a Brigade/Task Force Commander (a Brigadier - 1 star, or a Colonel) is a straightforward copy of its British counterpart, except for proportions. It is defaced with formation numbers in white.
Miles Li, 8 November 2007

Commandant Royal Military College Duntroon

[Commandant Royal Military College Duntroon command pennant] image by Miles Li, 8 Nov 2007

Command "pennant" of the Commandant Royal Military College Duntroon (currently a Brigadier - 1 star).
Miles Li, 8 November 2007

Commander of a Military Region

[Commander of a Military Region command pennant without emblem] image by Miles Li, 10 Nov 2007

Command "pennant" of a Commander of a Military Region, a command helf by a Brigadier (1 star) or a Colonel. It is defaced with the military region's emblem.
Miles Li, 10 November 2007

Army Area Representative

[Army Area Representative command pennant] image by Miles Li, 10 Nov 2007

Command "pennant" of an Army Area Representative, a command helf by a Brigadier (1 star) or a Colonel.
Miles Li, 10 November 2007

Commander of a Communications Zone

[Commander of a Communications Zone command pennant] image by Miles Li, 10 Nov 2007

Command "pennant" of a Commander of a Communications Zone, a command helf by a Brigadier (1 star) or a Colonel.
Miles Li, 10 November 2007

Commander of a Training Group or an Army School

[Commander of a Training Group or an Army School command pennant] image by Miles Li, 10 Nov 2007

Command "pennant" of a Commander of a Training Group or an Army School, a command held by a Brigadier (1 star) or a Colonel.
Miles Li, 10 November 2007

Australian Army Attache/Advisor

[Australian Army Attache/Advisor command pennant] image by Miles Li, 10 Nov 2007

Command "pennant" of an Australian Army Attache/Advisor, a command helf by a Brigadier (1 star) or a Colonel.
Miles Li, 10 November 2007

Commander Logistic Support Force

There is also the command "pennant" for the COmmander Logistic Support Force, officially described as "red triangle over a green triangle". Whether this means a red-over-green bicolour triangular flag, or a red triangular flag above a green triangular flag, or a green triangular flag defaced with a red triangle, is not quite clear!
Miles Li, 10 November 2007