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Naval Rank Flags, Denmark

Admiralty Rank Flags (19th Century-1980's)
Admiralty Flags as reported in Flaggenbuch (1939)
Admiralty Flags as reported by Pedersen (1979)

Admiralty Rank Flags (19th Century - 1980's)

The admiralty rank flags have been described differently by National Geographic (1917) and Flaggenbuch (1939). Flaggenbuch shows one star less on each flag than National Geographic. Album des Pavillons (2000) again adds the extra star. I am sure that changes in the military structure caused the changes, or possibly a matter of translation? There appear to have been several changes in the 20th century.
Željko Heimer, 29 May 2004

Admiral

56:107 by Željko Heimer

State split flag with white six-pointed stars. Flaggenbuch (1939) shows two in first quarter and two in third; National Geographic (1917) shows two and one.
Željko Heimer, 12 June 2001

Vice Admiral

56:107 by Željko Heimer

State split flag with white six-pointed stars. Flaggenbuch (1939) shows two in first quarter and one in third; National Geographic (1917) shows one and one.
Željko Heimer, 12 June 2001

Rear Admiral

56:107 by Željko Heimer

State split flag with white six-pointed stars. Flaggenbuch (1939) shows one in first quarter and one in third; National Geographic (1917) shows only one star in first quarter.
Željko Heimer, 12 June 2001

Flotilla Admiral

56:107 by Željko Heimer

The Flotilla Admiral used a 56:107 state flag with one white six-pointed star in the first quarter (Flaggenbuch, 1939). National Geographic (1917) shows the Commodore with a triangular swallow-tailed Dannebrog pennant.
Željko Heimer, 12 June 2001

Senior Officer Afloat

~2:3 by Željko Heimer

Triangular cut pennant with split tail (i.e. trapezoid with indentation) approximate ratio 2:3 with indentation reaching 2/3 of hoist size, pennant width at fly about 1/4 of hoist, width of indentation at fly equal to width of white cross (Flaggenbuch, 1939). National Geographic (1917) shows a triangular Dannebrog, ratio 3:4~
Željko Heimer, 12 June 2001

Officer replacing Admiral (also Chief of Group)

~1:3 by Željko Heimer

The national flag in form of a triangular pennant cut vertically at fly and with a triangular indentation in the white crossbar, i.e., similar to senior officer afloat, but rather longer (1:3~). Note to the figure in Album des Pavillons explains that the same is used also for Chief of Group.
Željko Heimer, 12 June 2001

Chief of Squadron

~2:3 by Željko Heimer

The flag in shape as the Senior Officer Afloat above, but vertically divided into red field with a white cross at hoist and a entirely white field in the fly.
Željko Heimer, 28 May 2004

Admiralty Flags as reported in Flaggenbuch (1939)

Naval Pennant 1st Grade (Squadron Chief)

~1:3 by Željko Heimer

Flaggenbuch (1939) shows a trapezoidal pennant of the same design as the national flag, with an indentation at the fly. The horizontal crossbar converges toward the fly, too (i.e., it is thinner at the fly than at the hoist). The indentation is shown as a thin rectangular cut, as long as the hoist breadth.
Željko Heimer, 30 May 2004

Squadron Chief Pennant 1:3

~1:3 by Željko Heimer

Flaggenbuch (1992) reprint shows a trapezoidal red pennant with a white cross with an indentation at the fly. The dimensions are given as 252:756, width at the fly 42, white cross horizontal 36 at hoist, 14 at fly, vertical 32, distance from hoist to middle of the vertical bar 189, indentation depth 378. The indentation is triangular, but no width of the triangle at fly is given (still lesser then the white stripe there). This is more or less similar to that shown in Album des Pavillons (figure 21), the pennant of the Chief of a Group of Officer replacing Admiral.
Željko Heimer, 30 May 2004

Naval Pennant 2nd Grade (Division Chief)

~2:3 by Željko Heimer

A trapezoidal red pennant with a white horizontal stripe converging towards the fly. No indentation at fly! (Flaggenbuch, 1992)
Željko Heimer, 30 May 2004

Fleet Chief Pennant

~2:3 by Željko Heimer

Flaggenbuch (1992) reprint shows a trapezoidal red pennant with a white cross with an indentation at the fly. The dimensions are given as 168:252, width at the fly 28, white cross horizontal 24 at hoist, vertical 24, distance from hoist to middle of the vertical bar 63, indentation depth 126. The indentation is triangular, but no width of the triangle at fly is given (still less than the white stripe there, that is not given either). This is more or less similar to what in Album des Pavillons (figure 20), the pennant of the Senior Officer Afloat.
Željko Heimer, 30 May 2004

Naval Pennant 3rd Grade (Flotilla Chief)

~2:3 by Željko Heimer

Flaggenbuch (1939) shows a trapezoidal red pennant with a white vertical stripe.
Željko Heimer, 30 May 2004

Group Chief

by Željko Heimer

Flaggenbuch (1939) shows a red equilateral triangle.
Željko Heimer, 30 May 2004

Senior Officer Afloat

by Željko Heimer

Flaggenbuch (1939) shows a red equilateral triangle with a white cross.
Željko Heimer, 30 May 2004

Group Chief Pennant

by Željko Heimer

Flaggenbuch (1992) reprint shows a red equilateral triangle with a white cross and indentation at the fly. The construction details are provided: equilateral triangle with side of 90, cross width 10, hoist to mid vertical 26, indentation 39. If I interpret the caption correctly, the pennant used on starboard meant Senior Officer Afloat.
Željko Heimer, 30 May 2004

Free time pennant

by Željko Heimer

Shown in Flaggenbuch (1929) as a red over white bicolour triangular pennant.

I suppose that this flag was used (in the Navy) to indicate that the crew is having "time off", so that the ship is working only with the essential crew (the others may be on shore leave in the port or something like that).
Željko Heimer, 3 June 2004