Military Flags 1843-1931 (Spain)

Last modified: 2009-11-21 by eugene ipavec
Keywords: military |
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• Introduction
• Regimental Colour of the 2nd Battalion, 43rd Regiment of Infantry Granada 1847-1931
• Regimental Colour of the 24th Infantry Regiment Bailén 1872-1873
• Regimental Colour of the 1st Battalion, 5th Regiment of Foot Artillery 1835-1881
• Unidentified Flag of the Cuban War, 1868-1878
• Colour of the 1st Battalion of Guides of the Barcelona Provincial Government 1873
• 30th Chasseurs Batallion of Alfonso XIII, 1898
• Colour of the Aeronautics Service 1922-1931 (Estandarte del Servicio de Aerostación)
• 54th Regular Motorized Infantry Regiment of Ceuta, 1922

See also:

• Historical Flags 1785-1931 (Spain)
• Spain

Other sites:

• Vexilología Militar. Antecedentes y Evolución de las Banderas en España 1700-1978 (Military Vexillology. Origins and Evolution of Flags in Spain 1700-1978, Spanish text only) 1700-1808 and 1808-1978 by Luis Sorando [smz], at the Nec Pluribus Impar website
• Banderas Militares (Military Flags, Spanish text only) by Sergio Camero:
  • Período Guerra de la Independencia hasta Guerra Civil (From the War of Independence until the Civil War i.e. 1812-1936)
• Spanish-American War Centennial Website:
  • Flag of the Havana Light Volunteer Infantry Battalion
  • Flag of the Havana Volunteer Cavalry
  • Flag of the First Provisional Light Battalion of Puerto Rico
• Regimiento de Artillería de Costa número 4: Banderas (4th Coastal Artillery Regt.: Colours, Spanish text only), showing historical and current Colours, at the Spanish armed forces website

Introduction

In October 1843 the basic design of military colours is modified with the adoption of the national colours. The cloth is divided in three stripes, horizontally red-yellow-red, and a simplified version of the royal arms placed in the centre, over a small Burgundy cross. This flag design had been used by warships since 1785, and in naval forts and castles since 1793. Source: Manzano 1997 [mzn97].

Sergio Camero, 10 Sep 2001

The 1843 regulation also established new lettering and new rules for streamers, a red and yellow one plus those appropriate to the regiment's awarded decorations. Earlier, in 1802, the number of Colours had been reduced to two per regiment, the first battalion using the coronela [approx. King's Colour] and the second battalion the so-called batallona [approx. Regimental Colour]. Source: Manzano 1997 [mzn97].

Sergio Camero, 14 Dec 2001

Unidentified Flag of the Cuban War, 1868-1878

image by Eugene Ipavec, 15 Jan 2009

Esta bandera estampada en tela es original de guerra y era usada por los soldados Españoles durante la Guerra de Cuba (1868-2878), usada en combate y si morían podian ser enterrados con ella, según normativas se usaban en el combante, en los puestos militares, como distintivo de bando y transportada en macuto por el soldado desde España. Es interesante que fue diseñada por el Gobierno Provisional de España (1868-1871), la corona real es sustituida por otra mural, con las dos columnas de Hércules. Esta bandera era personal o individual, es curioso y la hace especial que en España aunque se decidio su uso, casí no se uso durante el gobierno en España, de ahi también su rareza y escasez, porque este diseño si fue usado durante la guerra de Cuba.

source unknown, 27 Dec 2007

The seller was obviously making things up: "Es interesante que fue diseñada por el Gobierno Provisional de España (1868-1871), la corona real es sustituida por otra mural" whereas it obviously has not been – it it a regular closed royal crown, and anyway the First Spanish Republic did not last long enough to implement republican symbols such as mural crowns.

Eugene Ipavec, 15 Jan 2009

30th Chasseurs Batallion of Alfonso XIII, 1898

Batallón Cazadores de Alfonso XIII No 30

image by Eugene Ipavec, 15 Jan 2009

Offered on Ebay, the flag measures 31 1/2" width by 32" length, is red and yellow, has in the middle a crest, and reads "BATALLON CAZADORES/DE ALFONSO XIII NO 30". The crest has a horn with a crown over it. The flag does have an older tag attached that reads "Spanish flag captured from earthworks at Aibonito, Porto Rico - Aug 1898 - Bat A., Vol. Penna."

Source: Ebay

William Garrison, 05 Sep 2008

54th Regular Motorized Infantry Regiment of Ceuta, 1922

In "El Faro", Carlos González Rosado describes in great detail "la bandera del Grupo," which seems to be the colour of an indigenous unit based in Ceuta. A colour photograph shows a Spanish square flag with an emblem in the middle, made of two rifles with a Spanish flag in the barrel crossed per saltire above a crescent argent and surmounted by a Royal Crown.

Source: "El Faro," 30 Jun 2008

Ivan Sache, 01 Jul 2008