Cag wrote:
However the Alan Coles book Flagship Hood was co written by Ted Briggs one of Hood's survivors and who was a signalman stationed on the compass platform. He states that after midnight on the 24th Vice Admiral Holland ordered the hoisting of Battle Ensigns from both ships. Briggs states that this flag measured some 24 feet by 12 feet and was hoisted from Hoods flag deck. Again no exact detail but we do know Hoods flag deck was forward around the Bridge structures.
Not sure if this helps, but this does infer a Battle Ensign or Ensigns were raised well before the battle, and would be additional to the White Ensigns already flying.
Best wishes
Cag.
Dear Cag,
This has genuinely got me wondering if HOOD had a SECOND (24' x 12') White Ensign streaming from one of the numerous sets of halyards rove to her spotting top. It would seem difficult to fly such an ensign amidships and not offset abeam - however there are actually two sets of usable signal yards up there - as the below photo shows - note that that signal appears to be streaming off the upper yard (which did have sets of halyards which were observable in other photographs). Perhaps such a position might have been used? It would have been slightly offset the beam - but could have been slightly to weather (starboard) - facing both the enemy formation and POW?
Further to Dick's earlier post which referenced a later publication of the Queen's Regs - it seems that whilst the Ensign always streamed during times of war would have been that carried at HOOD's mainmast gaff, or mainpeak - an additional Battle Ensign must have been fided aloft on the fore?!!!! That would of course explain Ted Briggs' reference to it being broken out at the bridge signals deck.
I am truly humbled by the knowledge being contributed by the members who are answering my posts here. Notwithstanding that I am somewhat embarrassed to be realising such major gaps in my own understanding of this subject - I am very glad to have asked these questions. In the coming weeks I am going to be signing my painting of HMS HOOD and HMS PRINCE OF WALES at Denmark Strait - which is something I am preparing for the 80th anniversary of the event. I will share an image here on May24th - which may now have a couple of extra White Ensigns illustrated..
Lastly, concerning that image of HMS DUKE OF YORK - I will stand corrected again. I do actually have a large (10") original photograph of that image, which is from the negative. I had always thought I could just recognize a faint horizontal line which I had assumed to be the St George's cross - however there is no visible canton for what would have been a Union Jack.. there is also another photo from the same series showing the hoist more clearly - and it does in deed look to be a featureless and single coloured flag!
Best regards to all,
Joseph
_________________
IG: @somewhere_east_of_suez
www.JosephReindler.com