Military Variations

Many new designers of the national flags don't take into consideration the other flags that are derived from it.

The Southern Cross Flag is designed in such a way, so that States and their Agencies, Departments and Military flags and ensigns are easily added.

Firstly, though, it is my belief that there should be just one single flag for all Australians, including the ADF. and that would be the Australian Flag, the one used by the Australian Army.

It seems to be a British convention to have a different flag for each branch of the military and merchant marine. It might have made sense in 1the 1700's when merchant ships and and naval vessels looked similar, but in the 21st century a naval frigate and a container vessel are quite different ships.

As far as I can tell the United States flies one flag for all the branches of its military; US Army, US Navy, US Marine Corps, US Air Force and US Space Force.

This doesn't mean that they don't have their own flags, it means that on their bases, ships, tanks, aircraft, they fly just one flag - The Stars and Stripes. Surely if one flag is good enough for Americans and the American armed forces, maybe the Australian Flag should be good enough for all Australians -- including our military.

Nevertheless...

We have the British traditions that the Australian military have already adopted as seen below.

Is it Time for a New Tradition?

As mention previously, the idea of using separate flags for the different divisions of the ADF and the Merchant or Civil Marine should no longer continue.

Therefore I would propose a new tradition, and that is flying just one single flag. An unmodified Australian Flag. However, traditions die hard.

Should the need arise where the ADF and Civil require a way to distinguish themselves,  the emblems of each service would be used.

The Australian Army has the emblem of the Rising Sun. The RAN, the Fouled Anchor (& with square knot not shown here). The RAAF has the Kangaroo in Motion. The Merchant or Civil Marine would have a ship's wheel.

The fractions relate to the height of the flag.

• For most of these flags, the relevant emblem is positioned on a contrasting disc for to allow the emblem to stand out.
• The disc is 5/24 diameter.
• The disc centre is horizontally positioned midway along the Gold border on the fly.
• The disc is positioned vertically 1/12 from the gold border and 1/12 from the bottom edge.

• The Army has a slightly different configuration and slightly different vertical positioning.
• It has a gold semi circular emblem that does not require a a contrasting disc.
• The emblem (without the contrasting disc) is 1/4  wide and 1/8 high.
• It is positioned the same horizontally, but differs vertically as it is smaller vertically.
• Vertically, it is positioned 1/8 from the Gold Border and 1/8 from the bottom edge.

Again, these are just suggestions should the various branches of the military *insist* they need their own flag.

Why do we not have a single flag for Australians civilians; whether on land or water, and for the merchant marine, and the ADF?

Important: This emblems used on these flags are NOT the official ADF emblems. The emblems have been sourced from the public domain to be used as a close approximation to the design.  No offence is intended to the Australian Defence Forces by this.

Why a ship's wheel? When searching for an emblem for the Australian merchant marine, I came across an old badge being sold on ebay and was listed as Australia Merchant Marine Badge (also archived here) and with the British Red Ensign. It can also be used by sail or power craft.

Two More

Roundels

While it generally are the air forces that employ roundels here are few for all the ADF, and a Star

Important: This emblems used on these flags are NOT the official ADF emblems. The emblems have been sourced from the public domain to be used as a close approximation to the design.  No offence is intended to the Australian Defence Forces by this.