HISTORIC FLAGS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 20, 18 October 1919, Page 8

HISTORIC FLAGS

THE NEW ZEALAND'S ENSIGN. • \n'interesting.relic of the is being handed to the people of Timaru in the shttpe of two tattered flags that were flou'ii by It.M.S. New Zealand lit action. These flags, , a silk Ensign' and a- "Jack," were presented to tho New Zealand ill May. 1913, by the women of New 'Zealand, the .presentation taking place when' the ship was lying in Caroj line Bay. Timaru. ' The following account of the occasions on -which the tings were flown has been supplied by the chief signal boatswain of the battle-cruisers— ' • The silk Ensign and "Jack" were pt'u•sented' to H.M\S. New Zealand in May, 1913.: by.: the women, of New Zealand. Prior, to the war of 1914, they'were displayed only on State occasions, about three \ times. Since war was declared with Gonnanv, the Ensign has been displayed on all occasions of being. in action with the enemy,, as stated in the following:— x, (1) August 2S, 1914: It was lneed to tho foremast during the engagement with the enemy ships oft' Heligoland. ■ • . (2) January 24, 1915: It was laced to the foremast dririiig' the chase .and engagement of enemy .battle-cruisers oft tho Dogger Rank when the enemy ship Bluelicr was' sunk. ■' Tho Ensign was much blown out. It.was repaired,'and tho tattered parts cut off and given' to Captain (now Roar-Admiral) Hiil.sey. (3V May 31, 191G: During the action 'witl'i eiieiriv shins off Jutland, wlierotlio British battle-cruisers were hotly ' en-, paged with the enemy battle-cruisers and battle fleet', it was hoisted on sightin£ tho enemy at about 2.45 p.m., and was kept flying during the night,' when tho enemy was to appear at any.' moment. It appears to have been burn- j ed in places and holed in others, probably bv.thc explosion of an enemy elieli, which struck the after turret armour. Owing to' turning '.movements of the ship, it became wrapped round tho stays of tho mast during the night, and the high, speed, together with the wind, whipped the silk into ribbons and knots, and it became so entangled that oil attempting, to haul it down the main portion carried aw?y, and was only recovered after some difficulty from the head of the ensign peak, where it liad caught, - It was repaired in June, 1916. Mid replaced in the canvas of the head, only sufficient to allow of it being displayed again. The fly was left in the condition it was when hauled dowji, with exception of the ! ino-l: worn parts. Certain pieces were cut oil' during, the repair, and these werb given to Captain (now Rear-Admiral) Green. November 2S, 191S: The Ensign was displayed, at the starboard yard-n.riu on the occasion of the surrender of the German ships to Admiral Sir David Bcalty. The "Jack'' was flown on the foremast on Ma.y 31, 1916, off Jutland, and is-credited with having been torn by a v portion of shrapnel shell, a good deal of which .was passing over and dropping on the ship during (lie action. The ".Tack" was ..also displayed on November 2-S, 191S, and (his was the last occasion of the silk. Eus.igu and "Jack" being hoisted.