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Bermuda - The Governmental (Blue) Ensign

Last modified: 2021-08-25 by rob raeside
Keywords: bermuda | blue ensign |
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[Governmental ensign]
image by Clay Moss, 24 November 2005



See also:


The Governmental Ensign

Used by Government ships.
Antonio Martins, 4 April 2000


Previous (pre-1999) Flag

[Governmental ensign]
image by Clay Moss, 23 November 2005


Unconfirmed Variant with the Motto


image by Antonio Martins, 1 April 2000


Variant with Wide Red Fimbriation


image by Clay Moss, 26 November 2005

Watching a Canadian travel show on TV "Don't forget your passport" which showcased Bermuda, I note ferry boat with a blue ensign on the stern with a variant of the governmental blue ensign. The variant has wide red fimbriation around the shield (no motto).  If anything the red is even darker than the red on the union jack, although the view was brief, and I could not confirm how dark the red on the union jack was.
Rob Raeside, 17 Febuary 2004

I may have an explanation for this. The last time I was in Bermuda, I saw a large number of American made Bermuda flags flying everywhere. I literally saw dozens of them. They had mostly been made by Annin. Annin's dyed Bermuda badge is made with a broad red border. There are several reasons why this is done with the main one being that the badge blends into the red ensign a little easier. Anyway, the Annin product was much less expensive than anything the British produced, yet was of equal or perhaps superior quality.
My guess would be that the Bermuda government perhaps did business in the US as well, and ended up with Annin made blue ensigns. However, Annin forgot to trim the red trim from its badges before inserting them.
Clay Moss, 1 August 2004

Since I wrote my previous report, I have seen a British made Bermuda red ensign with a red trimmed shield. So, perhaps the flag Rob sighted was made in the UK after all.
I had seen the same type practice in the British Virgin Islands, only with the colors reversed.
Clay Moss, 22 September 2005