U.K. Royal Army Service Corps Ensign.
The RASC (Royal Army Service Corps) was once a former corps of the British Army and it was largely responsible for all land, coastal and lake transportation including: air dispatch, supply of water, fuel, and food as well as items such as clothing, stationery and furniture. They were not accountable for the supply of ammunition or important military and technical equipment as they were the responsibility of the Royal Army Ordnance Corps.
They were also in charge of the administration of various barracks, the Army Fire Service and the provision of clerks to different headquarters. The RASC was originally formed back in 1869 and took over from the War Department Fleet, and it was immediately made responsible for supply and transportation.
The primary base for the RASC was in Woolwich, which is located on the Thames just to the east of the city of London. However, vessels that were primarily and regularly manned by uniformed civilians were mostly maintained at Chatham in Portsmouth, Nova Scotia, Ceylon, Devonport, Hong Kong, Bermuda, Singapore, Barbados, Jamaica, Sierra Leone, Mauritius, Malta and Gibraltar.
The main water-borne jobs of the RASC were to provide routine transport, and to operate various firing ranges. They regularly took part in coastal artillery practice where they would use towed targets. Throughout the years, its operations quickly expanded. During the 1890s, they would transport guns from Woolwich and take them down the river to the local test ranges that were located in the northern areas of the Thames. By the 1960s, they were working in the Outer Hebrides where they were responsible for maintaining a selection of guided missile ranges.
A blue ensign that stood for military service featuring crossed swords in the fly was then authorized and on the 3rd of October 1890, it was finally added to the Admiralty Flag Book with a note that read: "For vessels and boats employed by departments of the Secretary of State for War on military service (including staff officers) other than those for which special flags are authorized." The badge that features in the Admiralty Flag Book is extremely small and it would have been very hard to sport on an ensign.
By the 1940s, the swords that appeared on the ensigns were much bigger and looked more like the ones that appear on this example. Minor watercrafts that are managed by the British Army always fly a noticeable blue ensign that boasts crossed swords that can be seen in the fly. Ships that were commissioned by the army also always fly a blue ensign that has the army badge featured in the fly. This type of ensign also has swords and at one point, it was flown by all vessels operated by the army. However, it is now known as the ensign for the Royal Logistical Corps and it is usually only used on vessels that are commanded by officers who are non-commissioned.
The current ensign for the army was established after World War II.
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