Lord Howe Island (Australia)

Last modified: 2003-07-18 by jonathan dixon
Keywords: australia | lord howe island |
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by Pascal Gross

• Description of the flag

See also:

• Australia
• Australia Subdivisions
• Other Australia flags

I was given the new Lord Howe Island Flag for Christmas, it was purchased from Australiana Flags in Sydney, and John Vaughan, One of Australia's great vexillographers, sent this passage with it.

The Flag of Lord Howe Island

The history, heritage and topography of Lord Howe Island were the inspiration for the design of this Pacific islands beautiful flag.

The golden sun alludes to the warmth and friendliness of the islanders and the silver rays are seen shimmering on the crystal blue waters of the surrounding Pacific Ocean. Silhouetted against the sun we find the striking features of the island.

Discovered in 1778 by Lt Henry Lidgbird Ball of HMS Supply, the Island was named in honour of Admiral Of The Fleet, Lord Howe. It is Lord Howe's Command Flag, which flew victoriously during the "Glorious First of June Battle", in 1794, that forms the basis of the design of the Island's flag. Consequently, the rays of the sun also depict the crosses of St George and St Andrew.

Admiral Lord Howe was instrumental in developing a sophisticated Royal Navy system of code flags for signalling messages. This system was the fore-runner to today's "international Code" and included the "Blue Peter"

According to Mr Ralph Bartlett, secretary of FSA (Flag Society of Australia), the royal blue and white ''British Union'' style flag was originally proposed by Sydney vexillologist and FSA member John C Vaughan to the island council on the 24th May 1993 and raised at various vantage points across the Lord Howe Island in November 1998 and has been flown ever since, however this flag is strictly unofficial at this time.
Nozomi Kariyasu, 12 June 1999