Blood Flag

[Spasm]

Gents

Not sure if this shouldn't go into Africa but I suppose the Union Flag is present. But it certainly wasn't a colony at that time.

Spaz

[Mervyn Mitton]

Spaz - you are in the right section. This is the old SADF (South African Defence Force). With the castle and the springbok I would think it for Army - however, there were a lot of different types - so, will leave it to one of the SA experts to answer fully.

[Arthur R]

Spot on, Mervyn. This was the SA Army flag from 1973 to 1994.

The various versions of the flag are discussed on

http://flagspot.net/...za-army.html

[Len]

Why is this called " Blood Flag"?

[Spasm]

Len

The colour used by the South African Army was officially called 'orange' when in fact it looks red to anyone not colour blind. Early in the history of the South African military it became necessary to have a colour and a red shade was selected which was distinct from the orange found in the then national flag of South Africa. The chosen shade was then "sealed" by the defence force authorities and thereafter became known as "sealed permanent force orange", originally identified as British Colour Council 97 (the colour poppy). In the 1970s this was changed to British Colour Council 98 (the colour chilli).

The red originally came from the early boer states flag - Vyfkleur - (five colours to represent all the Boer states) with the red representing the blood shed fighting for independence. The flag is on the one above, the right one of the small three but without the Dutch orange bar at the bottom.

So, any old end up, the Troopies called it the 'Blood Flag' as that's what the red represented in the Border War and, I suppose, in Afrikaaner history. (Even though it was officially orange ). The new SA Flag uses the same red chilli colour and also represents the blood shed both defending SA and during the struggle against apartheid.

As a side note, I have a couple of friends at work who are also ex Troopies. I took the flag in to show them - one immediately snatched it from me and ran round the whole bloody office with it draped around his shoulders - went all weird and got over excited. As he's getting on, like me, he had to go and have a lay down in the first aid room afterwards. (Well maybe that bits not true, a quiet sit at his desk with a cup of tea more like)

Cheers

Spaz

Edited September 11, 2011 by Spasm

[Len]

Thanks Spaz.

Very interesting.

My Dad was in the Permanent Force and I did my National Service including a couple of stints on the " Border " and I never heard the term "blood Flag"

One is never to old to learn.

Regards

Len