# ID this Canadian Flag **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 4, 2008, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-canadian-flag/466475 "2008-10-04T20:42:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SharkB8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/977dab/32.png) [@SharkB8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SharkB8)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2008, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-canadian-flag/466475/1 "2008-10-04T20:42:25Z")
Sorry, no photo, but I can try to get one tomorrow. I was on base today (Coast Guard) and docked were what looked like 2 US naval ships. They were in full dress and flew the American flag, half-masted, on one of their halyards… At the bow of each ship, there was some sort of Canadian flag. Picture an all white flag…in the upper-left union portion, put a Canadian flag… Then, in the field of white, there was some black symbol or something, it was flapping around pretty good, so I couldn’t ID that part. Thinking about it now as I write this, I wonder if it was maybe the Canadian Coast Guard or Naval Ensign? But I’m not sure…and didn’t understand why the American Flag was flying on it. If we don’t have any luck with an ID, I’ll grab a photo of it tomorrow, if they’re stilled docked! Thanks! ETA: Just looked up my hunch and that’s what it was: [File:Flag of Canada.svg - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Naval_Jack_of_Canada.svg) Mods, you can get rid of this bad boy, if you’d like! 🙂 Although I still don’t get why they flew the American flag…is it just because they were in port? But do they carry the flag of every nation the boat frequents? ---
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2008, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-canadian-flag/466475/2 "2008-10-04T20:49:45Z")
This is a base in Rhodes, Greece? This is strange. It is customary to fly the flag of the host country when abroad (although this might only apply to merchant, not war, ships, but I’m not sure here), butin your case it was the flag of a third nation. ---
**Author:** ![SharkB8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/977dab/32.png) [@SharkB8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SharkB8)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2008, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-canadian-flag/466475/3 "2008-10-04T20:51:26Z")
> [@Schnitte](#): > > This is a base in Rhodes, Greece? This is strange. It is customary to fly the flag of the host country when abroad (although this might only apply to merchant, not war, ships, but I’m not sure here), butin your case it was the flag of a third nation. Haha! Rhode Island, USA…I was just being a smart arse! 🙂 My base is in Boston, Massachusetts though…which I can see why the Canadian Military would choose the dock there. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2008, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-canadian-flag/466475/4 "2008-10-04T21:56:52Z")
[I bet this is it](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Canadian_Navy). ---
**Author:** ![Scruloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Scruloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruloose)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2008, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-canadian-flag/466475/5 "2008-10-04T21:58:50Z")
> [@SharkB8](#): > > Although I still don’t get why they flew the American flag…is it just because they were in port? But do they carry the flag of every nation the boat frequents? That’s the ‘courtesy flag’: [Maritime flag - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Courtesy_flag) ---
**Author:** ![Scruloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Scruloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruloose)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2008, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-canadian-flag/466475/6 "2008-10-04T22:01:29Z")
> [@Schnitte](#): > > This is a base in Rhodes, Greece? This is strange. It is customary to fly the flag of the host country when abroad (although this might only apply to merchant, not war, ships, but I’m not sure here), butin your case it was the flag of a third nation. Yes - warships, as well as merchies, will fly the courtesy flag.