Flags of the Australian Defence Force

The Australian flag was associated with an act of war for the first recorded time as it flew above the fort at Queenscliff in Victoria which opened fire to prevent the German steamer, Pfalz, from leaving port on 6 August 1914.[36] General Birdwood dispatched an Australian flag to the 15th Infantry brigade with orders that it be flown over Harnonnieres, an honour that the commander of the 59th battalion bestowed on the first man to reach the objective, 22 year old Private Ernest Forty.[37][38] In 1918 as the 2nd Division entered the Belgian town of Chaleroi the locals turned out to greet them waving Australian flags made out of brown paper bags.[39] The children of Villers-Bretonneaux still maintain the tradition of raising the Australian flag in memory of the Australians who died in liberating the area in world war one.[40] The Australian flag was flown above the general headquarters during the Hundred Days Offensive.[41]

There were a number of Australian flag raisings in the Pacific and Middle Eastern theatres during the second world war. It was flown over Kokoda in 1942[42][43] and Lae in 1943 where "The Australian flag was hoisted on the pole of the control tower on Lae airfield and American and Australian troops gave victory cheers as the flag floated in the breeze".[44] There has since been a commemorative plaque laid at Lae with the inscription reading: "Here on 16th September 1943 the Australian National Flag was raised by Commander 25th Aust. Inf. Bde to mark the capture of this important base from the Japanese."

On 24 February 1945 The Mail in Adelaide published a photograph under the heading "OUR FLAG ON THE PHILIPPINES" of an Australian flag with the caption stating that: "The first Australian flag to reach the Philippines was draped in front of Australia House, residence of Australian war correspondents. They look very happy about it."[45]

The Australian flag was raised on Linkgas beach during the invasion of Tarakan.

Some of the best chronicled flag raisings took place during the invasion of Tarakan in May 1945. In the Australian War Memorial collection is a photograph of a flag raising ceremony that took place after the landing at Lingkas, Tarakan in the Netherlands East Indies on 1 May 1945 with the caption stating: "Happy soldiers of the 9th Australian Division raise the Australian flag on a bamboo pole on the first day of Operation Oboe One, the Division's successful attack and landing on Tarakan Island then occupied by Japanese forces."[46]

It was also reported on 8 May 1945 in the Melbourne Argus under the headline "AUSTRALIANS CAPTURE TARAKAN AIRSTRIP: Victorian Battalion in Thick of Fight" that, after using tanks as mobile artillery in a struggle that lasted over five days: "That night the troops who had won the air strip enjoyed their first night's unbroken rest since they landed on the island at dawn on Tuesday. They forgot their weariness, their sweat-sodden clothes, and unshaven faces, in the cheer they gave as they watched the Australian flag and their own battalion emblem being hoisted over the strip."[47]

Lieutenant K. McKitrick raising the Australian flag after victory in the battle of Tarakan in world war 2

At the end of the battle of Tarakan the Perth Sunday Times Lieutenant K. McKitrick appeared on the front page of the 20 May 1945 edition, raising the Australian flag on Sadau Island under the headline "OUR FLAG ON TARAKAN" with the caption reading: "A.I.F. VETERANS of the 9th Division fly an Australian flag on Tarakan Island (Borneo) on which, today's cables say, they have achieved their objectives."[48]

The first surviving reference to military colours in Australia was by Mary Easty, in connection with Major Grose being sworn in as Lieutenant-Governor of New South Wales, who wrote that: "the Colour of the N.S.Wails [Corps] was Displaeyed for the first time on this Ground."[52] Only one British unit stationed in the colonies the 39th (Dorset) regiment has been identified as receiving colours which were presented by governor Darling on 16 May 1831. There were eighteen locally raised units to receive colours prior to federation. It appears the first such ceremony took place on 20 June 1855 at the Sydney Domain involving a flag or banner rather than colours being presented to the Volunteer Force of New South Wales.[53]

• In the collection of the Power House Museum in Sydney there is what appears to be a banner that features the royal cypher of King George IV around which is embroidered the words Royal New South Wales Veteran Corps, which arrived in the colony in 1826.[52]
• The Australian War Memorial holds the regimental colour of the Richmond Company of the Victorian Volunteer Rifles Corps that were presented at the Richmond cricket ground on 2 February 1862.[54]
• On 30 September 1861 the Buckingham Rifles were presented colours at the Hobart Domain that are now on display at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery.[55]
• The Bathurst Volunteer Rifles were presented with colours by the Countess of Belmore, wife of Governor the Earl of Belmore also in attendance at the ceremony held on 3 June 1869, that are now under preservation at the Bathurst Museum.[56]

HMQS Mosquito flying the Queensland flag circa 1901.

The Australian colonies all dispatched contingents to fight in the Boer War. The Imperial government acknowledged this service by issuing a number of colours, also known as honourable insignia or King's banners, being Union Jacks made of silk.[57]

• The King's banner presented to the New South Wales Lancers is under preservation at the Lancers' Linden House Museum.[57]
• There is a photograph of a flag covering the grave of Breaker Morant in Pretoria, South Africa during the Boer War in 1901 that is believed to have been the predominately red ensign.[58]

There are a number of Union Jacks, Australian ensigns and regimental banners associated with the first world war still under preservation at the Australian War Memorial, Imperial War Museum and in other collections.

• According to Corporal Edward Watson the first Australian flag taken to the western front during world war one was a red ensign he received from prime minister Billy Hughes as a departing gift to the Imperial reserves. It was present at the Battle of Mons where there were reports German forces were held up at a crucial time as a result of the appearance of the Angels of Mons.[59]
• The Australian War Memorial holds the Australian flag that was raised along with the Union Jack by the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force on Kawieng, New Ireland in September 1914.[60]
• Also under preservation is the Australian flag carried by General Monash's lance bearer in the 1919 London Victory Parade.[61]

Maitland has noted that "postcards were hugely used during the Great World War and often displayed Australia's National Flag"[33] with the Polygon Wood scene by Alfred Pearse sold to raise money for the Australian Comforts fund.[62] It was inspired by an event that actually took place during the battle of the Menin Road on 20 September 1017 where message was sent "Consolidating objective. Australian flag flying on Anzac House."[63] Kwan has concluded the scene also contains artistic license in that the flag itself was constructed of paper measuring 7.5 cm x 10 cm and struck to a can of bully beef that was "blown to pieces by a shell later that day."[64] The event was reenacted at an Australian National Flag Day eve ceremony held in Martin Place, Sydney.[65]

• The first flag to be carried ashore by the 1st AIF during the Gallipoli landings was the banner of the 12th battalion 3rd brigade which has been restored and is now on permanent display at the Imperial War Museum in London.[66]
• The University of Queensland's Emmanuel College has an Australian flag that was taken to Gallipoli and France by Reverend E.N. Merrington. Following the armistice it was flown over the Australian General Headquarters.[67]
• There is also an apparently bullet ridden Australian flag on display at the Geraldton RSL club that returned to Australia after being taken to Gallipoli and France.[68]
• Once on display at the now closed Adamstown RSL was a red ensign believed to have been taken by a local soldier to Gallipoli.[69]
• There is a small printed cotton red ensign in the Australian War Memorial collection that was taken to Gallipoli by Sergeant Percy Earnest Virgoe who served in the 4th Light Horse regiment.[70]
• There is a Union Jack on display at Christ Church Cathedral in Newcastle that was presented to the 13th battalion on behalf of the Ulster Association of New South Wales and flown at Gallipoli.[71]
• At St Barnabas' Church of England in Fairfield is an army issued Union Jack bearing a full circle of green leaves edged with a yellow thread in the centre on a dark ground. Inside the wreath are the initials G.V.A. with the letters G and A being intertwined in yellow thread. This device is surmounted by a crown also in yellow thread. The accompanying plaque reads: "This flag was recovered from General Birdwood's Headquarters by Cpl. A.H. Thomas, 12th Australian Light Horse, at the evacuation of Gallipoli on the 18th December, 1915 and presented to St Barnabas' Church of England, Fairfield, as a memorial. 29.7.62.".[72]
• There was a ceremony Australian War Memorial on 11 April 2000 where Alec Campbell, the last surviving Gallipoli veteran, symbolically presented an Australian flag to a serving member of the Australian Defence Force. It remains under preservation in Canberra and has been raised at Gallipoli every Anzac Day since.[73]

An extract from a report of the flag raising ceremony at Tarakan airfield during the second world war.[74]

The hero of the battle of Sattelberg Tom Derrick has the honour of raising the Australian red ensign after the action for which he was later awarded the Victoria Cross in 1943.

There are a variety of Australian military flags dating from the second world war still on permanent display to the public being held by the Australian War Memorial, the Melbourne Shrine of Remembrance, other institutions and private collections.

• The Australian flag flying outside the residence of the Administrator of the Northern Territory, Charles Abbott, during the 19 February 1942 Japanese bombing raid on Darwin became the first to be damaged on home soil and is now on public display at the Australian War Memorial.[75] In 1946 it was displayed alongside the blue ensigns which had flown at Villers-Bretonneux in 1917 and onboard HMAS Sydney during her victory over the Italian cruiser Bartolomeo Colleoni in 1940 for the peace treaty ceremonies.[76]
• The Bega Pioneers Museum holds two red ensigns that were at Gallipoli and the siege of Tobruk. The latter has been signed by over 200 personnel and it is thought that these ceremonies took place aboard a troop ship.[77]
• An Australian flag believed to have been used by the 2/23rd battalion and raised at Linkgas beach was discovered during a pause for the national salute appeal after being featured on an Australian Flag Society Facebook promotional logo.[78][79]

In 1945 at the end of the war there were multiple reports of Australian flags being made in prisoner of war camps. In one such report dated 18 June 1945 the Canberra Times correspondent on Labaun Island stated that after the Australians in the camp were liberated there was found "a few knapsacks, some old boots,and photographs, also an Australian flag."[80] According to Maitland there are no less than four POW flags associated with Changi prison on Singapore Island.[81]

This POW flag appeared on the front page of the Argus newspaper, 15 September 1945 edition.

• There was a POW camp flag from Naoetsu that was hand sewn from pieces of coloured parachutes used to drop supplies to the Australians whilst still detained by the Japanese.[82]
• The first Australian flag to fly over Singapore after news of the imminent Japanese surrender was received in August 1945 is held by the Australian War Memorial.[83]
• According to an eyewitness statement also in August 1945 there was an Australian flag that had been concealed by an Australian prisoner "raised over a group of skeletal sick Australians in a Japanese POW camp in Thailand and all wept unashamedly."[84] There is an entry for a POW flag held by the Australian War Memorial from the number 8 camp in Saigon.[85]
• There is another photograph of ex-POWs displaying an Australian flag constructed while they were in captivity as published on the front page of the Argus, edition of 15 September 1945.[86][87]
• In the foyer of the Essendon Civic Centre there is an Australian flag on display that was originally presented to 2/2nd Pioneer Battalion at Puckapunyal by the mayor of Essendon. It was used as a burial flag for members of the battalion after they became prisoners of war in 1942 when the allied forces capitulated in Java.[88]
• Another Australian flag said to have originated in Changi is on display at the Heritage Lodge being unveiled at a ceremony in 2008 attended by ex-Changi prisoner Henry Cook who believes the specimen was constructed after his stay of several months in the camp and was quoted as saying "We suffered for that flag."[89]
• The Returned and Services League holds the Strawbridge red ensign that is said to have been used as a POW flag at Changi prison.[90][91]
• At the Melbourne shrine of remembrance there is a Union Jack on display that was used as a POW and burial flag in Changi prison. Donated in 2004 by Ron and Barbara Walker it was unveiled in the hall of commons on 11 February 2005. It flew over the Sultan's palace in Jahore, located in southern Malaya, until 1941, when it was removed by Captain Ken Parsons of the 2/3rd Motor Ambulance Convoy, as the Japanese Imperial Army advanced during World War II. Prisoners at Changi retained the flag after the fall of Singapore, breaking it out for funerals and other ceremonial occasions. During the years 1942-1945, the flag was defaced with over one hundred signatures, of which 91 are Australians, including 33 Victorians, 36 New South Welshman, 16 Queenslanders and 2 Western Australians. The remainder may be members of the liberating forces and the foreign patients of Australian medical units with one message saying "Xmas 1942. Wishing Capt Parsons speedy release and everything good for the coming year. From the patients."[92]