Abstracts
Abstract
The sea element of the Canadian Armed Forces was allowed to enter the unification era with a distinctive flag, the Canadian Armed Forces Naval Jack of 1968. It was the only one of the three elements granted this privilege. Two decades on, increasing signs of separate environmental or “service” identities were emerging in the unified force. In 1984, the Commander of Maritime Command asked to have the Jack renamed and flown ashore as a command flag and in HMC Ships as the ensign. Through a close examination of four key documents associated with the episode, this commentary explores the request in detail, as well as the reaction to it on the part of the Chief of the Defence Staff, a staunch unificationist. In so doing, it serves as an excellent case study of the latent tensions that existed between single-service traditionalists and those committed to what was seen at the time as the “new way” in military organization.
Keywords:
- Canadian Armed Forces,
- Maritime Command,
- unification,
- naval jack,
- flags,
- Thériault,
- Gérard Charles Édouard (1932-1998),
- Wood,
- James Crilly (1934-2020)
Résumé
L’élément maritime des Forces armées canadiennes a été autorisé à entrer dans l’ère de l’unification avec un drapeau distinctif, le pavillon de marine des Forces armées canadiennes de 1968. Il était le seul des trois éléments à bénéficier de ce privilège. Vingt ans plus tard, des signes de plus en plus nombreux d’identités distinctes environnementales ou des services sont apparus au sein des Forces unifiées. En 1984, le commandant du Commandement maritime a demandé que le pavillon soit renommé et hissé à terre comme drapeau de commandement et comme pavillon national à bord des navires canadiens de Sa Majesté. Au moyen d’un examen approfondi de quatre documents clés liés à cet épisode, ce commentaire analyse en détail la demande, ainsi que la réaction du chef d’état-major de la Défense, un fervent partisan de l’unification. Ainsi, il constitue une excellente étude de cas des tensions latentes qui existaient entre les traditionalistes opposés à la fusion des services et ceux qui adhéraient à ce qui était perçu à l’époque comme la « nouvelle voie » en matière d’organisation militaire.
Appendices
Bibliography
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