To mark its 25th anniversary, former civil servant David Le Conte, who was secretary of the committee which investigated its design, looked at the origins of the Guernsey flag.

THE Guernsey flag is an iconic symbol of the island, appearing on public, corporate and private flagpoles and at sporting events.

It is flown by communities of Guernsey people in far-flung places and proudly carried by teams representing the island all over the world. It is particularly ubiquitous as our national holiday, marking the end of enemy occupation, approaches, and for good reason – it is synonymous with the island’s identity.

It may not be generally realised that it is relatively young and its symbolic relevance to the island’s heritage and constitution may not be fully recognised.

The flag was first officially flown on 9 May 1985, the 40th anniversary of Liberation. It followed 18 months of deliberation by a special States committee that considered a wide range of designs.

Why was a new flag needed?

The Guernsey flag turns up all over the world, including on Mount Everest with Jeff Guilbert and Gary Riochet in 2004. They climbed to the advance camp at 6,450 metres, in the process raising thousands for Les Bourgs Hospice and the Guernsey Sports Association.

Before 1985 Guernsey used the St George’s Cross as its flag, it having been officially adopted 50 years earlier and having been generally associated with Guernsey from the 19th century. But it is, of course, primarily the flag of England and was not identified by people outside the island as Guernsey’s flag.

The need for a distinctive flag which clearly represented the island had been mooted for the best part of 100 years, but came to a head in 1983 when the then Bailiff, Sir Charles Frossard, and his deputy Graham (now Sir Graham) Dorey pointed out the many difficulties created by the use of the Cross of St George as the island flag.

How the flag was designed

The States therefore resolved to establish an investigation committee. That was set up in December 1983, with the Deputy Bailiff as president, and with Deputy Nigel Jee, Deputy Martin Le Boutillier, Robert Brown and John Sarre as members. I was appointed committee secretary.

More than 70 designs were put forward by the public and the committee considered these along with a number of others. All were judged against a set of design criteria.

Some felt the flag should have green as its basic colour, but it was concluded that green had no historical significance for Guernsey other than its use by soccer and other sports teams and that its use most likely dates from the start of the Muratti Vase matches.

The use of the Guernsey shield (commonly called the crest) along with the St George’s Cross was also investigated, but the shield would have been too small and insufficiently distinctive. Being primarily an emblem of England, its use with another English symbol – the Cross of St George – would not provide any recognition of our independence or Norman heritage.

Guernsey was, of course, associated with Normandy at the time of the Norman Conquest of England in 1066 and much of our heritage derives from that dukedom. The symbol finally selected excellently represents that heritage. The gonfanon (a small banner) used by William the Conqueror, and which appears in the Bayeux Tapestry, was initially suggested by Commander Bruce Nicolls, of Portsmouth, as a possible source of symbols for use on the Guernsey flag.

William’s flag was a gold cross of a distinctive shape on a red ground and president of the Flag Investigation Committee Graham Dorey proposed that consideration be given to a simple superimposition of the gold cross on the red Cross of St George. This idea was unanimously supported by the committee.

The gold cross provides not only a symbolic link with Normandy but symbolises the moment of Guernsey’s first constitutional link with England. Moreover, the combination of red and gold retains the Norman colours as well as those of the Guernsey shield.

The retention of the St George’s Cross as a basic element of the flag also demonstrates the island’s link with the Crown and, because it also forms the basis for the Alderney and Sark flags, it provides a common theme for all Bailiwick flags.

The Guernsey ensign

Having agreed a design for the land flag, the committee then considered the design of an ensign for use at sea. The gold cross of William on a red ground lent itself very well to its adoption as a defacement of the Red Ensign. The Guernsey Ensign is for the use of individuals and companies under certain restrictions.

The flag revealed

Triple-jumper Jonny Guille sporting the flag for the opening ceremony of the Island Games in Aland in 2009. (Picture by Steve Sarre, 0797393)

The committee’s proposals were published at 9am on 15 February 1985, one of the rare examples of a Billet d’Etat printed in colour.

Exactly at that time I raised the flag and ensign on the Albert Pier so that they could be seen and considered by everyone before being debated by the States.

The new flag, flying high for the first time in full view, attested to the committee’s observation that it not only incorporated historical symbolism but was simple and striking, bold and bright and included an original and distinctive device making the flag uniquely that of Guernsey.

The flag designs met with general public acceptance and on 13 March 1985 the States enthusiastically requested the Bailiff to submit a humble petition that Her Majesty the Queen be graciously pleased to authorise their use.

That she did on 30 April and the Bailiff gave approval for the flags to be flown by the people of the island for the first time on the 40th anniversary of the Liberation, 25 years ago.

Many had been produced in anticipation of the occasion and the island was bedecked with the red, white and yellow flag.

The blue ensign

The Guernsey flag is flown from States buildings daily, except on 14 special days in the year when the Union flag is hoisted to mark royal anniversaries.

The Union flag is also flown at the top of Castle Cornet in recognition of that fortification’s long history as a British garrison, but the Guernsey flag is flown over the castle entrance. The Guernsey ensign is flown at Fort Grey Shipwreck Museum in view of its strong maritime connections.

In 2000 a States of Guernsey maritime ensign, referred to as a blue ensign, was added for use on the States of Guernsey vessels Sarnia and Leopardess.

The flag is often flown on the mast on the Weighbridge roundabout, which is treated as an official States vessel.

It is similar in design to the Guernsey ensign, but with a blue background.

Flying the flag

The Guernsey flag is freely available for Guernsey people and businesses to use and for 25 years it has been widely adopted and flown with pride.

It has appeared on many items such as souvenirs, identifying them as originating in the island. It is important, however, that its integrity should be respected and its design is, therefore, rightly defended.

From time to time suggestions have been made for the incorporation of the flag in an organisation’s emblem and there is no objection to this, provided that the flag motif remains entire. ‘Defacements’ of the flag, however, such as the superimposition of additional symbols, are unacceptable.

For the avoidance of doubt, anyone wishing to use the flag in any form other than its entirety is advised to seek the views of the Bailiff’s Office.

The island will be colourfully festooned with flags and bunting as we celebrate Liberation Day, but most prominent will be our bright and bold symbol of Guernsey’s independence, constitution and heritage.