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Dictionary of Vexillology: A (Augmentation - Azure)

Last modified: 2022-10-01 by rob raeside
Keywords: vexillological terms |
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AUGMENTATION OF HONOUR/HONOR (AUGMENTATIONS or AUGMENTED)
Heraldically derived terms for the charge added to a flag or coat of arms to indicate special recognition for some – not necessarily military – service - an honorary distinction, addition of honour, augmentations or augmented (see also ‘battle honour’ and ‘charge’).

Malta Malta Malta Naval Jack
National Flag, enlarged detail and Naval Jack of Malta (fotw)

Notes
a) An example of the above would be the George Cross which was added to the arms of Malta in 1942, and now appears on their current national flag, national arms, and naval jack – see ‘George cross’.
b) This is in comparison to a battle honour which is almost invariably related to combat and is entirely military in character.

AUNCIENT
See 'ancient 2)'.

Ancient England
An Auncient/Ancient, English c1590 (fotw)

AUREOLE
The term used to cover an area of light usually (but not invariably) surrounding the whole or a part of some revered object or person – but see ‘nimbus’.

aureole aureole
Arms and Flag of Olsztyn, Poland (fotw)

AURIFLAMMA
See ‘oriflamme’.

oriflamme
One interpretation of the Auriflamma/Oriflamme (fotw)

AUSFLAG
A colloquial term for one of the several designs suggested (over a period of several years) as alternatives to the current Australian national flag.(see also ‘flag design competition’ and ‘flag proposal’).

Ausflag proposal Ausflag proposal Ausflag proposal
Three examples of an Ausflag proposals from 1993 – 1997 (fotw)

Please note that Ausflag Ltd is an organization committed to the promotion of a new Australian national flag

AUSLEGERFLAGGE
See ‘outrigger flag’.

[automobile flag example]

AUTOMOBILE FLAG
See ‘car flag’.

[automobile flag example]
Flag of the Automobile/Car Flag, Prime Minister and the President of the State Parliament, Saar, Germany (fotw)

AUTOMOBILE PLATE
See ‘rank plate’.

[automobile plate example]
Automobile/rank plate, General Army and Marine Corps US

AUXILIARY COLOURS
In heraldry see ‘mixed tinctures’.

Auxiliary colour Auxiliary colour
Brunatre and Tenne

AUXILIARY ENSIGN
See ‘government ensign’ under ‘ensign’.

Auxiliary ensign Auxiliary ensign Auxiliary ensign
Ensign for Auxiliary Ships, Ukraine (fotw); Ensign for Auxiliary Ships, India (fotw); Ensign for Auxiliary Ships 1966–1990, East Germany (fotw)

AVERTED
In heraldry the term sometimes used to describe two animals or other charges that are placed back to back – but see ‘addorsed 2)’.

averted example averted example averted example
Flag of Schmerikon, Switzerland (fotw ); Arms of Parada, Portugal (fotw); Flag of Orbe, Switzerland (fotw )

Please note that this word has a different meaning in Modern English, however, its etymology would suggest that it would have been correct usage at an earlier date.

AVIS CROSS
A symbol of the Portuguese branch of the Order of Calatrava – the Avis Order – but see ‘cross fleury’ (also ‘cross of Calatrava’).

Avis Cross Avis Cross Avis Cross
Flag of Benavente, Portugal (fotw); Putative Banner of Arms of the Avis Order, Portugal (fotw); Flag of Avis, Portugal (fotw)

AWARD FLAG (or AWARD PENNANT)
A flag or pennant signifying that the organization displaying it has received the citation, commendation or other award usually represented by the flag's design - citation flag/pennant, commendation flag/pennant, honour banner or touring flag (see also ‘battle efficiency pennant’, ‘blue flag’, ‘E pennant 2)’ and ‘S pennant’).

Queen’s Award for Export Achievement Naval Energy Conservation Award Beach Quality Award Flag, Portugal
The Queen’s Award for Export Achievement, UK (fotw); Naval Energy Conservation Award, US (fotw); Beach Quality Award Flag, Portugal (fotw)

Please note that such awards (and their accompanying flags) are often only held for a limited period.

AWARD STREAMER
In largely US usage, a streamer attached to the flag of a military unit to signify the award of an order, citation, decoration, or similar collective honour (see also ‘streamer 1)’).

[award streamer example]
Valorous Unit Award Streamer, US

AZURE
A heraldic term for the colour blue - see ‘tinctures’ (also ‘rule of tincture’).

[colour example]

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