General Question 008 – Update on Jack

What is the name of this ship and for the buntings among you where do they fly the Jack?

 

A.  Yes, it is HMAS Canberra.  However it would appear that the Jack is flown from the centre mast just above the side numbers in lieu of a staff at the bow.

I sent an email to the RAN and here is their reply –  Canberra was built with a Jackstaff right on the edge of the ski ramp, a couple of feet from the edge and it is a rather long drop with no guard rails / nets etc. so we have declined to use it due to the WHS Act. At the moment the Australian National Flag is flown from a halyard at the rear of the Centre Mast, on the centre-line, for what passes as the ‘mast head’ when in harbour. This is the same position from which the sea ensign is flown when we sail. The commissioning pennant is flown from a small halyard half way up the Aft Mast  and the harbour ensign is still flown in traditional fashion from the Quarterdeck.

        There is an intention to eventually have a tall Jackstaff erected alongside the ski ramp that would be safely accessible by sailors on the forward starboard gundeck, they would just have a long way to haul it up.

 

This image is in relation to David Jasper Robertson’s comment.