Vehicle (Convoy) Flags (Canada)

Last modified: 2013-06-29 by rob raeside
Keywords: convoy flags | military flags: canada |
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See also:

• Canadian Army unit flags
• Canada, army flags
• Flags of the Canadian Forces
• Canada

Vehicle (Convoy) Flags

These are warning flags attached to military vehicles traveling in a convoy.

Each flag, measuring approx 30 cm x 45 cm or 12" x 18" is mounted on the front-left fender/bumper. Most Canadian-pattern military vehicles have a mount or bracket for said flags.

The flags are:

image by Sgt. J. Field

A blue flag; the lead vehicle in a particular packet, convoy, or column.

image by Sgt. J. Field

A green flag; the last vehicle in a particular packet, convoy, or column.

image by Sgt. J. Field

A red flag; this vehicle carries dangerous materiel (fuel, HAZMAT, etc).

image by Sgt. J. Field

A flag divided diagonally (per bend sinister), white over black. The vehicle of the packet/convoy/column commander.

image by Sgt. J. Field

A yellow flag; this vehicle is unable to proceed normally for various reasons, most likely mechanical difficulty (often referred to as VOR, or "vehicle off road").

The regulations governing these flags do not specify any particular shade; theoretically, a dark green, lime green, or fluorescent green flag could be used to signify the last vehicle in a packet; however, the colour I have used is based on the colours I have seen on the flags available through Supply.

There are other regulations governing the warning flags on vehicles traveling through Allied nations, but I have not had the chance to sort through those yet.
Sgt. J. Field, 15 May 2000

It seems they are actually prescribed for all NATO countries by NATO Standardization Agreement (STANAG) 2154, "Requirements for Military Motor Vehicle Movement by Road."
Joseph McMillan, 24 May 2000