Regarding Malawi, it
would not be correct to say that Malawi has a Naval ensign since it is a landlocked country, but it does have a
"Naval Unit" which operates on Lake Nyasa/Malawi (one of the largest
lakes in Africa).
The flag of the Naval Unit is based on a naval ensign pattern and has a white
field with a red cross (as in the British White Ensign) with the Malawi national
flag in the canton. In the fourth quarter is a yellow anchor, above which is a
red lion. Under the anchor are the words "Malawi Naval Unit" in
black.
I have one of these flags in my collection made by a manufacturer in Harare. Bruce Berry, 19 Jan 1998
Naval Unit Flag. ---/--S 3:5
White flag with thin red cross though out, the national flag in canton and an
emblem in lower fly. The emblem consists of a cabled yellow anchor with rising
sun and with red lion passant guardant above and inscription in black
"MALAWI ARMY NAVAL UNIT" around the anchor (following the shape). Željko Heimer, 27 May 2002
Malaŵi
Naval Unit - variant
image
by Željko
Heimer, 12 Dec 2001, after image by Clay Moss, 11 Dec 2001
I lived in Malawi
for a couple of years and discovered that the army naval unit had an ensign for
its patrol boats. It looks much like the naval ensign of Brunei with the slim blue St. George's Cross as illustrated in Whitney
Smith's 1980 abbreviated book, except with the Malawian flag in the canton.
There is a red rampant lion over a gold anchor defacing the lower fly quarter.
The proportions are roughly 2 to 3. William Smith and Gourock (flag
manufacturer in Harare, Zimbabwe)
now produce a Malawian naval flag using a red St. George's cross. However, this flag has
not yet been seen flying on Lake Malawi.
Clay Moss, 9 Apr 1997