- DEPARTMENT PENNANT
- See service pennant.
Departmental/Service Pennant, Coastguard, Sweden
- DEPARTMENTAL EMBLEM
- See emblem military and governmental/departmental under
emblem.
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Emblem of British Railways 1949–1965
- DEPARTMENTAL (or DEPARTMENT) FLAG
- 1) The phrases used to describe the flag of a sub-national entity when that entity is
called a "department" – see sub-national flag.
2) These phrases can also represent the flag of administrative or clerical agencies within a
governmental structure.
General Political Warfare Department 1958–1986, Taiwan;
Flag of Vaucluse, France;
Department of Budget and Management, The Philippines
- DEPTH
- 1) See width 1).
- 2) See width 3).
Example of 1); Flag of Baška, Croatia
- DESCATE
- (adj) A term used to describe a rounded (or lanceolate) fly into which a ‘V’ shaped notch
has been cut, and a shape often seen in UK cavalry guidons – cloven descate or
rounded swallowtail (see also
fly 1),
guidon 2),
hussar cut,
lanceolate,
pennant,
swallow tail(ed)).
![[descate flag]](../images/v/vx-gb~mepmb.gif)
![[descate flag]](../images/v/vx-bluesroy.gif)
Guidon of the Metropolitan Police Mounted Branch, UK;
Guidon of the Blues and Royals, UK (Graham Bartram)
Please note that in UK usage this pattern of flag/pennant is a direct development of the shape
formerly carried by formations of cavalry
– see chamfered swallow-tail.
![[descate flag]](../images/v/vx-gb^rgyc797.gif)
Guidon of the Royal Gloucestershire Yeomanry 1797, UK
- DESCENDING DIAGONAL
- 1) The term for a diagonal stripe that runs from the upper hoist to the
lower fly, and is centred on the corners of the flag – a bend, falling
diagonal, hoist-diagonal, right diagonal or right diagonal bar – but see
bend and Appendix IX (also
ascending diagonal,
east-west diagonal,
north-east diagonal,
north-south diagonal,
south-east diagonal,
south-north diagonal,
west-east diagonal,
west-north diagonal,
west-south diagonal.
- 2) The term may also be used to describe the division line on a bicolour
divided diagonally per bend as shown below – see per bend 1)
(also bicolour 1)).
Flag of Utrecht, The Netherlands;
Flag of L-Imqabba, Malta;
Flag of Rašov, Czechia
- DESECRATE
- 1) (v) To maliciously damage or mistreat a flag for political or other motives, or to use a flag in a
way that is considered disrespectful or inappropriate (see also
rules of respect
and Appendix II&).
- 2) See disfigure.
- DESIGNATING (OF HEADQUARTERS) FLAG
- See headquarters flag 2).
Designating/Headquarters Flag of a Brigadier General, US Army
- DESK FLAG (or DESK TOP FLAG)
- See table flag.
Desk/Table Flag of Gracišce, Croatia (fotw and CS)
- DESTINATION FLAG
- The term describing a custom whereby the flag of the country of destination
may be flown at the fore by a merchant ship or pleasure vessel
when about to sail (see also fore).
- DETAILED
- A term newly introduced into heraldic blazoning that may be used to describe the black or contrasting
shade employed in detailing a charge or charges – but see outlined
(also blazon, charge,
heraldry and lined 2)).
Flag of Saint-George, Switzerland;
Flag of Mairengo, Switzerland;
Flag of Chironico, Switzerland
Please not that this use of the term has been introduced by the Editors as no established or
unequivocal alternative could be discovered.
- DEVICE
- 1) Originally a heraldic term for a temporary mark extra to the coat of arms
to distinguish those who entered the lists at tournaments, it now refers specifically
to the motto (see motto).
- 2) The term used to describe those marks of difference that appear on English military
colours of the 17th century (see also stand 1) and
venn).
- 3) A term sometimes inaccurately applied to any charge, badge or emblem –
see badge,
charge,
emblem).
Major’s then First, Second and Third Captain’s Colours,
Westminster Liberty Regiment, London, England c1641
- DEXTER
- The heraldic term for the right hand side of a flag or shield from the point
of view of the bearer, or the left hand side from the point of view of an observer
(see also sinister).
- DEXTER EDGE
- 1) With regard to a shield see dexter above.
- 2) A term that may be used in describing the left hand facing edge of a banner or
gonfalon which is hung from a crossbar, and equivalent to the top edge of a conventionally
hoisted flag – the leading edge (see also
banner 2) and
gonfalon).
- DEXTER HOIST (HOISTED or HOISTING)
- Rarely employed terms, but those that may be used when the obverse of a flag is depicted (or is
manufactured) with its hoist to the observer's left in accordance with Western tradition –
left hoisted – see
dexter,
sinister hoist
(also hoist 1),
obverse,
reverse).
National Flag of Moldova
Please note, it is usually felt unnecessary to specify the dexter hoist since it is a default
assumption in most cases.
