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Dictionary of Vexillology: T (Tab - Teutonic Cross)

On this page:

TAB
TABARD
TABLE FLAG (or TABLETOP FLAG)
TACK
TACK PIN
TACKLINE
TAILS
TAKBIR
TALONED
TANGLE ROD
TANZENSPITZKREUZ
TAPERED SWALLOWTAIL
TASSELS
TATZENKREUZ
TAU CROSS
TELEGRAPH FLAG
TELEGRAPHING
TEMPLAR CROSS
TEMPLATE FLAG
TENNÉ
TERRY
TERRITORIAL ARMS (or COAT OF ARMS)
TERRITORIAL FLAG
TEUTONIC CROSS

TAB

A small piece of leather sewn into the sleeve of a flag fastened to a screw head protruding from the staff, and designed to keep an indoor flag, parade flag or military colour from slipping (see also ‘colour 2)’ and ‘sleeve 2)’).

Please note that this is an alternative to a grommet and clip or decorative nails as methods of fixing a parade flag or military colour to its staff. It should be noted also however, that the practice of tying a parade flag or military colour to its staff, or affixing it with metal rings, is not entirely obsolete (see also ‘ties’).

TABARD

1) In US army usage, a trumpet banner - see ‘bannerette’.

2) The formal surcoat worn by a herald on ceremonial occasions, and emblazoned with those arms appropriate to the particular office involved (see also ‘coat of arms 2)’).

Court of Lord Lyon King of Arms, Scotland (International Heraldry)

TABLE FLAG (or TABLETOP FLAG)

A small flag, frequently mounted on a cross bar whose staff and stand make it suitable for display on a desk or podium – a desk flag (see also ‘flaglet’ and ‘handwaver’).

Table Flag of Gračišće, Croatia (fotw and CS)

TACK

1. The nautical term for a line which is spliced into (or attached to) a grommet or eyelet at the foot of a flag’s hoist for securing it to its halyard (see also ‘grommet 1)’, ‘halyard’, ‘hoist 2)’, ‘Inglefield clips’, ‘splice’ and ‘tackline’).

2. A term for the lower hoist corner of a flag (see also ‘hoist 2)’).

TACK PIN

See ‘belaying pin’.

Tack/Belaying Pins (Wikipedia)

TACKLINE

A nautical term for a length of halyard fitted with Inglefield clips at both ends which is used to separate different signal hoists on the same halyard (see also ‘halyard’, ‘hoist 2)’ ‘Inglefield clips’ and 'tack').

TAILS

Two or more projections extending from the fly of a flag or the bottom edge of a gonfalon, hanging flag or banner, either varying in width/length or of even size, sometimes triangular or possibly straight-sided with rounded, triangular or squared ends – tongues (See also ‘gonfalon’, ‘multiitailed’, ‘swallow-tail(ed)’ and ‘triangular-ended tails’.

Gonfalon/Ceremonial Flag of Kumrovec, Croatia (fotw); Gonfalon/Ceremonial Flag of Breznički Hum, Croatia (fotw); Gonfalon/Ceremonial Flag of Baska, Croatia (fotw); Flag of Beckov, Slovakia (fotw); State Flag of Iceland (fotw)

TAKBIR

A term for the Arabic inscription Allahu Akbar or “God is Great” that has appeared on several Arab Flags and can currently be seen on those of Iran and Iraq (see also ‘shahada’ and ‘zulficar’).

National Flag of Iraq (official website); National Flag of Iran (fotw); Flag of the Waziristan Resistance Movement c1930, Pakistan (fotw)

TALONED

See ‘armed’ (also ‘membered’).

Arms and Flag of Brandenburg, Germany (fotw)

TANGLE ROD

A metal implement attached to a flagpole (particularly one set at an angle from a building) that clasps a flag and prevents it wrapping itself around the pole (see also ‘flag pole’, ‘flag spreader’, ‘outrigger pole’ and ‘weighted fly’).

TANZENSPITZKREUZ

The German term for a “Latin cross fitchy” – see ‘cross fitchy’ and ‘Latin cross’ in ‘Appendix VIII’.

TAPERED SWALLOWTAIL

See ‘broad command pennant’, ‘burgee 1)’, ‘burgee 2)’ and ‘burgee command pennant’.

Broad Command Pennant, USN (sea flags); Bourne Yacht Club, US (fotw); Burgee Command Pennant, USN (sea flags)

Please note that (in addition to the references given above) this term may also be applied to the flag of the state of Ohio or to the broad pennant – see ‘broad pennant 1)’.

Flag of the State of Ohio, US (fotw); Commodore’s Broad Pennant, Norway (fotw)

TASSELS

A decoration of twisted fabric or metal, often surrounding a wooden core and hanging from a cord, attached to a staff or directly onto a flag – especially a colour or parade flag (see also ‘colour 2)’, ‘cord(s) 1)’, ‘lanyard 1)’ and ‘parade flag 2)’).

Ceremonial Flag of Abedim-Moncao (detail), Portugal (fisisco)

TATZENKREUZ

See ‘cross pattée’ in ‘appendix VIII’

TAU CROSS

See ‘cross tau’ in ‘appendix VIII’.

Flag of L’Albiol, Spain (fotw)

TELEGRAPH FLAG

In British RN usage now obsolete, the flag invented by Admiral Popham and raised prior to a signal hoist to indicate whether the following flags were to be deciphered using a signal book or by his vocabulary code (see also ‘code pennant’, 'preparative' and ‘signal flag’).

Telegraph Flag in Popham’s Code

Please note that it remains unclear whether the telegraph flag in Popham’s Code was divided per bend, or per bend sinister as illustrated above, or indeed, whether any such a distinction was observed in use.

TELEGRAPHING