NATIONAL FLAG

"Respect" the National flag and it will inspire you. This is the basic message of the National Flag. It is a message which should reach every Sri Lankan because the National Flag is a symbol of our motherland, our independence and the unity of our people. It is a symbol of our hopes and aspirations for the Nation's future. Our earlier National flag was the Royal Standard of the last king of Kandy.

It had a Lion in yellow holding a sword in its right fore-paw, on a crimson background, four pinnacles or spires also in yellow are at the four corners with border running right round. Our present National flag is a part of the constitution of the Democractic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka promulgated on 07th September 1978. The Lion in yellow on crimson background has been retained. Four Bo leaves in yellow are at the four corners of the crimson background. Two vertical stripes of saffron and green of equal size represent the minorities.

AIR FORCE ENSIGN

When the Royal Ceylon Air Force was established on 2nd March 1951 with GP Capt. G.C. Bladen as the Commander a proper ensign had not been designed for the Royal Ceylon Air Force. On 23rd February 1951 a commission was appointed to decide on the National Arms and Badges of Ceylon, and ceremonials and other uniforms.

On 27th November 1951 the commission has recommended the use of the Air Force ensign. Air Force has replaced the Union flag of the RAF ensign with the lion flag which was the flag of the country at that time. The ensign is in sky blue colour with lion flag in the top left hand corner whilst the modified roundel of the RAF in the right hand corner

AIR FORCE ROUNDLE

When British aircrafts flew in battle for the first time in the First World War, they had no national markings, they were fired upon with equal impartiality by friend and foe from the ground. To enable British forces to identify British aircrafts, the Union Jack was painted on the upper and lower planes. Unfortunately, unless the aircraft was flying very low the cross on the Union Jack looked very much alike the German marking , and this did not solve the problem.

In October 1914, it was decided to adopt the more easily distinguishable three circles of red, white and blue then in use by the French Air Force , but the colours were reversed to blue white and red by the British. This roundel became the unofficial badge and battle colours of the British Air Force during the 1914-1918 war and have been carried into battle in all parts of the world.

When the Royal Ceylon Air Force ensign was designed in 1951, the RAF roundel of blue white and red was slightly modified by adding two wings of yellow and red, the Colours of the Lion flag at the time - on both sides of the Roundel. The three circles were changed to two circles of red/crimson and yellow with green and saffron wings depicting the colours of the present National Flag. The present SLAF Roundel, slash off its wings, continues to depict the colours of the National Flag but in four concentric rings with the area of the colours representing the ratio of the appearance of those colours in the National Flag.

The RAF pamphlet "Customs of the Services" states that countless numbers have died maintaining its prestige. However when the Royal Ceylon Air Force ensign was designed in 1951, the RAF roundel of blue white and red was slightly modified by adding two wings of yellow and red/crimson to either side of the roundel. ( Colours of the lion flag which was the flag of the country at that time.)

The Royal Ceylon Air Force then like other Air Forces decided to use this roundel as an Air Force ensign with colours of the flag of its particular country. Subsequently the three circles were changed to two circles of red/crimson and yellow with green and saffron wings depicting the colours of our present National flag of the country.