Information about Half Staff

Half-staff or half-mast describes a flag flying approximately halfway up a flagpole or ship's mast (though anywhere from one-third to two-thirds of the way up is acceptable, but see below). This is done in many countries as a symbol of respect, mourning, or distress.

The tradition of flying the flag at half-mast began centuries ago to allow the invisible flag of death to fly on top of the mast, thus signifying death's presence, power, and prominence.^[1] In some countries, for example the UK, and especially in military contexts, a "half-staff" flag is still flown exactly one flag's width down from its normal position, and no lower, in order to allow for this flag of death. This was the original flag etiquette. However, with larger flags on shorter hoists on many public buildings, the practice of actual half-staff has become common, especially outside the UK, where it is now standard to fly the flag at halfway up the mast regardless of the size of the flag or hoist. (For modern UK practice see below.)

When hoisting a flag that is to be displayed at half-staff, it should be hoisted to full staff for an instant, then lowered to half-staff. Likewise when it is lowered at the end of the day, it is to be hoisted to full staff for an instant, and then lowered.

The terms half-staff and half-mast are generally considered synonymous, despite common folk theories that half-mast should be reserved for nautical uses. Which variant predominates varies with language community (e.g., Canadian vs. British vs. U.S. English).^[2]

Examples

Australia

The Flag of Australia is flown half-staff in Australia:

• On the death of the Sovereign – from the time of announcement of the death up to and including the funeral. On the day the accession of the new Sovereign is proclaimed, it is customary to raise the flag to the top of the staff from 11 a.m..
• On the death of a member of a royal family.
• On the death of the Governor-General or a former Governor-General.
• On the death of a distinguished Australian citizen. Flags in any locality may be flown at half-staff on the death of a notable local citizen or on the day, or part of the day, of their funeral. Recent examples include the death of naturalist Steve Irwin.
• On the death of the head of state of another country with which Australia has diplomatic relations – the flag would be flown on the day of the funeral.
• On ANZAC day the flag is flown half-staff until noon.
• On Remembrance Day flags are flown at peak till 10:30 am, at half-staff from 10:30am to 11:03am, then at peak the remainder of the day

Canada

Flags are flown at half-staff in Canada:

• Upon the death of the Sovereign, the current Governor General of Canada or the current Prime Minister of Canada: from the time of notification of death until sunset on the day of the funeral or the memorial service.
• Upon the death of the Sovereign's spouse, the Heir to the Throne, the Heir of the Heir to the Throne, a former Governor General, the Chief Justice of Canada, government ministers, or a former Prime Minister: from the time of notification of death until sunset on the day of the funeral or, if there is to be a memorial service, the half-staff should take place from the time of notification of death until sunset the following day and from sunrise to sunset on the day of the memorial service.
• April 28, Day of Mourning for Persons Killed or Injured in the Workplace (coinciding with World Day for Safety and Health at Work)
• June 23, National Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism.
• Last Sunday in September, Police and Peace Officers' National Memorial Day
• November 11, Remembrance Day
• December 6, National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.
• On the following days, half-staffing of the flag on the Peace Tower is mandatory:
• April 9, Vimy Ridge Day
• Annual memorial service on Parliament Hill to remember deceased parliamentarians
• September 11, America Remembers. In addition, flags are half-staffed at Canadian diplomatic missions in the United States.
• Sometimes, at discretionary occasions, the flag is half-staffed not just at the Peace Tower, but on all other federal facilities (some examples included 9/11, 9/11 anniversary, state funeral of Ronald Reagan, the tsunami in Asia, the Mayerthorpe Incident, death of Pope John Paul II, London bombings, following the death of Ernest Alvia "Smokey" Smith (the last living Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross)), and the state funeral of Gerald Ford.

Germany

The German flag, the flags of its federal states, etc. are flown at half-staff on:

• January 27, Day of Remembrance for the Victims of National Socialism
• National Day of Mourning (second to last Sunday in November)

India

The flag of India is flown at half-staff for the death of the President, Vice-President and Prime Minister all over India. For the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the Chief Justice of The Supreme Court of India, it is flown in Delhi and for a Union Cabinet Minister it is flown in Delhi and the state capitals. For Minister of State, it is flown only in Delhi. For a Governor, Lt. Governor and Chief Minister of a state or union territory it is flown in the concerned state.

If the intimation of the death of any dignitary is received in the afternoon, the flag shall be flown at half-staff on the following day also at the place or places indicated above, provided the funeral has not taken place before sun-rise on that day. On the day of the funeral of a dignitary mentioned above, the flag shall be flown at half-staff at the place of the funeral.

In the event of a half-staff day coinciding with the Republic Day, Independence Day, Mahatma Gandhi's birthday, National Week (6th to 13th April), any other particular day of national rejoicing as may be specified by the Government of India or in the case of a state, on the anniversary of formation of that state, flags are not permitted to be flown at half-staff except over the building where the body of the deceased is lying until it has been removed and that flag shall be raised to the full-staff position after the body has been removed.

Observances of State mourning on the death of foreign dignitaries are governed by special instructions issued from the Ministry of Home Affairs (Home Ministry) in individual cases. However, in the event of death of either the Head of the State or Head of the Government of a foreign country, the Indian Mission accredited to that country may fly the national flag on the above mentioned days.

Israel

The Flag of Israel is flown at half-staff in Israel:

• On Yom HaShoah, or the Holocaust Remembrance Day.
• On Yom Hazikaron, or Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism Remembrance Day.
• On other national days of mourning.

Netherlands

The flag of the Netherlands is flown at half-staff on the WWII Remembrance Day and at the death of a member of the royal family.

Saudi Arabia

The flag of Saudi Arabia is never flown at half-staff because the flag shows the shahadah. Since it bears the "name of God (Allah)", the flag is never lowered to half-staff as a sign of mourning.

United Kingdom

The Royal Standard, the flag of the British monarch, is never flown at half-mast, because the monarch never dies: the throne passes immediately to the successor.

There was some controversy in the United Kingdom in 1997 following the death of Diana, Princess of Wales that no flag was flying at half-mast at Buckingham Palace. Until 1997, the only flag to fly from Buckingham Palace was the Royal Standard, the official flag of the reigning British sovereign, which would only fly when the sovereign was in residence at the Palace (or, exceptionally, after the death of the sovereign, the flag of the next senior member of the Royal Family would be raised, if the new sovereign were not present); otherwise, no flag would fly.

In response to public outcry that the palace was not flying a flag at half mast, Queen Elizabeth II ordered a break with protocol, replacing the Royal Standard with the Union Flag at half-mast as soon as The Queen left the Palace to attend the Princess' funeral at Westminster Abbey. The Royal Standard was again flown (at full hoist) on her return to the Palace. Since then, the Union Flag flies from the Palace when the Queen is not in residence, and has flown at half mast upon the deaths of members of the Royal Family, such as the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret, and other times of national mourning such as following the terrorist bombings in London on 7 July 2005.

In the UK, the correct way to fly the flag at half mast is two-thirds between the top and bottom of the flagstaff, according to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, which decides the flying, on command of the Sovereign. The flag may be flown on a government building at half mast on the following days:

• From the announcement of the death up to the funeral of the Sovereign, except on Proclamation Day when flags are hoisted to full staff, from 11am until sunset.
• The funerals of members of the royal family, upon command of the Sovereign.
• The funerals of foreign rulers, upon command of the Sovereign.
• The funerals of prime ministers and ex-prime ministers of the UK, upon command of the Sovereign.
• Other occasions, by special command of the Sovereign.

If a flag flying day coincides with a half-mast flag flying day (including the death of a royal), the flag is flown at full mast unless a specific command is received from the Sovereign.

If more than one flag is flown on a half mast day, they must be all be flown at half staff, or not at all. The flag of a foreign nation must never be flown at half mast on UK soil unless that country has declared mourning.

United States

In the United States, the President can issue an executive order for the flag of the United States to be flown at half-staff upon the death of principal figures of the United States government, and others, as a mark of respect to their memory. When such an order is issued, all government buildings, offices, public schools and military bases are to fly their flags at half-staff. Under federal law (4 U.S.C. 7(f)), the flags of states, cities, localities, and pennants of societies, shall never be placed above the flag of the United States; thus, all other flags also fly at half-staff when the U.S. flag has been ordered to fly at half-staff.

Governors of the several U.S. states or territories are authorized by federal law to order all U.S. and state flags in their jurisdiction flown at half-staff as a mark of respect for a state official or resident who has died. Since a governor's executive order affects only his or her state, not the entire country, these orders are distinguished from presidential proclamations.

U.S. Code provides that the flag of the United States is to be flown at half-staff in following circumstances:

• For thirty days after the death of a current or former president, as occurred after the death of President Reagan and the death of President Ford.
• For ten days after the death of a current vice president, chief justice, or speaker of the House of Representatives.
• From the day of death until interment of an associate justice of the Supreme Court, a secretary of an executive or military department, a former vice president, or the governor of a state, territory, or possession.
• On the day of death and the following day for a member of Congress- i.e. a senator, a representative, a delegate, or the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico.
• On Memorial Day until noon.
• Upon presidential proclamation, which have recently included: the Oklahoma City bombing, the remembrance of the 9/11 attacks, the death of Pope John Paul II, the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster in 2003, the victims of Hurricane Katrina, the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, the deaths of Coretta Scott King and Rosa Parks, and the Virginia Tech massacre.

US federal law requires the flag be flown at half-staff on Peace Officers Memorial Day (May 15), unless that day is also Armed Forces Day. Yearly presidential proclamations also mandate that the flag be flown at half-staff on Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day (December 7), National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day (July 27) and September 11 (Patriot Day).

The flag of the United States may only properly be flown at half-staff pursuant to a provision of federal law, a presidential proclamation, or a gubernatorial proclamation in the state concerned. Under any other circumstance, the flag of the United States is supposed to be flown at full-staff.

See also

• Flag of Hong Kong
• Flag of India

References

External links

• US Flag Code Concerning Flag Display
• Canadian Heritage announcements of half-masting
• Canadian rules for half-masting