The ANZUS Corridor at the Pentagon.

By The Armorer on May 6, 2008 | | Comments (7)

ANZAC flags flying at the Castle. Australian Red Ensign on the left, New Zealand Blue Ensign on the right.

ANZUS Corridor Dedication Ceremony

Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England will host the ambassadors of Australia and New Zealand at a ceremony dedicating the new Pentagon corridor themed to honor the security treaty among Australia, New Zealand and the United States known as ANZUS, Tuesday, May 6 at 11 a.m. EDT, on the second floor of A-ring, between corridors eight and nine.

The new ANZUS Corridor also honors the 100-year history among Australia, New Zealand and the United States. The corridor exhibits several hundred artifacts that commemorate significant historical events beginning with the ANZUS Treaty to the Global War on Terrorism.

The ANZUS alliance has existed since 1951. It was originally sought by Australia and New Zealand to prevent a repetition of the circumstances that led to World War II. The alliance has evolved subsequently into a component part of the interlocking system of alliances linking the Western states. Collectively, these alliances deter aggression and prevent an outbreak of global conflict by creating mutually reinforcing links between the respective national interests and security capabilities of the Western states.

Today, the Red Ensign of Australia and the Blue Ensign of New Zealand (because if I flew the Kiwi Red Ensign, Murray would build a trebuchet with enough reach to arc Up Here from Down There and smash the flagpole.) will ripple from the Castle staffs.

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7 Comments

By Murray on May 7, 2008 12:24 AM
Can I have an eight figure grid reference for... wait. Never mind, carry on. You want to fly Australias merchant navy flag thats your business but the girls wear the blue one making it the hotest flag outside Gaza and the West Bank.
 
By Argent on May 7, 2008 4:04 PM
I gotta ask this one. Do you actually have the blue one?
 
By John of Argghhh! on May 7, 2008 4:51 PM
Yes. I do. And don't tell Murray - but I have the Red Ensign for Kiwi-land, too. I just know better than to tell him when it's flying, lest the Kiwi SBS/SAS show up.
 
By Murray on May 7, 2008 8:11 PM
We don't have an SBS and you DON'T want to meet our SAS. A lot of Taleban have, go ask them... oh wait, you can't. And I know where you live John... its North America somewhere, I'll find you. Can't be that many places methodically claiming to be an Australian merchant ship.
 
By Argent on May 8, 2008 8:53 AM
Well John you have my erm Our Royal Permission to fly the blue one one day. You know you're a serious history nut when ppl from the country are learning the flag's history from you. Ahh Murray when you pray hard enough to be with Allah how can He deny but send His little Angel's messages on their way?
 
By John of Argghhh! on May 8, 2008 9:29 AM
Argent - in the auld days, the blue ensign was the military ensign, and the red ensign was, as Murray declaims, flown by the merchant fleet. Technically, it was also the flag flown by civilians. The Ensigns: 1. White Ensign - flown by naval vessels and shore institutions, the Royal Yacht Squadron when escorting the Queen, and there are a few places/people authorized to fly the White because of a long-standing Naval connection. 2. Blue Ensign - flown by the State. 3. Red Ensign - flown by civilians, including the Merchant Marine. As I understand it, Canada's soldiers in the first world war fought under the Canadian Red Ensign, used before the adoption of the Maple Leaf flag. I chose to fly the Red as I'm a civilian under those rules. I could, on Trafalagar Day, fly the White Ensign, as Brit rules provide that anyone may fly the White on that day. When I fly the flag to honor Canadian WWI dead, I fly the Red. Because Murray has threatened my life and well being, I don't ever fly the Red Kiwi (at least not and post about it...). Should I ever host any of the local Brit, Kiwi, or Canadian officers attending the school or here as liaisons, I will fly the appropriate Blues, and the Maple Leaf for the Canadian.
 
By Murray on May 8, 2008 3:29 PM
Hostages pray to god for salvation, god sends the SAS. John the Canadian Red Ensign was in fact their national flag until their French element got all bitter. No Australian has ever considered the Australian Red Ensign as their national flag. When the RN ceased using red white and blue divisions they kept the white (Nelson, the RN wont do anything unless Nelson did it, said it or tripped over it), red went to the merchants and blue to government departments including the colonial office. The first national identifiers were in fact the blue ensign with an NZ painted on it and the Aussies did something similar. Don't make me break out my father the 37 year Navy sig and WO Yeoman of sigs on this one.