page_title: Military colours, standards and guidons
section_title: The National Navy
hierarchical_section_title: Military colours, standards and guidons / Colours / Europe / France / The National Navy
caption_attribution_description: English: Colour guard of the 1st Regiment of naval fusiliers, Bastille Day 2008 military parade on the Champs-Élysées, Paris. Français&#160;: Garde au drapeau du 1er Régiment de fusiliers marins (RFM), défilé du 14 juillet 2008 sur les Champs-Élysées, Paris.
context_page_description: In military organizations, the practice of carrying colours, standards or guidons, both to act as a rallying point for troops and to mark the location of the commander, is thought to have originated in Ancient Egypt some 5,000 years ago. The Roman Empire also made battle standards a part of their vast armies. It was formalized in the armies of Europe in the High Middle Ages, with standards being emblazoned with the commander's coat of arms.
context_section_description: The Colours worn by the ships of the National Navy (Marine nationale) consist of the National Ensign and the jack:
  the National Ensign is flown at the stern and at the bowsprit if not replaced there by the FNFL jack or a military award jack;
  the FNFL jack is flown at the ship's jackstaff if the ship has fought with the Free French Naval Forces, or is named after such a ship;
  military award jacks may also be flown at the ship's jackstaff if the ship has received mention in dispatches (in which case crew members wear the corresponding fourragère).
  Currently, only eight individual National Navy units do have colours other than the National Ensign or the FNFL jack. Under recommendation 808 EMM/CAB of 5 December 1985, naval units to which colours can be bestowed must be those with manpower equivalent to that of a regiment, which are specialised in combat or services on land (or corps which have inherited their traditions from such units), and naval instruction centres or colleges. The flags are quite similar to those of Land Army units, the difference being the wreaths in corners which encircle anchors instead of name of unit, except for the Naval Gunners (initials CM) and the Fleet Engineering Cadets College (initials EAMF).
  As of today, these units are (between brackets is where the colours are currently kept):
  the 1ᵉʳ Régiment de fusiliers marins (École des fusiliers marins) – the 1st Naval Fusiliers Regiment (Naval Fusiliers College);
  the Demi-brigade de fusiliers marins (Compagnie de fusiliers marins de Cherbourg) – the Naval Fusiliers Half-Brigade (Cherbourg Naval Fusiliers Company);
  the Canonniers marins (Centre d' instruction naval de Saint-Mandrier) – the Naval Gunners (Saint-Mandrier Naval Instruction Centre);
  the École navale (Groupe des écoles du Poulmic) – the Naval College (Poulmic Schools Group);
  the École militaire de la flotte (Groupe des écoles du Poulmic) – the Fleet Military College (Poulmic Schools Group);
  the École des mousses (Centre d'instruction naval de Brest) – the Cabin Boys College (Brest Naval Instruction Centre);
  the École des apprentis mécaniciens de la flotte (Centre d' instruction naval de Saint-Mandrier)' – the Fleet Engineering Cadets College (Saint-Mandrier Naval Instruction Centre);
  the Bataillon de marins pompiers de Marseille (Bataillon de marins pompiers de Marseille) – the Marseille Marine Fire Battalion (The Marseille Marine Fire Battalion).
caption: Regimental flag of the 1st Naval Fusiliers at the Bastille Day Military Parade
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