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Inglefield Clip


  Invented by Lieutenant Edward Fitzmaurice Inglefield later Rear Admiral, about 1889 when serving onboard HMS AGINCOURT as Flag Lieutenant to Admiral Sir St. George Caufield D?Arcy-Irving. The clip was introduced into the Fleet in 1895 in HMS TRAFALGAR.


The inventor was serving in HMS TRAFALGAR as the Commander and recognised that the then current method of joining flags together was too slow, insecure and was constantly under criticism.


   The following document shows the service career of the inventor and is followed by a letter written by the inventor describing how the first Inglefield Clip came into being


The Inglefield Clip


Tufnell Box



  The Tufnell Box, thought to be named after Commander Tufnell, the first Royal Navy Superintendent of the Signal School who was appointed in 1895. The box consists of two hinged wooden (later brass) masts fitted in the box lid which extend vertically to represent the masts and yards of a ship. The yards and the mast are equipped with small rings for hanging the flags. In the box are slots for around 300 naval signal flags and shapes and are split into groups; alphabetical flags, numeral flags, Admiral's flags, shapes etc which can be hung from the masts thus allowing one trainee to signal to another.


  The presence of the group Aircraft Carrier Flags denotes that this Tufnell box dates it to the interwar/wartime period. In later years this type of Tufnell box was replaced with a more modern version made from metal with a magnetic 'mast'. The use of Tufnell boxes for training lasted until the mid 1970's when they fell out of favour.


Flag Lockers


Fast Patrol Boats
Flag Locker C, E & F
Painting of Pigeon Holes


Type C, E & F Flag Locker Dimensions


Type Height Length Depth To Stow One Set
C 4ft 8½ in 4ft 7½ in 10 in No 4 size flags
E 4ft 4 in 4ft 2½ in 9 in No 5 size flags
F 3ft 11½ in 3ft 9½ in 8 in No 6 size flags


A - Alpha

B - Bravo

C - Charlie

D - Delta

E - Echo

F - Foxtrot

G - Golf

H - Hotel

I - India

J - Juliet
 

K - Kilo

L - Lima

M - Mike

N - November

O - Oscar

P - Papa

Q - Quebec

R - Romeo

S - Sierra

T - Tango
 

U - Uniform

V - Victor

W - Whiskey

X - Xray

Y - Yankee

Z - Zulu
 

1 - One

2 - Two

3 - Three

4 - Four

5 - Five

6 - Six

7 - Seven

8 - Eight

9 - Nine

0 - Zero
 

1st Sub

2nd Sub

3rd Sub

4th Sub

Division

Flotilla

Port

Squadron

Station

Emergency

Speed
 

Pt 1 - One

Pt 2 - Two

Pt 3 - Three

Pt 4 - Four

Pt 5 - Five

Pt 6 - Six

Pt 7 - Seven

Pt 8 - Eight

Pt 9 - Nine

Pt 0 - Zero
 

Answer

Church

Corpen

Starboard

Desig

Formation

Interrogative

Negative

Preparative

Turn
 

Mast-Head Pennant



Numerary Signal Flags 1790 to 1810


>

FLAGS PLATES OF 1937 AND 1952

Click on image to open the Signal Card and enlarge

1908

1918

1937

1948

1952



DRESS SHIP



HMS Monmouth pre commissioning Ensign