Pennon

Pennoncell, streamer[2] and wimpel[3] are minor varieties of this style of flag (see variant types).

In the 11th century, the pennon was generally square, the fly end being decorated with the addition of pointed tongues or streamers, somewhat similar to the oriflamme.

In shape this was a scalene triangle, obtained by cutting diagonally the vertically oblong banner.

The streamer, so called in Tudor days but now better known as the pennant or pendant, was a long, tapering flag, which it was directed "shall stand in the top of a ship or in the forecastle, and therein be put no arms, but the man's cognisance or device, and may be of length 20, 30, 40 or 60 yards (55 m), and is slit as well as a guidon or standard".

[9] Besides the white ensign, ships commissioned in the Royal Navy fly a long streamer from the maintopgallant masthead.

Now, however the pennant is a long white streamer with the St George's cross in the inner portion close to the mast.

Pennants have been carried by men-of-war from the earliest times, prior to 1653 at the yard-arm, but since that date at the maintopgallant masthead.

The commissioning pennant in ships may end in a point, but they can also be forked, in which case it is also called a banderole.