Lot 199
A D-Day 48 star Ensign flown from LST-493, 6th June 1944 onward supplying the Normandy Beach Head,
flown on the beaches of Gold, Juno, Utah and Omaha
flown on the beaches of Gold, Juno, Utah and Omaha
36 x 39 in (widest part), (91.5 x 99 cm).
Amended
5 June 2014, 10:00 EDT
New YorkSold for US$386,500 inc. premium
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A D-Day 48 star Ensign flown from LST-493, 6th June 1944 onward supplying the Normandy Beach Head,
flown on the beaches of Gold, Juno, Utah and Omaha
flown on the beaches of Gold, Juno, Utah and Omaha
An American ensign flown from LST-493 Class Tank Landing Ship throughout the Normandy Invasion, from its first landing on Gold Beach with British Army at 1431 on 7th June to its continuous activity into Juno, Utah and Omaha from June to October. The hoist with 4 brass eyelets, and stenciled "no 10," the 48 star panel intact but the red and white stripe ground blown out and completely frayed by the weather conditions, together with two hand-written letters about flag by Clark page describing how he acquired the flag.
A particularly poignant symbol of the American landings in Normandy, the distressed nature of the flag symbolizes, in some sense, the struggle that was the invasion of Europe, the largest invasion that mankind has ever accomplished. With the nature of modern warfare and the realization that the old concepts of gathering and advancing with a flag, were prejudicial to the accuracy of modern firearms, the practice of going ashore with a national flag was forbidden, and so for this greatest of invasions, only the naval flags live to tell the tale of the Battle.
The tank landing ships were the work horses of the American invasion fleet, picking up forces from ships lying offshore and shuttling manpower and equipment in as fast as they could to secure the beachhead along a 60 mile front. LST-493 worked as hard as any of them. First in England it ferried troops to embarkation points in Hayling Island, setting off across the English Channel on June 5th, and waiting throughout the 6th June for instructions to land at Gold Beach. For the next five months it made 28 journeys into Gold, Juno, Utah and Omaha Beaches. Of battle flags that are known to have been flown at the Normandy landings, we know of only two others in private hands.
36 x 39 in (widest part), (91.5 x 99 cm).
A particularly poignant symbol of the American landings in Normandy, the distressed nature of the flag symbolizes, in some sense, the struggle that was the invasion of Europe, the largest invasion that mankind has ever accomplished. With the nature of modern warfare and the realization that the old concepts of gathering and advancing with a flag, were prejudicial to the accuracy of modern firearms, the practice of going ashore with a national flag was forbidden, and so for this greatest of invasions, only the naval flags live to tell the tale of the Battle.
The tank landing ships were the work horses of the American invasion fleet, picking up forces from ships lying offshore and shuttling manpower and equipment in as fast as they could to secure the beachhead along a 60 mile front. LST-493 worked as hard as any of them. First in England it ferried troops to embarkation points in Hayling Island, setting off across the English Channel on June 5th, and waiting throughout the 6th June for instructions to land at Gold Beach. For the next five months it made 28 journeys into Gold, Juno, Utah and Omaha Beaches. Of battle flags that are known to have been flown at the Normandy landings, we know of only two others in private hands.
36 x 39 in (widest part), (91.5 x 99 cm).
Footnotes
Provenance:
- Taken as a souvenir by Gunnery Watch Officer, Ensign Clark M Page, aged 22.
- The War Museum
Saleroom notices
Estimate should read: $25,000 to $35,000.