Figure 1.--Here we see some of the members outsude the Southend White Ensign Club. The White Ensighn is the flag flown by the Royal Navy ships. Southend-on-Sea is a resort town on the Thames Estuary in Essex, southeast England. T hey were also associated with the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes (RAOB).

The White Ensign Clubs appear to be associations of Royal Navy veterans. The name comes from the white ensign flown by all Royal Navy ships. We sare not sure when they began to form. We kbow that some existed at the gime of World War II so it seems to have before the War. They seem to have been rather like fratermal orders which provided recreational activities as well as a range of services and assistabce to veterans and their families. This appears to hve been done exclusively at the local level. Clubs were organized not only in Britain, but in port cities of the Empire witha naval presence. We do not know of any nationl orgnization for the clubs, although they were assocuated with the Royal Navy Associatioin. A national association was eventually formed just for vthe Wjite Ensign Clubs. It was registered as a charity--the White Ensign Assocaition (1959). It weas founded jointly by the Royal Navy and the City of London in 1958. The Association was set up to provide a financial advisory service for all serving and retired personnel of the Royal Navy, the Royal Marines, the Queen Alexandra’s Naval Nursing Service, the former Women’s Royal Naval Service, Royal Fleet Auxiliary, their respective Reserves and families. The Assocition gradully expande to include help in resettlement and employment in civilian life.

Created: 8:44 AM 4/12/2021
Last updated: 8:44 AM 4/12/2021