Portuguese Army

Exército Português

Last modified: 2024-11-16 by klaus-michael schneider
Keywords: army | lion |
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• The Portuguese Army Flag
• Portuguese Military Academy Flag
• Portuguese Military Academy Banner of Arms
• Portuguese Army Unit Flags

• Portuguese Army combat units
• Portuguese Army support units
• Portugal
• Portuguese era millitary flag in Ocussi Ambeno, East Timor

The Portuguese Army Flag

The Portuguese army flag is red with a golden lion holding a sword. Both sources depict the sword as Argent hilted Or but not as Or.
Sources: here, this photo, here and here
João Madureira, 2 May 1998, Zoltan Horvath and Klaus-Michael Schneider, 26 Oct 2024, António Martins-Tuválkin, 2 Nov 2024

The Portuguese Military Academy Flag

Source displays a 2nd flag (right on image), on which the lion holds an open book Or by his sinister forepaw. Regarding the flag with book on that picture, this is flag of the Military Academy.
Sources: military academy webpage and here here
Zoltan Horvath and Klaus-Michael Schneider, 26 Oct 2024

The Portuguese Military Academy Banner of Arms

The banner of arms is white with centred greater arms.
Source: this image
António Martins-Tuválkin, 2 Nov 2024

Portuguese Army Unit Flags

Talking about flags, [sjcXX] says:

The Army’s heraldic flags are for use on parade, and are divided into:

• flammes for companies, or equivalent;
• guidons de mérite, for platoons or companies which, having performed a feat of arms of exceptional worth, have been awarded a decoration equivalent to, or greater than, the War Cross 1st Class;
• étendards for regiments or equivalent, and exceptionally for independent companies and battalions;
• gaillardets for generals exercising command, in command of Arms or Services, or members of the government.

Unit heraldic flags always accompany the commanding officer on parades.

[sjcXX] quotes from the regulations — decree 24107 of 3rd June 1969, published in L’Ordre de l’Armée 1st series, no.6 of 30th June 1969:

• Flamme: an isoceles triangle, bearing the symbol of the unit, either painted or embroidered.
  • Flamme pour marquage: 0.375 m × 0.25 m;
  • Flamme pour hisser: 0.5 m × 0.25 m
• Guidon: 0.75m square, bearing a plain, or parti-coloured border around the arms (or device) of the unit. Embroidered in gold, silver and silk. Cords and tassels in the heraldic livery colours. The flag is attached to the staff by three broad loops. There is a second horizontal staff at right angles to the main staff to keep the flag deployed.
• Guidon de mérite: red with a yellow rampant lion, holding in its right claws an antique sword, whilst above is an inscription in gold giving details of the feat of arms, all within a gold border charged with laurel leaves. Size and staff as the guidon.
• Etendart: 1m square. Divided geometrically with a border of the “appropriate” metals and tinctures. It is possible to add a cross or saltire of a suitable metal or tincture. In the centre is a circular scroll bearing the unit’s name or motto; this encloses the unit coat of arms, sometimes with a laurel wreath. At each corner of the sheet can be added either the unit’s abbreviation or number. It is also possible to add inscriptions about the unit’s feats of arms on the sheet, especially on the border, but never on the arms or the cross. Cords and tassels in the heraldic livery colours.
• Gaillardet: square, except for use on vehicles, when it is 0.4 m × 0.3 m. Generals commanding Arms and Services have a plain flag bearing their respective shields superimposed on the emblem of the Arm or Service. Generals commanding formations, Quarter-Master General, Adjutant-General, Vice-Chief of Army Staff, Inspector-General, and Chief of Army Staff bear a flag with a border in a tincture and a metal, around “the proper symbol”. Those of members of the Government bear the “proper symbol” without the border.

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