Quick answer
Romeo represents the letter R: a red flag with a yellow cross. The official New Zealand 2025–26 chart leaves its single-letter meaning blank. This does not make R obsolete or meaningless in every signalling context. Official identification chart.
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| Code letter and spelling name | R — Romeo |
| Pattern | Yellow cross on a red field |
| Standalone flag meaning | None printed in the cited 2025–26 official chart |
| Hoist-to-fly ratio | Not established here as an official manufacturing requirement |
| Cross dimensions | No verified numerical construction dimensions supplied |
| Colour standards | Red and yellow; no verified physical colour targets or digital equivalents supplied |
Construction and reproduction
The official identification chart supports the pattern, but this proposal does not establish a manufacturing specification. Do not derive exact proportions, cross widths or colour coordinates by measuring its artwork. Common manufactured versions require their own documented specifications. Screen colours are approximations; an editorial reconstruction would need to be labelled accordingly.
Meaning depends on context
In the Code, R followed by numerals indicates distance in nautical miles. Its radiotelephony instructions also use R to acknowledge receipt of a transmission. These contextual uses should not be presented as a universal meaning for the flag flown alone. Publication 102, Chapter 1.
Historical context
The revised International Code was adopted by IMCO in 1965; the 1969 edition became effective on 1 April 1969. These dates concern the Code revision, not a verified first adoption of Romeo’s design. The cited evidence does not establish that design’s original introduction date. Publication 102, title page and preface.