An appeal was made recently from the Prime Minister’s Office in London that the Union Jack, flag and symbol of the British Isles, should be flown from prominent public buildings on 365 days in the year. The implication in this appeal is that we, the British people, should fly our national flag nation-wide in order to remind British citizens that we have a culture and an identity, recognised throughout the world, that we should be proud of.
We the British people, have a tendency to be modest and self-effacing and rather less than forthright in promoting the values that we stand for and in promulgating the enormously rich heritage that has for centuries formed the basis of our tradition. Flying the flag, displaying the symbol that unifies the British people, is a call to modest people to show the world that although dormant we are not in permanent hibernation.
Let us be more active! Let us proudly present ourselves as a people with a heritage that is paramount!
Everyone is aware of Bastille Day, 14th July, in the French Calendar; Independence Day, 4th July, in the American Calendar; Mardi Gras, Shrove Tuesday, celebrated with a carnival in Rio de Janeiro; May Day, in Moscow, with its annual, military parade; Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement. France, U.S.A., Argentina, Russia, Israel all have their special, national day. Let us make the world aware of April 23rd, St. George’s Day, a National Day in the English Calendar!
Countries which have well publicised, national days seem to promote them with gusto. They wear distinctive costumes, dance in traditional style, hold processions of one kind or another, feast, fast and celebrate - we should do the same. We must promote English culture and English traditions on 23rd April each year, which is the anniversary of the birth of William Shakespeare in 1564 and the day set aside in memory of England’s Patron Saint, St. George.

I have in front of me a beautiful card, provided by Geoff Walton of the South Thanet Branch of the United Kingdom Independence Party, which is published by the notable magazine, ‘This England’. On the front of the card is a shield with the red cross of St. George, a two-handed sword, a lance, a crest of English roses and a red and white banner proclaiming St. George for England!

Inside the card these words appear:

May the goodness of St. George,
the Patron Saint of England,
inspire and bless you and yours
on this our nation’s Festival Day

On the back of the card are the Stratford Bard’s famous lines from his historical play, Richard 3rd:

This royal throne of kings, this sceptred isle,
This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars,
This other Eden, demi-paradise,
This fortress built by Nature for herself
Against infection and the hand of war,
This happy breed of men, this little world,
This precious stone set in the silver sea,
Which serves it in the office of a wall,
Or as a moat defensive to a house,
Against the envy of less happier lands,
This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England.
As a happy breed we send birthday cards to our relatives

As a happy breed we send birthday cards to our relatives, Christmas cards to friends and neighbours, Get Well cards to the sick, Mother’s Day cards, Father’s Day cards, Anniversary Cards and so on. Let us now celebrate 23rd April, England’s National Day, with a patriotic card which echoes Henry 5th’s cry before Harfleur: ‘God for Harry, England and St. George!’