Britain's oldest surviving naval flag is saved for the nation

A historic Union Flag that survived sea battles at the mast of Britain's flagship during the French revolutionary wars has been saved for the nation after ministers decided it should not fall into American hands.

The 18th-century flag was to be sold to an American collector until ministers declared it would be a "misfortune" to allow it to leave the UK.

The flag flew on the mast of the 'Queen Charlotte', flagship of Earl Howe, Admiral of the Fleet, during the battle of the Glorious First of June in 1794.

The battle, the first naval clash of the French revolutionary wars, was a major victory for the British – and confirmed the might of British sea power. The flag, which survived intact, was saved by William Burgh, a midshipman onboard the ship. The great clash is depicted in a painting by Philippe-Jacques de Loutherbourg, where the flag is shown flying from Earl Howe's mast.

The French declared war on the British in 1793, after the British expelled the French ambassador in response to the execution of King Louis XVI.

Richard Howe, known at the time as Black Dick because of his swarthy complexion, was a firm disciplinarian, of whom it was said he "never smiled unless a battle was at hand".

His flag, which last flew on D-Day during the Second World War and has been in a private British collection for decades, was judged by experts to be of national importance. A spokesman for the Department of Culture said. "This is the only surviving example of a command flag for the Admiral of the Fleet."