An urgent request from Leading Naval Nurse Carl Cowin in Iraq to his parents in Essex was answered by chance in an unexpected way.

Carl, who is serving in the Royal Naval Hospital in Shaibah military base, put out a plea for a White Ensign to fly on the main mast of the hospital’s military base on Trafalgar Day – permission having been granted.

Anxious to help their son but with no idea where to obtain a White Ensign at such short notice, Carl’s parents decided their best bet was to put out a request on their local radio, BBC Radio Essex.

It was by chance their request was heard by Rita, the wife of Ted Hurley, who is secretary of the Roydon branch of the Royal Naval Association – which by chance happened to have a number of White Ensigns, one of which they could spare.

With no time to lose, Ted got in touch with fellow committee members, who readily agreed that their spare White Ensign, measuring 8ft by 4ft, should be despatched as quickly as possible to Carl in the Middle East.

Within a week of its delivery to Carl’s parents, the White Ensign was flying high in Shaibah – in plenty of time for Trafalgar Day – and it remained flying there, until staff returned to the UK.

Still bearing traces of desert sand and showing a little wear and tear, the Roydon ensign is now back safely with its original owners, who proudly claim it to be a unique RNA trophy of the Iraq war.

It was returned to the branch by Carl, who, accompanied by his father Norman, an ex-Royal Navy stoker, and LNN Darren Fitzpatrick, attended a meeting of the branch.

A buffet and drinks were laid on for visitors and to mark the occasion, both Carl and Darren were presented with branch plaques by president Charles Haywood to remind them of their Roydon shipmates – and the benefits that membership of the Association bestows.