{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/geneva-conventions-act-1957/schedule-SECOND/part-6/crossheading-article-43",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/geneva-conventions-act-1957/schedule-SECOND/part-6/crossheading-article-43.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/Eliz2/5-6/52",
  "legislation_title": "Geneva Conventions Act 1957",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/geneva-conventions-act-1957",
  "path": "schedule/SECOND/part/6/crossheading/article-43",
  "kind": "crossheading",
  "number": null,
  "heading": "ARTICLE 43",
  "text": "The ships designated in Articles 22, 24, 25 and 27 shall be distinctively marked as follows:\n(a) All exterior surfaces shall be white.\n(b) One or more dark red crosses as large as possible shall be painted and displayed on each side of the hull and on the horizontal surfaces, so placed as to afford the greatest possible visibility from the sea and from the air.\nAll hospital ships shall make themselves known by hoisting their national flag and further, if they belong to a neutral state, the flag of the Party to the conflict whose direction they have accepted. A white flag with a red cross shall be flown at the mainmast as high as possible.\nLifeboats of hospital ships, coastal lifeboats and all small craft used by the Medical Service shall be painted white with dark red crosses prominently displayed and shall, in general, comply with the identification system prescribed above for hospital ships.\nThe above-mentioned ships and craft which may wish to ensure by night and in times of reduced visibility the protection to which they are entitled must, subject to the assent of the Party to the conflict under whose power they are, take the necessary measures to render their painting and distinctive emblems sufficiently apparent.\nHospital ships which, in accordance with Article 31 are provisionally detained by the enemy, must haul down the flag of the Party to the conflict in whose service they are or whose direction they have accepted.\nCoastal lifeboats, if they continue to operate with the consent of the Occupying Power from a base which is occupied, may be allowed to continue to fly their own national colours along with a flag carrying a red cross on a white ground, when away from their base, subject to prior notification to all the Parties to the conflict concerned.\nAll the provisions in this Article relating to the red cross shall apply equally to the other emblems mentioned in Article 41.\nParties to the conflict shall at all times endeavour to conclude mutual agreements in order to use the most modern methods available to facilitate the identification of hospital ships.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Eliz2/5-6/52/schedule/SECOND/part/6/crossheading/article-43",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T11:13:37.866578+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}