not at all
but I raced yachts inshore and offshore for a long time, so I've got a vague idea about the rules regarding flags etc and I suspect they are getting jacks and ensigns and what-have-you a bit mixed up.

I don't dispute their knowledge of the names of the union flag/jack however.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Mon 2 Jul 2012, 15:47, 2 replies, latest was 13 years ago)

Jackstaff lols

(dozers, do fuck off ur a nob m8, Mon 2 Jul 2012, 15:47, Reply)

Jack at the front, ensign on the back, innit?

( Kroney, Mon 2 Jul 2012, 15:48, Reply)

That's a night out for swipe

( sporters I’m sincerely gratitude to you, Mon 2 Jul 2012, 15:49, Reply)

I thought an Ensign was a naval rank.
Like Ensign Wesley Crusher in Star Trek:TNG

But, you know what, I'm happy to be corrected on that, because I don't proclaim to be an expert on these things.
(Bazongaloid, Mon 2 Jul 2012, 15:50, Reply)

ensign is the flag of national indentity on a vessel,
on a UK registered civilian vessel it's a union jack as the top left quarter of a red flag. on an RN vessel I think it's the same but blue.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Mon 2 Jul 2012, 15:55, Reply)

it is also a rank though
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ensign_(rank)#United_Kingdom
(Quintno EXPERIMENT RUINED CANCELLED, LEFT 4EVER, Mon 2 Jul 2012, 15:56, Reply)

possibly so
I'm not an expert in the navy.

*awaits strikethrough*
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Mon 2 Jul 2012, 15:57, Reply)

not an expert in the navy. a man who loves having hot dogs pushed up his arse
(Bazongaloid, Mon 2 Jul 2012, 15:59, Reply)

fair play sir. I wasn't expecting that strikethrough.

( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Mon 2 Jul 2012, 16:00, Reply)

no it definitely is, stop arguing with me

(Quintno EXPERIMENT RUINED CANCELLED, LEFT 4EVER, Mon 2 Jul 2012, 16:02, Reply)

Ensign is your flag of identity while under sail whilst out of home waters
And yep, at the back. Jacks are just kind of random flags flow from the mast or jackstaff whilst moored. I'm pretty sure that you aren't supposed to fly the union jack at all unless at war but I'm probably about to be proved wrong by Al here.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Mon 2 Jul 2012, 15:53, Reply)