Striking the colors—meaning lowering the flag that signifies a ship's or garrison's allegiance—is a universally recognized indication of surrender, particularly for ships at sea. For a ship, surrender
HMS Iphigenia striking her colours at the Battle of Grand Port in 1810
Ville de Paris striking her colours at the Battle of the Saintes in 1782
Surrender, in military terms, is the relinquishment of control over territory, combatants, fortifications, ships or armament to another power. A surrender may be accomplished peacefully or it may be t
Striking the colors
…Striking the colors—meaning lowering the flag (the "colors") that signifies a ship's or garrison's allegiance—is a universally recognized indication of surrender, particularly for ships at sea. For a ship, surrender is dated from the time the ensign is struck. "Colours. A national flag (or a battle ensign). The…
Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel signing the German Instrument of Surrender at the Soviet headquarters in Karlshorst, Berlin, on 8 May 1945.
10,000 Indian troops completely cornered by the ottomans and forced into a unconditional surrender at Kut-al-Amara (1916).
Representatives on board the USS Missouri to effect the surrender of Japan at the end of World War II
Troops of the Suffolk Regiment surrendering to the Japanese after the Battle of Singapore, 1942