St Andrew the Patron of Scotland People often ask about the Scottish flag or ‘saltire’ which is also seen within the flag of Great Britain; the Union Jack. The Union Jack dates back to the union of Great Britain and Ireland in 1801. The flag combines aspects of three national flags: the red cross of St George of the Kingdom of England, the white saltire of St Andrew for Scotland (the two were united in the first Union Flag in 1606), and the red saltire of St Patrick to repres