Mike,
Fascinating film but what a palaver to engage one target.
The Gunner officer is indeed wearing an A as this extract from my book records.
The Carrier-Borne Ground Liaison Group (CBGL) was a survivor of wartime Combined Operations. First formed for North Africa in 1943, Carrier-Borne Air Liaison Sections helped Naval Air Squadrons recognise military equipment and assisted in briefing pilots providing air cover or carrying out ground attacks. Renamed CBGLs, over sixty sections existed at the end of the war. Much reduced in number, small post-war teams of Royal Marine and Army forward air control officers, supported by RASC drivers and clerks continued serving with the ship’s company of aircraft carriers.
In August 1951 the Carrier-Borne Ground Liaison Group’s HQ Section at RNAS Culdrose asked Southern Command to approve a formation badge as ‘it was customary in the past for this organization to wear the letter ‘A’ in gold on a navy blue background’. The request was turned down as too expensive after it was pointed out that the Culdrose Section comprised one officer and 12 ORs and only 32 all ranks served with the Group in the UK.
Although no record has been found of its approval 20 soldiers serving at sea with a CBGL section in 1955 were pictured in Soldier Magazine that February wearing the ‘A’ on the left arm under their arm title. Interestingly the officer in the film is wearing the A on his right arm.
Jon
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