[Guzzman]

I think that ratings in the RNAS were simply deemed to be naval ratings - with skills that were felt to be interchangeable with those serving at sea (hence their use of existing trade badges). When the Naval Air Wing was first established applications were invited from ratings whose skills might be useful to the new service and most of those who transferred were petty officers and men 'dressed as seamen' (Class II uniform), rather than those employed in administrative, catering, medical or clerical work (Class III uniform). Many of the first photographs of ratings of the Naval Wing feature wood-working artificers and engineering tradesmen wearing the seamen's dress of this period.

It quickly became evident that the rig of a seaman wasn't really very suitable for duties in the Naval Air Wing and from July 1913 direct entry ratings into the Air Wing were being issued with Class III uniforms. This suggests that although it was felt necessary for them to wear a uniform appropriate to the duties they undertook, they were still simply regarded as naval ratings rather than members of a separate service. Hence their continued use of standard naval ratings buttons.

This is in direct contrast to the direct entry officers of the RNAS who were regarded as members of a separate organisation and who were not trained as naval officers with skills that could be used aboard ship - and who had to be clearly identified as what they were in case anyone mistook them for 'real' naval officers!

The bird on RNAS insignia is definately an eagle. Churchill wasn't very impressed with the first design produced as he thought the bird looked more like a goose than the eagle it was intended to be! Then in 1913 Captain Murray Sueter, the head of the Admiralty's Air Department, submitted a brooch that his wife had found in Paris as a design for the Naval Wing's insignia - the eagle design of the brooch was accepted as being suitable. I think that variations in the quality of the eagle are down to individual manufacturers!

Pete