Hello and help.
 

Hi all, my name is Nick and I live in Oxfordshire. I am trying to do some research on an RAF Jacket that I found during a house clearance, last week. The former owner was a pilot during WW2 and became well known in later life for making model engines. An article that I found written about him recalls that he was a glider tug pilot and flew in the second wave at Arnhem.
The jacket has a Parachute Regt cap badge affixed to the breast pocket and I am trying to find out some more about that. I have been told that these were unofficially awarded to Aircrew who took part in that operation. I have been sent a photo of pilots wearing the badge at RAF Harwell but haven't found any other images and wondered if anyone has come across anything similar or has other photos of this badge being worn that they could share?
Also the medal bar is missing the F & G star, if he was based in the far east as a tug pilot could he have been brought back to take part in that operation? Many thanks in advance. Kind regards Nick

Welcome to the Forum Spindlewood Cottage. Your account is active and open for posts.

Hello,

If the medal bar is original to the blouse, which doesnt show the F&G star as you state, then he didnt participate in any operations in/over France, Belgium, Holland or Germany between 6.6.1944 and 8.5.1945, which of course includes operations at Arnhem.

regards

Not seen a zip fitted to a BD blouse before! Does it still have a label? Regards, Paul.

Is the jacket dated and named to owner inside.

The cap badge should be lugged is it? And if you know the owner have you researched him,

Likewise I have never seen a zipper on BD before either, has any other ephemera come with it.

Regards

Stephen

The addition of the zip was apparently a period modification which the original owner would have done himself. There is a label dated 1944 it isn't named but it was found during the house clearance in amongst his belongings at his home following the death of his wife - this was an article that I found online written about him which mentions his involvement at Arnhem. www.modelenginenews.org/people/martin.html
I do have a copy of his drivers licence from the 1950's and subsequently his RAF number so trying to find out more information on his career. I have attached a photo of the label and the fitting of the badge.

Hi Paul, apparently the zip was a period modification that would have been added by the pilot, the zip is manufactured by Ideal - photo attached. I have been trying to find photos of other RAF blouses with a zip modification.

I have now received a few photos of aircrew wearing the parachute regt cap badge. It seems to have been worn by aircrews as unofficial recognition of working alongside airborne troops? Would anyone know anymore about this?

zipped blouses were not uncommon. are you sure you have the right Martin ?
squadron ORB's have several Martin's but not with those initials. his service number can be cross checked with ORB.

Thanks for replying, yes it is the correct Martin his service number was 1583581.
I can't seem to find anymore out about his RAF career other than what was written in the two articles following his death in 2010.

His service number is actually 1583521, I had it noted down incorrectly. I can't find him listed at all on any of the aircraft that flew at Arnhem though, so I guess that his friends recollection in the above article is incorrect and explains the lack of the F & G star.