Hi Nicollg
Thanks for your comments and observations, all very interesting, and closer to what I am trying to find.
It is evident that there are / were metal wings that were made and issued before the ‘proper’ versions were issued. When, it’s hard to know. Certainly an ‘S’ converted from a N was one, while mine appears cast aluminium, possibly from a mould using another wing. Mine is not solid like yours, so is certainly not an unfinished 1960s example, while the lower leg of the 'S' is longer than yours. Mine looks almost die struck, thinner than cast but rougher than die struck, and compared to my three others, ever so slightly rougher on the face. Interestingly it looks like the impression of an ‘S’ on the back, but it isn’t as its higher up on the back than on the front. All my wings are marked 'M & K, W', with the pilots wings additionally having the '44'. The 'S' wing however has no markings, although the usual place (by the lower lug) is covered by 'weld'.
Going by your thoughts, these ‘unofficial/converted’ metal S wings could have started to appear sometime in 1945?
With regards the RAF, as 1943 was drawing to a close it was becoming apparent that the dual trade of ‘wireless operator / air gunner’ was becoming redundant, and so from November 9th that year all Wop/AGs were remustered as ‘Wireless Operator (Air)’, with the trade of ‘wireless operator/air gunner’ being declared obsolete in December.
The ‘S’ wing was primarily introduced for Warrant Officers and officers who had been ‘wireless operator/air gunners’ who were reclassified as ‘Wireless Operator (Air)’. Previously the badges worn were the ‘AG’ Air Gunner wing for the gunner portion, and the ‘fist and sparks’ for the wireless portion. After reclassification the ‘AG’ wing was withdrawn, leaving them no badge to show their trade, as the ‘fist and sparks’ (being a trade badge) was not permitted to be worn by officers and Warrant Officers. The solution was the ‘S’ Signaller wing, was introduced on 6th January 1944 under AMO A.3/44 with the title ‘Signaller’ certainly in widespread use by mid-1944, not least as it was the official designation of the badge then worn. I have a large collection to a Flying Officer signaller who completed a tour of operations on Halifax’s (uniforms, flying gear and paperwork) and he is noted or described as ‘Signaller’ in official papers throughout.
The RAAF also introduced the ‘S’ wing in 1944, the title being ‘Wireless operator (Air)’ as well.
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