Thread: The WOG WING.
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Old 21-01-16, 12:30 AM
SAS1 SAS1 is offline
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Thanks for highlighting the piece by me on the WAG wing (I'm Alex) although that referred to the RAF version.

Re the WOG wing, which was RCAF issue, it was a genuine issue wing as far as I'm aware, and does indeed stand for 'Wireless Operator/Gunner' as opposed to the normally seen WAG ('Wireless/Air Gunner'). I believe it was made in error in a similar way to the Flight Engineer wing in the RAF.

When the trade of Flight Engineer was announced in 1942 it was variously noted in the press as Engineer, Aero Engineer and Flight Engineer (and possibly others). As such, tailors produced FE wings and AE wings although neither were authorised by the Air Ministry, who instead authorised a simple E. I have an example of the AE wing and have heard of them being worn, and have an FE wing and several photos of it being worn.

The officially authorised RCAF wing was WAG (in the RAF the WAG wing was another that was worn but never authorised. I have individual examples and one on the tunic of a DFC winner), and I believe the WOG was made in error. I think Warren notes in his book that it was used with caution as 'Wog' was a rather derisory term although this isn't quite so. The term Wog was used during the war in the same way as Nigger, usually in reference to African natives but not in the offensive way it's thought of now. (My grandfather, who was in Africa in tanks used to send poems back to my mum who was an infant. One was called 'Ahmed the Wog').

As to the question of was it worn or not I'd say yes, in small numbers and perhaps for a short time until the error was noticed and rectified. I have one on a black backing and consider it ok.

I do agree with Mike however when he mentions the back glowing. The example above looks like a Patch King repro that has had most of its white mesh backing removed.
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