RNAS Collar Badges

[Postwarden]

I don't claim to know much about the Royal Naval Air Service but have not come across the eagles worn as they are in this photo.

Can anyone enlighten me as to what if anything they signify apart from -presumably - service with the RNAS.

Thanks,

Jon

[manchesters]

Jon,

Chief Petty Officers qualified as pilots wore the eagle badges on the collar in gilt. He must be a CPO or Acting up etc.

regards

[dragon166]

Postwarden - see my RAF book. The rank is CPO as he is wearing a bullion cap badge. At the time Petty Officers wore a red embroidered cap badge the same as other ranks. I think it was about 1920 that they got the badge with surrounding wreath. The eagles show that he is Air Branch not that he is a pilot.
Dave

[manchesters]

My information re Pilot comes directly from May, Carmen & Tanners book, but I accept you are knowledgeable in this subject.

regards

[Frank Kelley]

Without his identity, the date the photograph was taken and not being able to see if he is wearing the badge on his cuff, it would not be possible to say.

Originally Posted by manchesters

My information re Pilot comes directly from May, Carmen & Tanners book, but I accept you are knowledgeable in this subject.

regards

[Frank Kelley]

They appear to be very common from 1915 and I would have thought that you presume quite correctly that they simply show that the man concerned was serving in the RNAS.

Originally Posted by Postwarden

I don't claim to know much about the Royal Naval Air Service but have not come across the eagles worn as they are in this photo.

Can anyone enlighten me as to what if anything they signify apart from -presumably - service with the RNAS.

Thanks,

Jon

[mike_vee]

Found a couple of posts on GWF :

"Chief Petty Officers were marked by just a woven gilt wire and white metal (anchor) cap badge on a black velvet backing and collar badges comprising gilt eagles with outspread wings (no arm badges). "

The second post shows "a pilot in the RNAS/RAF (1917-1919) and a photo of him in his RNAS uniform" , this shows no collars but eagles on both cuffs.

https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/...omment-2570178

[royston]

Yes the guy is a Chief Petty Officer. Also, Chief's (General branch) often wore the metal eagle on their collars. I have not seen a photo of a general branch chief with an embroidered badge, but I have seen photographs of chief's with other embroidered badges, such as RNAS AAC.

John

[dragon166]

Her is a pic of a RNAS CPO wearing embroidered collar eagles.
Dave

[royston]

A photograph of a general branch CPO, at the attachment and seen on ebay, wearing metal eagles on a khaki uniform.

[royston]

Hi Dragon166

It would be interesting to get a magnifying glass on to your photograph to double check that they are not large metal eagles. It is hard to see the outline of a woven badge from your photo, but I'm sure you are right although I have only seen small metal badges to date for general branch.

John

[dragon166]

Hi Royston
Unfortunately I don't have the actual photo and when expanded the image I have just pixelates. However I have found another picture where they definitely look embroidered - see what you think!
Dave

[royston]

Agree with you. I hve only found metal devices until now.

Regards

John

[royston]

Another photograph from my collection showing a CPO with a metal badge,