second glider pilot wings and title

[appie_b]

Hi,

After long searching, and burning my fingers a few times on fake ones, I think I finally have completed my set for the glider pilot frame.

Albert.

[HamandJam]

Looks good, well done Albert! JB

[Frank Kelley]

Hello Albert,
I see you are in Ede, so just a few miles to the northwest of both the 1st Parachute Brigade DZ and 1st Airlanding Brigade's LZ, moreover, even closer to the 4th Parachute Brigade's DZ on the 18th, so tell me, just why is it so important to you, to have these badges.
The whole Market thing was a disaster, not just for the 1st Airborne Division, but, for the local population too, who then had to cope with the hardest winter for many years, no food or fuel, many homes destoryed as well.
Regards to you all in Holland!
Frank

Originally Posted by appie_b

Hi,

After long searching, and burning my fingers a few times on fake ones, I think I finally have completed my set for the glider pilot frame.

Albert.

[appie_b]

Hi Frank,

I am more than happy to explain why these badges are important to me.
As you noticed I live on the edge of the drop zones, that is also why my avatar is the airborne monument on the Ginkel Heath in Ede. As a child I heard all the stories about the war and many of them were related to the battle of Arnhem, the drop on the 18th of september and the Pegasus I and II operations which were organized by the local resistance in Ede. The aftermath of the battle had a big impact on the village when around a 150 airborne soldiers, including Gen. Hackett (read “I was a stranger”) were hiding in the village.

My main collecting area is Ede in the Second World War, and the battle of Arnhem is a big part of it. I know it left big scares in the area, but all I talked to who were there when it happened are forever grateful and experienced the first bit of hope after 4 dark years of occupation.
This is best expressed by the yearly remembrance mass parachute drop on the Ginkel heath around the 18 of September, which is still visited by veterans and every year it gives me goose bumps when they march of the heath under applause from the locals.

So I hope this explains why I have these badges on my wall and look at them and think about the hope these man gave my relatives now almost 70 year ago.

Regards,
Albert

[Frank Kelley]

Hello Albert,
I suspected your answer would be along those lines, yes, the people of Ede all had a part to play too back then, really desperate times and hard to imagine now what it was really like, Shan Hackett had commanded the 4th Parachute Brigade and had famously argued with Philip Hicks about the command of the division while General Urquart was stuck in Antoon Derkson's attic, but yes, he and all the others owed the people of Ede a great debt, they were taking a hell of a risk by sheltering our soldiers, not enough food for themselves or their families let alone British soldiers, dark days indeed.
Not very nice to have the "moffen" swaggering down your own streets and that wretched Seyss Inquart and Mussert too, not good!
I think "6-1/4" must have been really frightened by September 1944, I think he had in fact left the Hague to Apeldoorn, so as close to the German border as he could!
Anyway, it was all a long time ago, really pleased for you Albert, but, remember to leave some stuff for those of us in the UK to buy!
Kind regards Frank

Originally Posted by appie_b

Hi Frank,

I am more than happy to explain why these badges are important to me.
As you noticed I live on the edge of the drop zones, that is also why my avatar is the airborne monument on the Ginkel Heath in Ede. As a child I heard all the stories about the war and many of them were related to the battle of Arnhem, the drop on the 18th of september and the Pegasus I and II operations which were organized by the local resistance in Ede. The aftermath of the battle had a big impact on the village when around a 150 airborne soldiers, including Gen. Hackett (read “I was a stranger”) were hiding in the village.

My main collecting area is Ede in the Second World War, and the battle of Arnhem is a big part of it. I know it left big scares in the area, but all I talked to who were there when it happened are forever grateful and experienced the first bit of hope after 4 dark years of occupation.
This is best expressed by the yearly remembrance mass parachute drop on the Ginkel heath around the 18 of September, which is still visited by veterans and every year it gives me goose bumps when they march of the heath under applause from the locals.

So I hope this explains why I have these badges on my wall and look at them and think about the hope these man gave my relatives now almost 70 year ago.

Regards,
Albert

[Frank Kelley]

Hello Albert,
I forgot to ask you yesterday, have you been collecting for as long as you have been interested in Arnhem, or is all this a more recent thing?
Again, kind regards Frank

[appie_b]

Frank,

The interest was there way before I had the money. specially airborne badges/patches will set you back a few quid. I think it is about 6 years ago that I more seriously started to expand my collection also in the area of cap badges and other insignia.(with a lot of help from this forum and its helpful members).

and as you can see from my albums, it is not only related to Arnhem, but also to the liberation.

regards,

Albert.

[Luc]

Nice badges Albert, well done!

[Frank Kelley]

Hi Luc,
I had not mentioned Albert's badges, other than to ask why he wanted them so much!
I agree, the 2nd Pilot Wing in particular, is really nice and I suppose now quite scarce, I cannot think of a better home for it!
Kind regards Frank

Originally Posted by Luc

Nice badges Albert, well done!

[Frank Kelley]

Albert,
Yes, I know just what you mean, I became interested in both the 1st and 6th Airborne Divisions when I was about seven or eight years old, but, the stuff was still really expensive for any child to buy, however, back in the 1970's things, berets in particular, were there to be had and you did not have to worry as much about fakes either.
When you found something, it was quite likely to be the real thing, I seldom buy badges today, but, I went to a fair here back in May this year and I was shocked, not only by the prices, but, also by the growing number of fakes and forgeries, not good!
Regards Frank

Originally Posted by appie_b

Frank,

The interest was there way before I had the money. specially airborne badges/patches will set you back a few quid. I think it is about 6 years ago that I more seriously started to expand my collection also in the area of cap badges and other insignia.(with a lot of help from this forum and its helpful members).

and as you can see from my albums, it is not only related to Arnhem, but also to the liberation.

regards,

Albert.

[Frank Kelley]

Hello again Albert,
I forgot to to put a picture on here, but, I do so now, these were the first I got when I was still at primary school, I do remember quite clearly the sense of joy at holding them for the first time, but, also a sense of surprise as they appeared so small when compared with the normal army "winged dog and basket" whick I already had, so I guess I know how you felt upon getting yours!
I well remember one or two idiots who tried to pass off the ATC glider wings as the army second pilot badge too, yet even today, there are people who still try and do this!
Kind regards Frank

Originally Posted by Frank Kelley

Albert,
Yes, I know just what you mean, I became interested in both the 1st and 6th Airborne Divisions when I was about seven or eight years old, but, the stuff was still really expensive for any child to buy, however, back in the 1970's things, berets in particular, were there to be had and you did not have to worry as much about fakes either.
When you found something, it was quite likely to be the real thing, I seldom buy badges today, but, I went to a fair here back in May this year and I was shocked, not only by the prices, but, also by the growing number of fakes and forgeries, not good!
Regards Frank

[Luc]

Originally Posted by Frank Kelley

so small when compared with the normal army "winged dog and basket"

I've read somewhere that the 1st glider pilots badge was eventually reduced in size (late war/shortly after WW2) as other troops were jealous of such a large qualification badge, can someone confirm this?

[Frank Kelley]

Hello Luc,
I've seen various smaller wings, but, from memory, they have been on officers tunics and bd blouses, one of the things I've always liked about the basic wartime flat wing that you see in all the wartime pictures of W/O's and Sgt's is it's really quite large size, they are very attractive!
Regards Frank

Originally Posted by Luc

I've read somewhere that the 1st glider pilots badge was eventually reduced in size (late war/shortly after WW2) as other troops were jealous of such a large qualification badge, can someone confirm this?