WWII RAF AIR SEA RESCUE ( ASR ) ARM BADGES

[ASR142]

The RAF ASR badges 1942-45
During late 1941 and early 1942 requests where made to various offices in the RAF and the home Office ( Air Ministry ) for all ASR crew members and supporting groups ( Training units ) be given permission to have a badge designed and produced for ware buy these personnel how ever this fell almost on deaf ears until the under secretary of state and Director general of air craft safety paid a visit to the ASR base at Dover in April 1942 they agreed in principle that a badge was required they then took the matter to the air council in June the air council also agreed that a badge was required and it should only be worn buy none commissioned ranks as with other RAF trade badges. The badge was to be worn on the right arm only and below the albatross but above rank and trade badges .
Various designs where looked at but none chosen and it was almost abandoned until a press campaign drew the matter back into the lime light and it started the ball rolling again . The campaign asked that the minister for air should look into it as a matter of urgency as the ASR crews did deserve some sort of recognition of a badge so they stood out as they had to endue more than the average ground crew and over staff at air bases also they had been promised a badge but none had materialised . This happened quite quickly from then on a badge was designed this was to be the ASR whale back launch and the letters ASR above the boat but through the rigging ( S only ) this design was put before the king and he approved it in November 1942 . This badge was to last for about 5 ½ years and was finally with drawn in 1947 thus again the ASR / RAF Marine craft personnel found them selves placed in with the bulk of the RAF being none distinguishable from ground crew etc.
This badge was produced in two main types white on black and red on kaki both printed , later in the war about July 44 going buy photos a woven type was produced in the same stile as the printed ones towards the end of the war a different pattern was being produced however still in the basic same design .
PHOTO 1 : The badge being worn here is the later woven war time example. ( LAC M J EDWARDS JAPAN SEPT 45 ) Note the British Common Wealth forces patch also being worn . ( A C )
PHOTO 2 : On this original tunic dated 1944 we see the scarce war time
Bermuda title and the printed ASR patch ( A C )
PHOTO 3 : Late war woven type 1944-45 ( A C )
PHOTO 4 :War time tropical example a recent war time photo shows these where worn although not common ( A C )

BADGES OF THE ASR 45-48
The basic design of the ASR badge changed slightly in this period and it lost its early war time look and changed to the more modern type of boat that was being used . Those that had the war time badges continued to wear them with pride. In time, with the demobilisation program, it would been seen less and less.
The badges in this period were only manufactured in the woven form and are heavily copied as a point to note the printed
Versions ( both types ) are now being reproduced as well as a woven red example ( nether made ).
With the RAF changing the background colour of their arm badges ( strips , lac badge , props etc ) from a black to a blue colour during 1946 as with most orders regarding badges all present stocks should be used first before placing orders for the new ones . This meant that we see during the years 46-51 RAF bases which had a large number of cloth badges where still issuing the war time stock of the black backed badges .
PHOTO 5 : Black backed late war pattern 45-46 ( A C )
PHOTO 6 : Blue backed post war used until 1948 ( A C )

It was not uncommon to see RAF wings and brevets on tunics this was mainly down to ex air crew who had done their tours and where on a break period or who had requested postings within the ASR / RAF marine craft section often it was ex air crew members who had been saved buy the ASR services . Generally the only badges that where worn where rank ,good service chevrons and the trade badges I do know of records of other badges that fall out side of these categories which where also worn weather permitted or not but thats another subject.
sources
RAF AP 3232
RAF KINGS REGULATIONS 1943
VERIOUS ORIGINAL PHOTOS AUTHORS COLLECTION
SEALED PATTERNS & ASR BADGES AUTHORS COLLECTION
THE HISTORY OF THE RAF MARINE CRAFT 1918-1986 VLOUME 2
BADGES AND UNIFORMS OF THE RAF BY MALCOME C HOBART

[ASR142]

ANY COMMENTS ARE WELCOM CHEERS STEVE

[ASR142]

Arfter a couply of questions regarding the tunic I have decided to show the other 6 as well as this one side buy side somthing you will note is there was no real rule as to positioning of badges despite the rules in the RAF Kings regulations and RAF uniform regulations on location on the arm .

[ASR142]

comments are welcome cheers steve
PS ALSO SEE http://www.britishbadgeforum.com/for...ead.php?t=8641

[ASR142]

Found an entry in a diary to day stating that the ASR patches where being issued at RAF Calshot on the 16th February 1943 this I beleave was the first batch to be issued to any personel as RAF Calshot was the H Q of the RAF ASR service Steve

[ASR142]

At Last the one patch I new I was missing and it comes in on a b d blouse 1944 dated well worth the 6 year hunt ( ).
This patch is the one that I knew was made and had seen film prove but had not seen in the fleash as they where short lived about a year before the last ones where made and all of the original crew members wanted the whale back version printed or wovern .steve