British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum

Recent Books by Forum Members

   

Go Back   British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum > British Military Insignia > Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force

 Other Pages: Galleries, Links etc.
Glossary  Books by Forum Members     Canadian Pre 1914    CEF    CEF Badge Inscriptions   Canadian post 1920     Canadian post 1953     British Cavalry Badges     Makers' Marks    Pipers' Badges  Canadian Cloth Titles  Books  SEARCH
 
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 22-12-16, 03:43 PM
wasaraftype wasaraftype is online now
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 96
Default Royal Observer Corps - Proficiency patches

Hi, to any R.O.C buffs out there?

Can someone aid me regarding gold proficiency patches?


I have a R.O.C gold star patch but on a blue/grey background (I also have this patch type on the later issued dark navy background).

What is confusing me is that Wikipedia states the gold Spitfire patch (and therefore I assume the gold star) was authorised in 1988 but could be retrospectively awarded.

if this assumption is correct then my Gold star patch on blue/grey should not exist (and therefore any gold blue/grey Spitfire too). Has anyone ever seen a Gold Spitfire patch using the older background colour?

I really want to know if the Gold blue/grey Spitfire patch exists so I can stop looking or keep looking for it.

Any help resolving this will be greatly appreciated.


Thanks.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 22-12-16, 06:52 PM
Wooffy's Avatar
Wooffy Wooffy is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: North West Of England
Posts: 616
Default

Hi Warsaraftype.

I've been collecting to the Observer Corps /Royal Observer Corps for a while now, and like you have the star on the older pre-1972 grey fabric (as per the one you have illustrated). I have never come across the gold spitfire for 25 master test passes on the grey backing, and find the production of the star a bit of a misnomer really - for the reasons you cite.

I've also never come across a reference to one. I cant definitively say that one doesnt exist, but the reality is that the time line of approval and production would lead one to conclude it shouldn't; and if it does I doubt it was ever officially issued.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 03-01-17, 06:51 PM
wasaraftype wasaraftype is online now
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 96
Default ROC Proficiency patches

Hi Wooffy,

Thanks for your reply. My apologies for the delay; I have not been able to access a computer for a while.

Like you, I am at a loss to know why the Gold star exists on both a blue/grey & dark background.

Nobody else has replied to this thread so I now assume the Gold Spitfire patch only exists on a dark background.


Hopefully somebody out there will prove me wrong.


Regards
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 23-11-18, 09:28 AM
Observer Observer is offline
Banned
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 16
Default Gold Spitfire

I can confirm that the both the gold Spitfire & gold star exist on both grey and blue backings. Why I don't know however - I have the uniform of a confirmed recipient of the gold spitfire and they are on grey backing material.

Last edited by Observer; 23-11-18 at 09:57 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 23-11-18, 01:10 PM
dragon166's Avatar
dragon166 dragon166 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Oxfordshire
Posts: 653
Default

Can you post a pic of the uniform showing the star being worn? It maybe that the gold star was instituted on blue/grey to indicate further test passes and later the gold spitfire badge was issued, that doesn't mean that the gold spit was ever issued on blue/grey.
Dave
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 23-11-18, 08:23 PM
Wooffy's Avatar
Wooffy Wooffy is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: North West Of England
Posts: 616
Default

Hi Dave

Two images here - the first shows John Harding with the Gold Spitfire and 2 Gold Stars on the Post 1977 Dark Blue backing. The second, which I know is Black and White, shows Fred Hemingway also with the Gold Spitfire on the Post 1977 backing and 2 Gold stars, on the lighter backing. I have a different photo of Fred, in colour, but for the life of me - at this point in time - I cannot lay my hands on it. You can distinguish the different backing colours though even in the B&W image. I will find the colour image in due course and post it here.

I have still never seen a Gold Spitfire on the pre-1977 backing material, either on or off uniform!

Best wishes

Dave
Attached Images
File Type: jpg John Harding.jpg (32.1 KB, 35 views)
File Type: jpg Fred Hemingway.jpg (37.5 KB, 32 views)
__________________
__________________________________________________ ______
Always looking for Observer Corps & Royal Observer Corps Items.
My Current 'Wants List' can be found here

Last edited by Wooffy; 23-11-18 at 11:30 PM. Reason: typo
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 23-11-18, 09:00 PM
Observer Observer is offline
Banned
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 16
Default

I note in an earlier post that Wikipedia states the gold Spitfire was instituted in 1988 - I frankly doubt this - I have the uniform of Joe James BEM (who I knew well and served with) who received his gold spitfire in 1979 - his badges are on the RAF blue/grey background. I attach a picture of his jacket which clearly illustrates the gold spitfires on grey with shoulder titles on the later blue backing. Whilst I cannot offer a date for the introduction of the gold spitfire or a reason why it is available on blue/grey & bark blue background (unless the general rule of blue/grey being pre 1977 and dark blue being post 1977 as with all other ROC insignia) I know beyond doubt that the the gold spitfire badges on Joe's uniform are those issued by HQ ROC in 1979. I also have another (loose) example which came from a different source. I hope the attached images are of interest in resolving this query.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg joe james gold spit 003.jpg (60.2 KB, 29 views)
File Type: jpg joe james gold spit 006.jpg (65.9 KB, 33 views)
File Type: jpg joe james gold spit 002.jpg (65.3 KB, 32 views)
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 23-11-18, 10:06 PM
Wooffy's Avatar
Wooffy Wooffy is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: North West Of England
Posts: 616
Default

That is great - many thanks!

...and I note that the ones shown attached to the uniform seem to be of the same design that Basil Rookery illustrated in his booklet on OC/ROC uniforms
__________________
__________________________________________________ ______
Always looking for Observer Corps & Royal Observer Corps Items.
My Current 'Wants List' can be found here
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 23-11-18, 10:22 PM
dragon166's Avatar
dragon166 dragon166 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Oxfordshire
Posts: 653
Default

Thanks very much for the pics, this is the first time I have ever seen a blue/grey gold spitfire - so we do now need to find one - damn!!!! Just have to find out date of introduction now.
Dave
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

mhs link

All times are GMT. The time now is 03:23 PM.


Powered by: vBulletin
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.