RAF-DUTCH ATTACHED

[engr9266]

I have this patch thinking it maybe RAF-Dutch attached personnel. It came along with other RAF items I brought so......
Can our RAF buffs confirm this or is it Army??

Jerry

[wasaraftype]

Hi Jerry,

I am no expert in this field but I believe that those with yellow thread ones are Army related. (Only from what I have seen for sale).


Attached is a patch I acquired some time back. It has the classic RAF colours. May be of WWII period and associated with the RAF but I have seen nothing to confirm this.


Graham

[mike_vee]

Found this from a book ; Je Maintiendrai. A concise history of the Dutch army 1568-1940.

"The words Je Maintiendrai, once the heraldic motto of William of Orange, now form part of the shoulder patch of the uniform of every soldier of the Royal Netherlands Army. "

[mike_vee]

Originally Posted by wasaraftype

Attached is a patch I acquired some time back. It has the classic RAF colours. May be of WWII period and associated with the RAF but I have seen nothing to confirm this.


Graham

Found a photo on pinterest with description in Dutch but after a bit of research:

"Nederland LSK later de KLu 1e Nederlandse" 1944-1945

1 Nov 1938 the Army's Aviation Division becomes the Army Air Service (Wapen Der Militaire Luchtvaart - LSK)

Koninklijke Luchtmacht (KLu) (Royal Netherlands Air Force, RNLAF) created in 1953.

So although it may be aviation related it appears to be Army rather than Air Force.

[mike_vee]

This Officer's cap badge (see photo) screams Royal Netherlands Air Force but it belonged to the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force (Dutch: Militaire Luchtvaart van het Koninklijk Nederlands-Indisch Leger, ML-KNIL) the air arm of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army in the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) from 1939 until 1950.

http://www.rathbonemuseum.com/NETHER...LInsignia.html

[Wmr-RHB]

The badge in post #1 is orange on brown and an army (KL, Koninklijke Landmacht) badge for the left upper arm. The brown is the brown of the former DT (Dagelijks Tenue, daily dress). The present DT is dark green (and thus a dark green version of this badge must exist).

[RAY WALKLING]

Air Ministry Orders for 1941- Allied and Associated Forces, Uniform, Distinguishing Marks etc, Appendix: shows Kingdom of Holland, Army Personnel, left shoulder "Dutch Lion over lettering "Nederland" or "Netherland in orange on khaki background.

[Wmr-RHB]

"Kingdom of Holland" is of course a misnomer

But yes, during the war, these were to indicate Netherlands personal serving in the British Army/RAF. Orange on uniform colour (khaki during the war) or light blue on air force blue.

After the war this was reintroduced in 1946, but in 1947 the word NEDERLAND was replaced by the motto JE MAINTIENDRAI. Orange (sometimes very light, tending to gold) on uniform colour (first khaki, then brown, now dark green, still light khaki on tropical dress). Sometimes embroidered direct on the sleeve, after all this was never to be changed.

Koninklijke Luchtmacht (Royal Air Force) stopped using theirs, date unknown to me).

[RAY WALKLING]

A slightly later order in 1941 states: Distinguishing arm title badges have been approved for wear by Dutch Officers and Airmen serving in the Royal Air Force. The arm badge for officers consists of the word "NETHERLAND" in 7/16 in. letters embroidered in light blue silk arranged in an arc of a circle on a background of blue-grey melton cloth. The arm badge for airmen consists of the word "NETHERLAND" embroidered or woven in light blue on a dark blue rectangular background (Stores ref: 22H/474)