Whoops...!

[Padre]

This isnt a new story, the first female gunner to join the Royal Air Force Regiment.

But seeing this photo of her at graduation, I've only just noticed she has her shoulder eagle on the wrong shoulder!

[grenadierguardsman]

I don't believe she would be the only one ?
Andy

[54Bty]

Must be an "Albatross" then.

[gb64]

Originally Posted by grenadierguardsman

I don't believe she would be the only one ?
Andy

I thought they were worn on both shoulders?

Gerard

[leigh kitchen]

Wrong shoulder because the bird's facing front, rather than the badge being worn only on one arm.

I remember a copy of Cambridgeshire Constabulary's force magazine some years ago had head and shoulder photos of a batch of new recruits on the front cover, presumably their warrant card photos.
One female was wearing her shoulder straps wrong in that the pointy ends with buttons were pointing down her shoulders rather than towards her neck.
Gone are the days when an ex-forces QM would've spotted that and sorted it out.

[Luke H]

Originally Posted by gb64

I thought they were worn on both shoulders?

Gerard

Worn both shoulders but facing the wrong way in this case.

https://www.raf.mod.uk/our-organisat...g-course-3-19/

Everyone else on the course seems to have got it right.

A strange oversight indeed, one wonders how it wasn’t picked up on!

[royston]

Sorry this is RN and not RAF. but do look out for the loop on RN officer's Eapaulettes going the wrong way, they should curl to the back. Fortunately I was informed beforehand having been promoted from "the lower deck".

On arrival at Greenwich to start the Officers course, some new officer's had theirs facing forward, others the curl faced to the front on one shoulder and to the rear on the other (Mixed bag of new epaulettes).

If you see the "New Tricks" episode on TV, where the team go to Gibraltar, then look out for the "Commander" with his epaulettes facing the wrong way. I have even seen a classic RN photograph of a 1WW RN VC with his sleeve lace going the wrong way!

So it is not jut the RAF that get it wrong even THE SENIOR SERVICE!

[leigh kitchen]

I used to have (mislaid it years ago) a 10" x 8" 1970's photo of the Drum Major of 3 RRF wearing full dress with the plume fitted to the left side of his fur cap instead of the right side "NOT FOR PUBLICATION!" carved into the back of it.

[Ian B]

So, is the dress reg that the eagle faces to the rear? Is the eagle only worn on one shoulder?

Because, if that is the case, then there are two other squadies with them on the wrong shoulder also. Not clear because of the focus, but the troops second and sixth from the woman's right also have the eagle on the left shoulder. And the man sixth from her right appears to be a Corporal.

Pretty sure that some NCO would have caught the error and sent them to the tailor shop for corrections. Nobody does dress rehearsals before a big parade anymore ?

Ian

[wardog]

Eagle facing to right as viewed should be on left arm-left as viewed on right arm. Always looking to the rear. The jacket will have been badged up by a tailor so not her error- I assume the jacket would have been issued with eagles correct, then possibly re badged when the Regt. mud guards and LAC badges were added again by a tailor. I wonder how many times she was inspected before the parade-you would think all course jackets would have been inspected on return from the tailors for such an error. Regards, Paul.

[Home Guard]

A bit off topic, but it has always seemed odd to me to have the eagle facing to the rear, instead of forward at the attack. Do they face the rear as some kind of "Check Six" thing?

Terry

[Frank Kelley]

The Group Captain does not seem to look remotely concerned in any way whatsoever!

Originally Posted by Luke H

Worn both shoulders but facing the wrong way in this case.

https://www.raf.mod.uk/our-organisat...g-course-3-19/

Everyone else on the course seems to have got it right.

A strange oversight indeed, one wonders how it wasn’t picked up on!

[Padre]

Originally Posted by Frank Kelley

The Group Captain does not seem to look remotely concerned in any way whatsoever!

If he called her out on it, he'd probably be accused of being sexist, un-PC, using inappropriate language or similar!

[54Bty]

Originally Posted by Home Guard

A bit off topic, but it has always seemed odd to me to have the eagle facing to the rear, instead of forward at the attack. Do they face the rear as some kind of "Check Six" thing?

Terry

I hope this works.

https://rmhistorical.com/files/conte...The%20Rear.pdf

[fairlie63]

Thanks button Marc.