8 HTS Home Guard + unknown

[badjez]

I bought these badges at Woking a few weeks back. The 'HTS' is for Hertfordshire Home Guard, and the '8' for the 8th Bn, recruited around Watford. The other patch is unidentified but appears to be a cipher of 'NWUC' and a Gryphon surmounting it.

These, and some RAF badges supposedly came from the same source. The HG badge had apparently belonged to a man called Cadman who was awarded an OBE for HG services. The RAF pieces belonged to his son, a Mosquito crewman who had been killed in action.

A little internet search, plus John Sainsbury's book on Hertfordshire HG revealed that a Major WH Cadman had served in 8 Herts Bn, HG and had been awarded an MBE in the Stand-Down honours list.

His son, Flying Officer William Guy Cadman DFC (known as Guy Cadman) had been a navigator in a Mosquito shot down by a nightfighter over Hannover on 07.02.45. He is buried in Hannover War cemetery. Pre-war he had been awarded a state scholarship to London University where he had joined the RAFVR. During the war he served with 141 Sqn, and was in 600 Sqn at the time of his death. His parents are listed as Major William Henry Cadman MBE, and Lucy Lloyd Cadman of Redenhall Norfolk. [I presume they had moved there from Herts after Stand-down].

Despite all this family background I have yet to identify the Gryphon patch. It does not appear to be connected to the Cadman family Arms, or London University colleges. Can anyone help please?

Stephen.