RFC Gold Wire badge - British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum

kurt · #1 27-03-20, 04:48 PM

This of interest to anyone?

Bill A · #2 27-03-20, 04:57 PM

Hello kurt, welcome to the Forum. Your account is active and open for replies.

Frank Kelley · #3 29-03-20, 08:49 AM

Odd looking badge, from the photographs, I would think it is not contemporary to the period that the RFC was extant.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kurt

This of interest to anyone?

Toby Purcell · #4 29-03-20, 11:16 PM

It looks like the wings badge worn on RFC full dress (and possibly mess dress, but I’m unsure) from 1912. The style of the uniform was very similar to that of the AOC i.e. blue with scarlet facings, but no headdress was authorised other than the coloured universal forage cap.

arrestingu · #5 30-03-20, 07:39 AM

Hi
These wings appear pretty modern , and are not period.
Regards
Steve

Toby Purcell · #6 30-03-20, 10:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arrestingu

Hi
These wings appear pretty modern , and are not period.
Regards
Steve

On what basis? They are not the usual worsted thread wings worn on service dress. They are bullion wire wings intended for full dress. I imagine that few were ever bought, they would have been a prewar item with no one needing them after 1914. As full dress private purchase items there would also have been minor manufacturers variations between the different military outfitters. This was a period of handcrafted manufacture with embroidery companies producing badges to a design, but with inevitable small differences between individual embroiderers.

Frank Kelley · #7 31-03-20, 08:44 AM

Both the materials used and the manufacture post date the period the RFC was extant.
The flying badge worn by officers in Home Service Full Dress was gilt on copper or silver gilt rather than embroidered.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toby Purcell

On what basis? They are not the usual worsted thread wings worn on service dress. They are bullion wire wings intended for full dress. I imagine that few were ever bought, they would have been a prewar item with no one needing them after 1914. As full dress private purchase items there would also have been minor manufacturers variations between the different military outfitters. This was a period of handcrafted manufacture with embroidery companies producing badges to a design, but with inevitable small differences between individual embroiderers.