I don't agree to the fact that him flying German aircraft indicates pre-war flying experience. His service number suggests a pre-war RAF Apprentice, and very few gained a flying badge prior to WW2 as they were specifically trained by the RAF in ground trades such as carpentry, aero engine mechanics and airframes, the whole Apprentice scheme being started because the RFC found it hard to find qualified personnel in WW1. The majority of Apprentices who did end up getting wings were as Flight Engineers when the trade of Flight Engineer was brought in in 1942. Most of the trainees were drawn from the ranks of ground engineers who had a 'head start' so to speak, many also having rank.
Additionally, there were other Enemy Aircraft Flights, one being the EAF at Farnborough, and one of its pilots at the end of the war was a Squadron Leader Joe McCarthy, an American in the RCAF who had joined the Air Force at the start of the war, learnt to fly bombers, and completed a couple of tours including the famous Dambuster raid. He was tasked with flying back German aircraft from the Continent and then evaluating them, but was also a wartime flyer only. Another was Eric 'Winkle' Brown, probably the best known test pilot of enemy aircraft at the end of the war, and holder of the record for the most types flown. He joined his University Air Squadron in 1937 and received some rudimentary flying training before going to Germany early in 1938, only starting proper training after joining the RAF in late 1939. So there isn't anything to suggest Lewendon flew before the war, probably the opposite.
But even if it was a pre-war badge of some sort, it is not known to be a Luftwaffe issue badge of any type. As for it having been on another uniform, I think personally it is just the stitches attaching it to the uniform in question that can be seen. Although in wartime a few rules were bent, I cant see any way he'd have got away with wearing it pre-war.
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03-12-21, 05:13 PM
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