From my book Doing Their Bit. The certificate that came with the badge is shown.
Jon
In 1924 the RAF created its equivalent of the Territorial Army A the Auxiliary Air Force (AAF), its units raised as numbered air force squadrons with strong ties to their local areas. Twenty AAF flying squadrons existed in 1939 as well as fifty-four squadrons created since May 1938 to man the anti-aircraft balloon defences of the UK.
In July 1936, the RAF announced the creation of a further reserve, the RAF Volunteer Reserve (RAFVR), designed to train individuals as pilots outside the AAF squadrons, through a network of local flying schools run by civilian contractors.
Following the example of the War Office, the Air Ministry approached the Mint in October 1938 to request badges along the lines of the TA badge for their two reserves. The design closely follows that of the TA but has the central device is the RAF eagle and initials of the reserve. After approval by the King in April 1939, production of 25,000 AAF and 30,000 RAFVR badges was ordered, deliveries commencing in June 1939. On the outbreak of war recruiting for the AAF was suspended, all recruits to the RAF for the duration of the war being channelled through the RAFVR. Many of those eventually called up had the beginning of their active service deferred for some time after their initial recruitment but were issued with an RAFVR lapel badge to signify their enlistment.. For this reason, supplies of the badges continued to be obtained from the Mint until 1944, the numbering sequence rising into the 900,000s. A certificate accompanied each badge
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21-12-20, 07:04 PM
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