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  #1  
Old 24-12-14, 01:28 PM
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Brian Conyngham Brian Conyngham is offline
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Default SAWAA forerunner of WAAF

Hi Guys

"To Dad from Dad" Christmas 2014

Acquired the 2 X South African Woman's Aviation Association (Women's Civil Air Guard) cap badge variants today. These ladies were the forerunners of the WAAF in South Africa.

See link: http://samilitaryhistory.org/vol055mb.html

Not often seen and written up incorrectly in Owens.

I have included the WAAF badge and shoulder title in the picture.

Regards
Brian
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File Type: jpg WAAF 002.jpg (88.6 KB, 60 views)

Last edited by Brian Conyngham; 24-12-14 at 03:36 PM.
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  #2  
Old 25-12-14, 03:27 AM
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Milmed Milmed is offline
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Nice Brian,
These look like the ones from George's collection recently sold at Kaplans.

I am still looking for the WAAF one. Missed out on both patterns of cloth wings a few years ago on Ebay.

Steven
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  #3  
Old 25-12-14, 07:56 AM
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Steven

They might well have been, that means indirectly I have now added 2 more from the GE collection, I was very chuffed to get them ....I feel another collecting area looming and it is not a cheap one

Brian
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  #4  
Old 25-12-14, 12:02 PM
The Good Dudes The Good Dudes is offline
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Nice badges Brian! New collections usually start when there has been a collecting drought for a while...
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  #5  
Old 25-12-14, 01:44 PM
SAS1 SAS1 is offline
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The top two badges were also worn as wings before the cloth variant and I think also as tie badges. I have a photo of them being worn somewhere. There was a 1st pattern one on ebay last week for £25 but it didn't sell.
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  #6  
Old 26-12-14, 05:40 AM
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I wish I could find a decent picture of them being worn, I have one of a group from a book, but not clear at all.

I would like to find out more about them, interesting to hear they were worn as qualifying wings, they have that Art Deco look about them, which is right for the period.

If anyone has pics or info post please them/it here.

Regards
Brian
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  #7  
Old 26-12-14, 05:41 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The Good Dudes View Post
Nice badges Brian! New collections usually start when there has been a collecting drought for a while...
Jimmy

You are so right!

Brian
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  #8  
Old 26-12-14, 07:57 AM
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Hi Brian,
These were only cap badges and sometimes worn as a tie brooch. I have never seen them worn as wings and they were never a qualification badge.

Only the girls who were qualified as pilots wore wings and they had these from the outset back in 1938. The initial wings were bullion embroidered and a second pattern was of cotton embroidery. Someone back in the 1980's reproduced the 2nd pattern, so these can be found from time to time. Originals are virtually unobtainable.

These woman were not only used as pilots, they also did aircraft maintenance. Britishpathe has a newsreel on there activities.

I will scrounge through some of my pictures to see what I can post here.

Steven
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  #9  
Old 26-12-14, 08:06 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Milmed View Post
Hi Brian,
These were only cap badges and sometimes worn as a tie brooch. I have never seen them worn as wings and they were never a qualification badge.

Only the girls who were qualified as pilots wore wings and they had these from the outset back in 1938. The initial wings were bullion embroidered and a second pattern was of cotton embroidery. Someone back in the 1980's reproduced the 2nd pattern, so these can be found from time to time. Originals are virtually unobtainable.

These woman were not only used as pilots, they also did aircraft maintenance. Britishpathe has a newsreel on there activities.

I will scrounge through some of my pictures to see what I can post here.

Steven
Steven

Thanks, please try and dig deep.

You owe me a Christmas present

Regards
Brian
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  #10  
Old 26-12-14, 08:28 AM
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Here are some pics. These were mostly found on the net over many years, so if they are owned by anyone and want them removed I will do so.

The first picture shows the side cap wing badge been worn and the first pattern bullion wings. I have a picture of these bullion wings somewhere and when I find it I will post it.

2nd and 3rd picture shows the second pattern wings been worn and an original wing.

4th and 5th picture shows the reproduction wing.

Here is link to britshpathe showing the woman including some nice pics of the cap badge been worn. http://www.britishpathe.com/video/wo...uth+africa+war

Steven
Attached Images
File Type: jpg waafpic.jpg (45.9 KB, 28 views)
File Type: jpg vo055mba.jpg (21.5 KB, 30 views)
File Type: jpg waafwing.JPG (26.0 KB, 23 views)
File Type: jpg WAAF Copy.jpg (48.5 KB, 24 views)
File Type: jpg WAAF Copy1.jpg (50.5 KB, 19 views)
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  #11  
Old 26-12-14, 08:50 AM
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Brian Conyngham Brian Conyngham is offline
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Thanks Steven

A lot better picture than mine, you can clearly see them as side cap badges.

Yes those copies are not nice, original is very nice!

Thanks again, please keep digging.

Brian
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  #12  
Old 10-01-15, 09:01 AM
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Guys,

Please confirm the description of the metal badges?

Thanks,

Will
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  #13  
Old 10-01-15, 03:38 PM
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Hi Will,
The metal 'Wings' from all photographic evidence I have seen are a side cap badge. Initial badge with WAA - Womans Aviation Association, replaced with WAAF badge - Womans Auxiliary Air Force and finally replaced by SAAF like badge when WAAF became a uniformed branch of the UDF.

Steven
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  #14  
Old 11-01-15, 06:35 AM
sabrigade sabrigade is offline
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IMG_7090.jpg

Steven,

Thanks for the guidance, back to redoing the labels!

Regards,

Will
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  #15  
Old 18-01-15, 07:34 PM
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Default Badge being worn

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian Conyngham View Post
I wish I could find a decent picture of them being worn, I have one of a group from a book, but not clear at all.

I would like to find out more about them, interesting to hear they were worn as qualifying wings, they have that Art Deco look about them, which is right for the period.

If anyone has pics or info post please them/it here.

Regards
Brian
Hi Brian here is a picture of my mum when she was in the SA WAAF where she was trained as a fireman attached to airfields. I have her badge. Hope this helps. Her name was Joy Morling and she was born in SA.
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File Type: jpg MumsUniform.jpg (49.8 KB, 17 views)
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