Aircrew Badges
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Aircrew Badges
Hi
When Pilots used to get their wings/flying badge they used to put an OLD SIXPENCE behind it. Do they still do this and with other aircrew (such as AEO or Navigators and any others) do likewise with their flying badges ???
When Pilots used to get their wings/flying badge they used to put an OLD SIXPENCE behind it. Do they still do this and with other aircrew (such as AEO or Navigators and any others) do likewise with their flying badges ???
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Behind the wings on my No1s is a silver sixpence from 1940 (BoB year), so the tradition is alive and well. I didn't have one behind either of the other flying badges I have worn over the years, but I know others that do.
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Don't remember if there's one behind mine. They put velcro behind ours so they stuck on easily when HRH presented us with them.
That was thirty years ago when I was a steely eyed killer who looked like this:
.
I've still got that same old No1 jacket in the wardrobe so I'll have to have a look. It doesn't fit now of course, the weight training and, er...pies made sure of that. I've still got the steely eyes but now they look more like this:
That was thirty years ago when I was a steely eyed killer who looked like this:
.I've still got that same old No1 jacket in the wardrobe so I'll have to have a look. It doesn't fit now of course, the weight training and, er...pies made sure of that. I've still got the steely eyes but now they look more like this:
Join Date: Aug 2001
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My Mum gave me a sixpence to go behind my wings that had belonged to my Great Uncle. When I took my 1's to the civvy tailor at Valley (off camp), she said that some people didn't know the tradition but that she still stitched in a 20p as she would never sew on a pair of wings without anything behind!
So check your 1's - you might be richer than you think!
So check your 1's - you might be richer than you think!
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Finningley 1973, #1 sewn on by girlfriend at the time, a delightful WRAF, with coin behind the brevet. If you're out there Judi, thanks, still think about you. 
Last edited by johnfairr; 20th Jul 2009 at 07:33.
Originally Posted by oldbeefer
Graduated from Syerston in '68. Never heard of it.
We got our wings on our sleeves at Culdrose, 40 years ago last week. 142 HSP led by Dave Warren; five out of twelve of us are still flying, but the "Wings Parade" will always be that special first step along the way
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One could get a lot for sixpence in those days
(Not much meat in the pie, though).
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I think the price was a bit higher in Sheffield but I'm sure you're correct about the origin.
Bark once for yes....
Bark once for yes....
Matelots used to tie the bow in their cap tally ribbon round a silver three pence (I think). Got my nav brevet in '70 at Strad - never heard of the sixpence thing till I saw this thread. By the way, lived in Donnie when I was going through Lindholme, but as I was newly married restricted myself to pies and pints