Mystery Badge
At the risk of sounding like someone who spends far too much time binge watching episodes of Bargain Hunt with Christina Trevannion, it looks like a homemade sweetheart pin. Which folks used to exchange and wear as keepsakes.
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Kerikeri, New Zealand or Noosa Queensland. Depending on the time of year!
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Thanks for the continuing input Guys and I appreciate the interest.
On first seeing the pin I felt that it most certainly referred to a maritime squadron, probably operating flying boats. However, this belied the information that the pilot in question had flown both Spitfires and Mustangs whilst serving with 129 Squadron.
Looking into the squadron’s war time history I notice that in 1943 it was tasked with carrying out maritime operations, including both interdiction of surface ships and escorting fleet convoys.
The Mustang was more suitable than the Spitfire for this role as it had a longer range and carried more suitable firepower.
Whilst unfortunately I have been unable to find any direct reference to the badge I am also certain that it would have been worn by those pilots flying the Mustang and tasked with maritime ops.
Later in the war the squadron reverted back solely to the Spitfire and its original fighter role.
Of course this is mostly conjecture, so I continue to search for a more definitive answer...
On first seeing the pin I felt that it most certainly referred to a maritime squadron, probably operating flying boats. However, this belied the information that the pilot in question had flown both Spitfires and Mustangs whilst serving with 129 Squadron.
Looking into the squadron’s war time history I notice that in 1943 it was tasked with carrying out maritime operations, including both interdiction of surface ships and escorting fleet convoys.
The Mustang was more suitable than the Spitfire for this role as it had a longer range and carried more suitable firepower.
Whilst unfortunately I have been unable to find any direct reference to the badge I am also certain that it would have been worn by those pilots flying the Mustang and tasked with maritime ops.
Later in the war the squadron reverted back solely to the Spitfire and its original fighter role.
Of course this is mostly conjecture, so I continue to search for a more definitive answer...
Join Date: Feb 2006
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Could the badge signify a pilot who has been 'rescued' by an RAF Marine Craft? If the 'owner' operated maritime escort duties, he may have had to ditch at some time.
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Often in Jersey, but mainly in the past.
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I reckon it'll be a very long wait MPN11, she is quite wise about antiques!
By the way Catherine Southon's my choice - not shy about showing her legs off!On a more serious point, considering how rapidly things moved during the war in the development of aircraft, etc, I have always thought it was tragic that so many aircrew, having survived a ditching, must have succumbed to hypothermia in those open liferafts before rescue arrived. When were the first enclosed liferafts of the type we were familiar with introduced?
