Atypical RFC insignia

Grovetown · 15 May 2006, 10:15 AM

A mate sent me this image for comment. I've never seen the RFC shoulder titles ovoid like this before - and wondered if they were supplied such and then cut back (which didn't happen here) to the more usual 'T' shape before fixing.

Does anyone have a view on it or seen one like it?

Best wishes,

Grovetown.

CincinnatiRedlegs · 15 May 2006, 07:06 PM

Apparently from what I can deduce on the RFC patches, is that when they transferred to the RFC, they were issued a the Royal Flying Corps embroidered patch. This is from Osprey Men at Arms No. 341 pg. 7. It does not say how it was issued, just that it was an embroidered patch. It may just be that this particular person chose to wear a variant of the patch, or it may have been an 'emergency' and that is the best the man could do as far as a patch was concerned on short notice.

From the photos that I have seen of the uniforms being worn, no two that I see look exactly alike. So maybe it was up to individual effort as far as the RFC Shoulder Patch is concerned. I don't know, I am just giving some leads that I have uncovered. Your best bet would to find some Royal Army uniform regs, or RFC regs to see what it may prescribe as far as the patch is concerned. Another is to go to a museum or a collector who has a uniform with the patch on it. I don't know if this will help you, I hope it does, if I'm wrong, regard this in the spirit of help and the spirit of scholarly detective work.

Grovetown · 26 May 2006, 12:06 AM

Dear CRL

Thanks for taking the time to reply, and apologies for the delay in acknowledging that.

In so far of the issue of insignia is concerned, this is certainly the case for other arms who applied their own. This explains the wide variation we see in it, and the positioning of trade badges and the like. I have no sense that the Maternity tunic was issued with patches loose like that - if only because the tunic was unique to the Corps, and wouldn't require the flexibility of badging needed by, say, the infantry.

However, your theory would explain this aberration.

I have to say that my reading of the photographs is that there is a remarkable degree of homogenity with the insignia - which is what makes this one so peculiar. I have seen/ handled a good number of tunics, and this one's insignia, so far, seems unique.

What we, ultimately, seek is another picture showing the same arrangement.

Best wishes,

Grovetown.

Jim · 26 May 2006, 09:27 AM

Given the endless supply of reproductions, are you sure this one is authentic from the war years?

Grovetown · 26 May 2006, 10:29 AM

Hi Jim

While one can't ever say never; and having had the opportuntiy to handle this; I'd be as certain as a fairly certain thing that it's all absolutely bona fide. The other dimension is that I have never seen a reproduction title - among 100s - like it either.

Sometimes, the beauty of British Great War militaria is that for every rule, one occasionally encounters the exception that proves it; and you see some things that are so 'wrong' they must be right!

Best wishes,

Grovetown.