Sixty-four years ago this month, the
skies over Britain were the scene of a life or death struggle as the R.A.F
fought-and won-the Battle of Britain. But the foundations of the Royal Air
Force go back to 1912 when No. 1 (Fighter) Squadron was formed from the Royal
Engineer’s Airship Company, as we discover on the first card in
Player’s R.A.F. Badges, our set for the month of September. Rapid
expansion took place in World War I as aerial warfare gained in importance, and
the card backs tell us about the new squadrons’ roles – for instance
in 1916 No. 38 Squadron was allocated to the aerial defence of the
Leeds/Sheffield sector, 43 Squadron was busy machine-gunning enemy troop
concentrations in Northern France (later accompanying the Army of Occupation
into Germany), 201 Squadron (or No. 1 Squadron R.N.A.S as it then was) was
engaged in bombing Zeppelin and submarine bases in Belgium, and 216 Squadron
was equipped for the long-range night-bombing of Rhineland industries and
communications. Most were disbanded after hostilities ended, only to be
re-formed and many new Squadrons added, in the 1920s and ‘30s,
particularly from 1935 when the Government ordered the total strength to be
increased from 920 to 1,500 aircraft to match the growing threat of the
Luftwaffe.
There is no finer
record of the R.A.F.’s early years than is given on these cards, available
in a choice of two printings – either with or without the Squadron’s
motto on the back. (As a footnote, No. 19 Squadron based at Duxford was the
first to be equipped with the legendary Spitfire fighter in 1938 and No. 1
Squadron based at Tangmere in Sussex became the world’s first vertical
take-off fixed-wing strike Squadron when the Hawker Harrier entered service in
1969).
This set of Player’s
50 R A F Badges (with or without motto) 1937 in Very Good Condition is
catalogued at £30.00,
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