Unknown group - any ideas?

[BabaAndrew]

I know that it is a 'long shot', but wondered if any forum members might know the identity of this group?

[IMG][/IMG]

Several are wearing pilot's wings; I can only see two with single wing brevet. Also, a number with medal ribbons.

Any insights welcome!

[malcolm_raf]

Hi

There are also officers without any flying badges, perhaps a staff or admin course?

Malcolm

[BabaAndrew]

I believe that this gent in the first row...



...looks a lot like S/L Douglas W Triptree, who served with 299 Squadron, No.38 Group RAF, shown in the below photo.

Could this group be related to 299 Squadron, RAF Keevil, or No.38 Group?

[Alex Smart]

Looks like two or three have darker shade uniforms, cannot recall but wouldn't they be Australian or was it Canadian ?
Check those out may be also 299 ?

[Resmoroh]

Mixed bunch!
2nd row, 4th from left. Army Officer. Pilot brevet (did the Glider Pilot Regt wear Army, or RAF, Pilot brevet?)
3rd row, 8th from left. Army Officer. Pilot brevet.
Some non-aircrew?
No 'scrambled-egg' caps - so all at Wg Cdr and/or below? Probably not a 38 Wg/Grp photo?
I, too, would be thinking along the lines of a Staff (College) Course of some sort.
HTH
Peter Davies

[BabaAndrew]

The Australians had a distinctly darker shade of blue to their uniform, although different shades were also used by other Commonwealth nations; the same in the Army.

[BabaAndrew]

Mixed bunch!
2nd row, 4th from left. Army Officer. Pilot brevet (did the Glider Pilot Regt wear Army, or RAF, Pilot brevet?)
3rd row, 8th from left. Army Officer. Pilot brevet.

Thank you Peter.

The two "Army" officers are actually South African Air Force (SAAF) pilots; so they are all Air Force officers of one sort or another.

If they were British Army glider pilots, then they would be wearing the AAC cap badge on the Airborne red beret, and wearing the Army Flying Badge (wings). If they were Air Observation Post pilots, then they would be wearing Royal Artillery cap badge, plus Army Flying Badge.

[bvs]

Thank you Peter.

If they were British Army glider pilots, then they would be wearing the AAC cap badge on the Airborne red beret, and wearing the Army Flying Badge (wings). If they were Air Observation Post pilots, then they would be wearing Royal Artillery cap badge, plus Army Flying Badge.

Just to clarify that during WW2 - the glider pilots would have worn a GPR Cap Badge (Glider Pilot Regiment).


Army AOP Pilots had their own wings....

[BabaAndrew]

Just to clarify that during WW2 - the glider pilots would have worn a GPR Cap Badge (Glider Pilot Regiment).


Army AOP Pilots had their own wings....

Sorry to have to make a correction, but men of the Glider Pilot Regiment wore the Army Air Corps (AAC) badge, from its introduction in 1942. They only received their own regimental - Glider Pilot Regiment - cap badge in 1950, which they wore until the disbandment of the regiment in 1957. Fully qualified glider pilots wore the Army Flying Badge, from its introduction in 1942. A set of 2nd Pilots
wings was introduced in 1944, while 1st pilots continued to wear the Army Flying Badge.

Air Observation Post pilots initially wore RAF pilots wings, until the introduction of the Army Flying Badge. It was only after the war - I believe in 1949 - that the distinct AOP pilots wings (which you have shown) were introduced.

I have picked-up this knowledge given my grandfather's service with the Glider Pilot Regiment, from 1942 to 1946.

[bvs]

Many apologies BabaAndrew - I had not realised that the AAC badge had come and gone and then arisen again :)

rgds baz