bill46 Posted 21 January , 2013 Share Posted 21 January , 2013 Can anyone identify the cap badge shown, is it naval ? thanks Bill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 21 January , 2013 Share Posted 21 January , 2013 Guessing, but Naval Petty Officer. RND? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 21 January , 2013 Share Posted 21 January , 2013 I think Steven is right with both rating and unit - RND. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill46 Posted 25 January , 2013 Author Share Posted 25 January , 2013 Thanks for your help. My grandfather was in RNAS Armoured Car Division that served in Russia 1915 - 1917 so must have been just before he left for duty as all other photos show an armoured car badge on the cap. Bill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max7474 Posted 25 January , 2013 Share Posted 25 January , 2013 Bill, The RND armd car division was not in Russiain 1915-17. Britain sent Tps to Russia in 1919. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackblue Posted 25 January , 2013 Share Posted 25 January , 2013 I think you will find Bill is correct. The Russian Armoured Car Division (or Armoured Car Expeditionary Force) consisting of RNAS members commanded by Lampson was in Russia well before 1919 - the original complement sailed in December 1915. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max7474 Posted 25 January , 2013 Share Posted 25 January , 2013 I stand corrected. A picture of the armoured car badge in use would be interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 25 January , 2013 Share Posted 25 January , 2013 "On 27 August 1914, the [Naval Air Unit] went to Ostend under Squadron Commander... Charles Rumney Samson... The force remained at Ostend for a few days only, then was ordered to return to England. Because of a haze over the Channel, they landed at Dunkirk instead of flying home, and were subsequently ordered to remain there and operate against the Zeppelins. They didn't see any Zeppelins, but while they were there, they wrote a fantastic chapter in the history of the Royal Naval Air Service with their forays in armoured cars. Using automobiles that had been armoured by boiler plate at the Dunkirk shipyards, the pilots, armed with rifles and one Maxim gun, drove out to reconnoitre as far as Cassel Bruges. On some occasions they were escorted by one of their number in an aeroplane who swooped low and fired Very lights to signal the presence of enemy troops. Once "Samson's Aeroplane Party" fought a pitched battle in the streets of Douai, holding off German troops who were occupying the town, providing a distraction which enabled 2,500 French troops to escape an encirclement. "On 12 September the aeroplane party was put out of action by a squall which smashed the aeroplanes, sending them cartwheeling across the beach where they had been staked down. "With new aeroplanes and a new name--No. 3 Naval Squadron--Samson took his flying-infantry-armoured car-sailors to the Dardanelles to join the Gallipoli expedition in March 1915." Certainly initially the badge was only worn as a collar badge and there is some controversy as to whether it was ever worn as a cap badge given the RN's strictness with these things (i.e. rank/rate was indicated by the cap badge) and despite badges being produced with sliders. There were two patterns of badge, with only slight variations. There is an interesting link about the unit here: http://www.bbc.co.uk...war/rnacd.shtml Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tn.drummond Posted 25 January , 2013 Share Posted 25 January , 2013 Think this may be of interest - Doberitz POW Camp c1915. (My ref CR 36/11) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill46 Posted 28 January , 2013 Author Share Posted 28 January , 2013 I also stand corrected, found another photo from Russia showing same cap badge worn by RNAS personnel, armoured car badge must have been worn on the lapel. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tn.drummond Posted 29 January , 2013 Share Posted 29 January , 2013 Bill, The cap badge in post #9 is RNAS armoured car. Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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