RCAF Wooden badge?

stickybloke · 07-02-2015, 03:41 PM

Folks, I purchased this carved wooden eagle from a local community website here in the UK and initially though it to be part of an RAF badge. After some quick research I decided it was actually part of an RCAF badge. The thing is big - 42" across and nicely carved. The original owner had it in his family for over 40 years - they have no connection with the military or Canada. He said he remembers it once being gold in colour and there is evidence of that on the back of it.

I'm interested to know where it might have come from. Assuming it wasn't imported from overseas years ago I'm guessing it must've been from an RCAF headquarters or similar here in England (39-45?). The only one I can think of is the 6Gp HQ in Yorkshire.

Does anyone else have ideas or suggestions as to where it may have originally come from? I've approached the RCAF Museum at Trenton too to see if they can shed any light on it. It would be nice to perhaps return it to its rightful owners one day

Thanks very much in advance

**rbminis** · 07-02-2015, 03:54 PM

Hello and welcome to the forum!

Sorry, I am unable to help you but would like to say, NICE ITEM!

Ralph.

**CBH** · 07-02-2015, 06:03 PM

Welcome to the forum . I say it is a Korean War Era , Officer mess item . The Eagle looks like the 1950's era RCAF hat badge , here is mine from a 1953 date RCAF wedge cap , in WWII they wore a badge similar to the RAF with RCAF in a wreath with a crown .
Cheers from Canada

stickybloke · 07-02-2015, 06:32 PM

Thanks for the welcomes chaps. CBH - that's rather interesting, thanks. I was under the impression that the RCAF badge had changed in 1943 and had remained as such until the services were amalgamated in the late 60s? Obviously not!

The Kings Crown on the image of the badge I found prompted me to think it was WW2 era.

I did wonder if it might be from a mess but I wondered if it was a bit too ornate and big for that? It's 3.5 feet wide (!) meaning the whole badge would be nearly 4 feet high. I can't think where in a Mess such a big thing would go....

Thanks again
Simon