Saved from the scrap bucket !

[Steve T]

Hi all

thought I'd share this one item with you. It was sent to me by a metal detectorist who has little interest in WW2 items and was sat in his scrap bucket waiting to be weighed in and melted down !!! It was found in a random field in the south of the country.

She was very dirty when I got her, but after some very careful and tentative cleaning, a shine has returned to this wonderful item.

See what you think.

RAF Pathfinders badge. Awarded after 45 missions I believe, and quite a rare beast by all accounts !

[big ned]

Very nice find. Not many airmen survived for 45 trips that's a fact, it was practically a death wish to volunteer for the pathfinders, which makes these wings so special for me. I wonder what became of the brave soul who earned them?

[Wagriff]

Superb piece! And almost lost to the smelter! Great that it was rescued!

[LUCKYSTRIKE]

Steve Thats a very nice present lucky you and you've done a great bit of cleaning there, it looks as good as the one in the pic. Strangely I also found one years ago buried in a tin with a few old pennies. I always thought it was a winged eagle from an RAF peaked cap. But now I'm thinking does this peaked cap with the Eagle denote that the owner has flown 45 missions? If so I'm well chuffed because I found mine when I was 14, yes I known many umpteen years ago and have only just found out what it is

Cheers
LS

[corblimy]

Has it a pin on the back like a brooch, screw posts, or two lugs that a clevis pin would go through?

A pin like a brooch is most likely to be a genuine pathfinder badge, although many badges were converted as 'sweetheart wings'. Pathfinder Badges were not awarded for any number of missions though. They were worn on the left hand breast pocket flap under the aircrew brevet or Pilots wings. It was only worn off duty and NOT on ops or working dress. If two lugs then it may, just may be one. If it has screw posts then it is off of a cap. Only Eagles that face left were used. googling RAF pathfinders badges brings up many images, mostly from people who sell RAF cap badges on fleabay as genuine Pathfinders badges...which they aint!

By the way, all RAF officers caps had these eagles, again they did not denote missions flown.

[Steve T]

It has a pin and a holding lug like a broach.

[corblimy]

Then it is more than likely to be one. Well done.
I wonder how it became lost.

[davejb]

You are such a jammy bugger , i swear if you fell headlong into a cess pit you'd come out smelling of roses!!!!!

[perce]

Nice badge especially for a field find

[Scout]

Very nice find indeed.
Wonder how it ended up in the field.