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Aviation History
1940
1940 - 0261.PDF
FEBRUARY I, 1940 RANKS OF THE ROYAL AIR FORCE (Continued) Cap peak and cap badge of officer ofAir rank Cap badge of officer below Air rank Cap peak of Group Captain Badge ofAir Gunner Medical Officer's collar badge Pilot'sflying badge Sleeve badge of Air Branch, R.N. Observer's badge Chaplain's cap badge not received any promotion are " aircraftmen "—the Press and the public are gradually coming to realise that it is not correct to write "aircraftsmen." There are three grades, namely " aircraftman second class" (often written A/C.z), "Aircraftman first class" (A/C.i), and "leading aircraft- man " (L.A/C). It may be of assistance to put the equivalent ranks of the three Services in tabular form, though again readers should remember that a Midshipman is not actually the equivalent of a Pilot Officer or a Second Lieutenant. ROYAL NAVY ARMY Admiral of the Fleet Field Marshal R.A.F. Marshal of the R.A.F. Air Chief Marshal Air Marshal Air Vice-Marshal Air Commodore Group Captain Wing Commander Squadron Leader Flight Lieutenant Flying Officer Pilot Officer AdmiralVice-Admiral Rear Admiral Commodore CaptainCommander Lieut, Commander LieutenantSub-Lieutenant Midshipman GeneralLieutenant General Major General Brigadier ColonelLieutenant Colone MajorCaptain LieutenantSecond Lieutenant Everyone is delighted when it is announced that the King has decorated an officer or an airman for gallantry, but the decorations open to the Air Force are probably not generally known. The Victoria Cross may be won by a man of any rank in any of the three fighting Services. Companionship of the Distinguished Service Order is open to the officers (but not to other ranks) of all three Services. The Military Cross and the Military Medal (primarily in- tended for the Army) can be conferred on R.A.F. officers and airmen respectively, but such awards are rare and are only made for gallantry in action on the ground—e.g., by crews of R.A.F. armoured cars. The dis- tinguished Flying Cross and the Distinguished Flying Medal are confined to the R.A.F., for officers and airmen respectively, and are awarded for gallantry in action in the air. The ribbons are of purple and white diagonal stripes, broader for the cross and narrower for the medal. The Air Force Cross and the Air Force Medal are intended to reward good work in the air, not carried out in the face of an enemy. The original idea was that they should be confined to R.A.F. officers and airmen respectively, but King George V conferred the A.F.C. on the late Mr. Harry Hawker and Commander Mackenzie Grieve after their attempt to fly the Atlantic in 1919, and since then this decoration has several times been conferred on civilian pilots. The ribbons are diagonal lines of red and white, broader for the cross and narrower for the medal. Our illustration also shows the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, which can be conferred on airmen (not officers) with eighteen years of good service to their credit. The ribbon is dark blue and maroon with white edges. Two badges for air gunner appear on this page. That in the bottom line is worn on the sleeve by qualified air- men, but new training has been adopted, and future air gunners will wear on the left breast the badge shown in the top line. Chaplain's collar badge DISTINCTIVE BADGES OF CERTAIN AIRMEN Air Gunner LeadingAircraftman WirelessOperator Bandsman Physical TrainingInstructor Apprentice orBoy Entrant
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