Trade Badges on Mess Dress?

[Robby]

Having just been at the annual Battle of Britain Ball, a superb event with an awesome display by a certain AVM in his own Spitfire- very impressive hats off Sir, many thanks.

However I was a tad surprised to see the RAF Police with 'RAFP' in gold braid under the rank badges on their Mess Dress, is this a new 'official' badge?
Are they just jealous of the 'sparkie' trade badge?

I guess it goes alongside the red MP badges they where on Combats but do we really want to become a Boy scout badge collecting club and if so what are the other trades going to pick?

Just a thought.

 

[Gillo]

Having just been at the annual Battle of Britain Ball, a superb event with an awesome display by a certain AVM in his own Spitfire- very impressive hats off Sir, many thanks.

However I was a tad surprised to see the RAF Police with 'RAFP' in gold braid under the rank badges on their Mess Dress, is this a new 'official' badge?
Are they just jealous of the 'sparkie' trade badge?

I guess it goes alongside the red MP badges they where on Combats but do we really want to become a Boy scout badge collecting club and if so what are the other trades going to pick?

Just a thought.

Boy scout thing me thinks as civvy tailor will make anything providing there is a market. I have even seen marksmens badges in the past, doooh!!!

 

[Rambling Sid]

Here is a bit of useless information about the sparks badge, it is the oldest trade badge in the RAF. It was introduced so that lowly signalers could bypass the chain of command and actually speak to an officer directly.

Maybe a kit inspection should take place on those snowdrops, you might find the same badge on their PJ's.

 

[muttywhitedog]

However I was a tad surprised to see the RAF Police with 'RAFP' in gold braid under the rank badges on their Mess Dress, is this a new 'official' badge?
Are they just jealous of the 'sparkie' trade badge?

Its so you know which tossers to ignore!

 

[ninjarabbi]

I've got to admit that I've never seen that on a mess dress. You'd think the feds would want to keep that a bit quiet rather than have the whole world hate them at functions as well!

 

[glen]

Just had our Battle of Britain and saw a few RAFP badges on - does not look as good as the fist holding lightening though

 

[Norman the Storeman]

I guess it goes alongside the red MP badges they where on Combats but do we really want to become a Boy scout badge collecting club and if so what are the other trades going to pick?

Just a thought.

We could have a palletiser or a forklift truck Robby!

 

[mad_collie]

Here is a bit of useless information about the sparks badge, it is the oldest trade badge in the RAF. It was introduced so that lowly signalers could bypass the chain of command and actually speak to an officer directly.

Doesn't mean it belongs on a mess kit, does it? If at a formal function you want to speak to a zob, speak to the fecker.

Go to the mess at a N Yorks station when there is a formal do, invariably there are loads of ex TG11 wearing them.

 

[MAINJAFAD]

Haven't got Sparks on mine (and also checked the dress regs, which says nothing about trade badges on No.5's, before ordering the kit), though the TG4 FS on my section has (who is ex TG3 and ex long time TCW).

 

[Rambling Sid]

If I remember rightly the sparks badge was only ever worn on your working or best blues. Flasher macs and greatcoats just the rank badges. Of course we didn't have mess dress for the Airmens Mess......lol

 

[Stax]

We just had this conversation the other day at work, trade badges, yes or no? I know the history behind the sparks badge but them why does every member of the comms trade wear them. Should we all have trade badges? The RAF wants us to show ourselves off a bit nowadays (hence the blue uniform in the latest ad's) So whay not show off your trade with a specific badge. The Greek airforce have badges for each trade, engineers have spanners, clerks have Ant's and Stackers have honey bees (collect nectar, distribute pollen and store honey). Any ideas? and while we are at it, why not trade coloured cummerbunds for mess kit, red for medics, green for gunners, white for chefs etc.

Just a thought!

 

[Rambling Sid]

Thats not a bad idea, it might even perk morale up if the various trades had input as to badge design. The matelots have had trade badges for years now.

 

[mad_collie]

Thats not a bad idea, it might even perk morale up if the various trades had input as to badge design.

I think it would be more amusing if other trades had an input to the badge design.DT_Xtremez_14:

This could be start of a new thread.DT_Xtremez_30:

 

[techie_tubby]

I could be wrong here but can't the fairies wear the sparks badge aswell? I'm sure i've seen some aircraft techs wearing it. Anyone enlighten me?

 

[worthers]

Yes Fairies can wear the Comms badge because comms used to be a seperate trade within the Avionics field. I don't know about assimilated Leckies though maybe they can wear a Dog

 

[rugby then work]

Must admit I've got a sparks badge on my mess kit.

(I'll go off and hang my head in shame).

It'll be staying on there now though as I've had the thing so long it'd show how faded my mess kit was if I took it off. I already have to arrive late when the lights are dim to hide the port stains.

 

[RAF Bird]

I think it would be more amusing if other trades had an input to the badge design.DT_Xtremez_14:

This could be start of a new thread.DT_Xtremez_30:

Yeah the Dog Fcukers badge might raise a few eyebrows at mess functions!! ha ha.

I recon stackers one should be a big bollock like the ones we use on the wing!!

 

[ICATQ]

Personally I dont think there should be any trade badges on Mess Dress, especially mudguards!!

You are members of the Mess and it doesnt matter what trade you are. In any case most people know who is who on a Unit.

The RAFP is nothing new, its a reinvention apparently.

 

[Bren]

Personally I dont think there should be any trade badges on Mess Dress, especially mudguards!!

You are members of the Mess and it doesnt matter what trade you are. In any case most people know who is who on a Unit.

The RAFP is nothing new, its a reinvention apparently.

I'm ex RAFP and 100% agree with you here. Trade badges do not belong on mess dress, especially for RAFP. My friends knew who I was and what I did. In my time wearing an RAFP armband or epaulettes put me on duty as a policeman. When off duty I was on the raz with everybody else.

 

[Viribus Protege]

...I was a tad surprised to see the RAF Police with 'RAFP' in gold braid under the rank badges on their Mess Dress, is this a new 'official' badge?...

Yes it is a new official badge, and was published on the RAF intranet back in about May I think. It should however be worn over rank badges, not under, on the upper arm. It's not exactly a thing of beauty though.