What Air Force Button ?

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I have what I believe are Vernon Lancasters RAF 1936 Pattern Flying Boots. I also look forward to his documentary.

For those that are interested here is a short biography for F/Lt Vernon Lancaster DFC, MiD

http://www.pacificvictoryroll.com/page37.htm#lancaster

Mark

Hi Julian,

Wow, that really sounds fantastic. I would love to see the finished product once they are done. I was only meters away when they took that shot. Thanks for sharing the photo.

Cheers, Craig

The Button Is Norwegian Airforce?, perhaps he flew during the campaign or was given it by a Norwegian, or flew with a Norwegian Sqn..

Here you go, a big glorious picture of the button

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Norwegian-Airforce-Gold-Uniform-Button-/261055181081#ht_260wt_1144

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[ATTACH=CONFIG]227233[/ATTACH]Here is a Photo of Vern taken last weekend.

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Hi Craig

Yes, i’m in touch with Vern’s Son in Law who sends me regular updates, i’m waiting for some photos of this event with Vern from him.

I have been helping to find film footage of 453 squadron, for thier documentry, and so far have discovered some actual Camera Gun Footage, taken by Vern in 1944.

cheers

Julian.

You may not believe this, however I was at a small airshow last weekend and met Vern Lancaster himself! he is now 96 and going strong.

Myself and a few family went down to Temora, NSW Australia to see a Spitfire, Sabre and a few other birds flying and they happen to be Doing a Documentary on Vernon Lancaster. The Spitfire they were flying on the day, they have the only 2 air worthy ones left in Aus, was from the same squadron that Vernon flew in all those years ago. I’m sure his family would love to know about tunic.

They managed to get him up in the cockpit, and after they did, you should have heard the few hundred people that were there cheer and clap! I was great to see.

Incidentally it was the first time since the war he had seen a spitfire up close.

Craig Paull

“I have also seen, twice, a single MID oakleaf, but stitched onto a piece of matching blue serge uniform material of ‘ribbon’ size and then stitched into place in the usual position”.

I have a tunic in my collection with a MiD oakleaf mounted in the above manner, no other ribbons or brevets either

Mark

On my Uncles Tunic the MID oakleaf was attached directly to the tunic material similar to the OP photo !
I do not know why he was awarded the MID – he was a Sqn Ldr Equipment officer.

Don – thank you for coming to my rescue on this. I actually woke up in the night thinking: “No! It isn’t Czech…I know what it is…but what??!”

The most unusual combination I have seen was on a WAAF tunic, a lady called Beryl Pockett I think, who had tunic buttons from each of the nations from whom she had had a boyfriend; RCAF, RNZAF, RAAF and RAF. Most touching was the pilots brevet, stitched inside the tunic over her heart. These belonged to her boyfiend Denis Heathcote Wissler of 17 Sqn, lost on 11 November 1940.

I have also seen, twice, a single MID oakleaf, but stitched onto a piece of matching blue serge uniform material of ‘ribbon’ size and then stitched into place in the usual position.

Yes my uncle had a MID solo on his uniform with (I believe) no other ribbons present !

It looks a lot like the lion of Bohemia but should have two entwined tails. It does not usually hold anything like on the button but that may be the double cross from the arms of Slovakia. See:

http://www.heraldica.org/topics/national/czech.htm

Yeah, Not Belgian AFAIK

Having brain fade.

For Belgian, read Czech. I think…..!!

Thanks Andy for the correction. I paid more attention to the wings on the jacket.

No, Australian ones are pretty similar to RAF ones but with RAAF inscription.

I would think Royal Australian Air Force.

Belgian, by the looks of it. Seen French ones several times.

Nice tunic!

This was top button swap was quite a common practice.