2 winged propeller with letter 'E'

[barney7315]

Hi,

I'm currently researching the service history of my granddad who served in the navy during WWII. He died out of service when my mother was very young so we don't have too much information about his service. I have applied to the MOD with little details that we do have.

From an old photo of my grandad in his uniform is an embroidered propeller with the letter 'E' underneath. Any information about this badge would be really useful. See attached pic.

Also he has HMS Kestrel on his hat

Many thanks

Barney

[Kev in Deva]

I believe he was connected with Royal Naval Aviation, HMS Kestrel was a land based station and NOT a ship:-

Wiki gives this:-

The site was first used as a military establishment when the Royal Naval Air Service opened an airfield on the site of the Winchester Racecourse in October 1917 as the base of the Wireless and Observers School. With the founding of the Royal Air Force in April 1918 the site was handed over. The runways were grass and sited to the North-West of the current barracks area.

The site was recommissioned by the Royal Navy in 1939 as HMS Kestrel and used as a flying station by the Fleet Air Arm until 1942 when flying ceased due to the orientation of the runway. It was placed in a state of care and maintenance until 1952 when it was re-established as HMS Ariel and used as an engineering training school.

The site was then handed over the Royal Army Pay Corps in 1960 and became home to the Electronic Accounting Development Unit who housed their computer centre there, as a home for an IBM 705 system. The computer was used to process the 1961 UK census electronically for the first time.^[1]

With the merger of the RAPC into the AGC in 1992 the barracks became the headquarters of the AGC and training depot for members of the Staff and Personnel Support, Education and Training Services and Army Legal Service branches.

The barracks was used by the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency to house the Joint Personnel Administration project team from 2002 until 2009. The building is now used by the Defence Food Services School (DFSS)

The camp was served by Worthy Down railway station to the East, on the Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway opened in 1918 and closing finally in 1960. The route of the railway is combined into a running circuit around the camp.

The airfield area is now used as farmland.

• 700 Naval Air Squadron - 1945
  
• 734 Naval Air Squadron - February 1944 - 1945
  
• 739 Naval Air Squadron (BADU) - September 1943 - September 1944
  
• 755 Naval Air Squadron - 1939
  
• 756 Naval Air Squadron - 1939 - 1943
  
• 757 Naval Air Squadron - 1939 - 1943
  
• 763 Naval Air Squadron - December 1939 - June 1940
  
• 763 (FAA Pool) Naval Air Squadron - February - July 1941
  
• 800 Naval Air Squadron - 1938 - 1939
  
• 803 Naval Air Squadron - 21 November 1938
  
• 806 Naval Air Squadron - May 1940
  
• 807 Naval Air Squadron - 15 September 1940
  
• 808 Naval Air Squadron - 1 July 1940 - 5 September 1940
  
• 811 Naval Air Squadron - October 1939
  
• 815 Naval Air Squadron - 15 October 1939 - May 1940
  
• 822 Naval Air Squadron - October 1939
  

Kevin in Deva.

Edited May 14, 2012 by Kev in Deva

[Kev in Deva]

Another link:-

http://www.rapc.co.uk/features/wothy_down.htm

Kevin in Deva.

[QSAMIKE]

Hi Barney.....

Here is a clue: The airfield ceased to be used, except for light planes, in 1942, and H.M.S. Kestrel then became a School of Aircraft Maintenance and after the end of the war a Rehabilitation and Vocational Training Centre.

I think that the badge is for an Aero Engine Mechanic / Engineer......

Mike

[barney7315]

Thanks very much for your posts...

From the research I have been doing it does appear that its a royal navy air mechanic (Engines). This rank was instituted between 1936 until 1947.

Hopefully the report back from the MOD might provide some further info.

Many thanks

Barney