Original British WWI Royal Flying Corps Insignia Grouping – 7 Items Original Items

Original Items: Only One Group of 7 Available. This is an absolutely lovely set all bearing the Royal Flying Corps Crest on them. The Royal Flying Corps (RFC) was the air arm of the British Army before and during the First World War until it merged with the Royal Naval Air Service on 1 April 1918 to form the Royal Air Force. During the early part of the war, the RFC supported the British Army by artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance. This work gradually led RFC pilots into aerial battles with German pilots and later in the war included the strafing of enemy infantry and emplacements, the bombing of German military airfields and later the strategic bombing of German industrial and transport facilities.

The items included in this grouping:

– (2) Rockford Silver Camp Taliaferro Engraved Salt & Pepper “Bullet” Shakers: The salt and pepper shakers are both marked on the bottom with Rockford Silver Quadruple. The face of the shakers has CAMP (RFC Insignia) TALIAFERRO HICKS TEXAS engraved on them. Both are in lovely condition.

After the United States’ entry into World War I in April 1917, General John J. “Blackjack” Pershing invited the British Royal Flying Corps (RFC) to establish training fields in the southern United States where the warmer weather would be more conducive for flying year-round. In June, the War Department inspected six sites around Fort Worth which had been offered by the Chamber of Commerce and by July, RFC representatives from Canada inspected five potential sites in Texas and Louisiana for use during the winter.

After looking at sites in Dallas, Fort Worth, Waco, Austin, Wichita Falls, and Midland, in August the War Department signed leases with the RFC on three sites around Fort Worth. Known as the Flying Triangle, these sites were Hicks Field (#1), Barron Field (#2), and Benbrook Field (#3) based on their locations; and construction began in late August and early September.

The Canadians named the training complex Camp Taliaferro after 1st Lieutenant Walter R. Taliaferro, a U.S. Army aviator. Taliaferro was killed in an accident at [San Diego], California, on 11 October 1915. The Camp Taliaferro offices for the Air Service and RFC Canada were initially located in the basement of the Chamber of Commerce building in Fort Worth to handle pay, purchasing, and administrative services for their own personnel assigned at the three fields.

– Silver Plated RFC Spoon: The spoon is tarnished but the RFC logo is still visible on the face of the handle. The reverse features a series of hallmarks. The spoon is double marked with the hallmarks for (WH) which is for WM Hayes, Birmingham 1905 Hallmark. On the opposite end is [AA] and is for John Allday & Son, registered in Chester in 1895. We could be wrong, as we are not too familiar with these hallmarks.

– Swagger Stick Top: This is the top of a bamboo swagger stick that was cut off. The silver tubular top bears the RFC crest.

– (2) RFC Button Stick Pins: These appear to be “homemade” as we have not been able to find information on them. They are 6 ⅜” in length and have an RFC cuff/cap button soldered on the top.

– RCF Sweetheart Brooch by Garnish & Winkles: The brooch is in lovely tarnished condition and comes in the original Garnish & Winkles. There are hallmarks present on the back: [A.BROS] [Anchor] [Lion] [P]. The A.BROS is a Sheffield hallmark for Atkinson Brothers LTD.

These are all wonderful examples that come ready to be displayed!