| Place | Europe: Germany |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | REL/12017.025 |
| Collection type | Heraldry |
| Object type | Badge |
| Physical description | Silver-plated metal |
| Maker |
Unknown |
| Place made | Germany |
| Date made | c. 1942 |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
Luftwaffe Air Gunners and Flight Engineers Badge
Description
Air Gunners and Flight Engineers Badge. Slighly convex. Obverse: A dull silver eagle in flight, facing left, rivited onto a bright silvered wreath of laurel (left) and oak (right) leaves with a swastika at the base. The reverse is plain with a vertical brooch pin and the makers mark of 'B&N over L' stamped on the eagle.
History / Summary
This badge was instituted on 22 June 1942. Qualification was for the recipient to have successfully completed two months training as an Air Gunner or a Flight Engineer, or to have participated in one of the positions in a minimum of five operational flights. The badge could be awarded sooner if the recipient was wounded on an operational flight. The design replaced an earlier version of 1936 and has various grades of quality.
The badge was collected by William Alexander Trickett, who was born in Melbourne on 12 June, 1917. He joined the Air Cadets on 16 January, 1939 and transferred to the RAAF on 26 May, 1940. Trickett trained as a Navigator at Parkes, NSW. He embarked for the United Kingdom on 21 February 1941, and after further training there undertook 18 missions as a Pilot Officer and Flight Lieutenant with 35 and 76 Squadrons RAF.
On the night of 27/28 April, 1942 the Halifax bomber, in which he was the Navigator, was hit by Flak, damaging the controls of the aircraft and killing the rear gunner. Trickett bailed out with two other crew members (the Flight Engineer and Wireless Operator), over Dunkirk, was captured and became a prisoner of war. Between 1942 and 1945 Trickett was held at Stalag Luft III and Oflag IIIB. On 21 April 1945 Stalag Luft III was liberated by the Russian Army. The German guards left the camp to the inmates who had to fend for themselves. Trickett's duty at the end of April was to obtain the bread supply from the local town of Luckenwalde 30 miles South of Berlin, where he also obtained a selection of German combat badges at an abandoned shop. After his release he rejoined 76 Squadron. He was discharged on 15 January 1946.