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 Royal Air Force Badge - RAF Bomber Command Memorial, Green Park, London, UK
N 51° 30.212 W 000° 08.926
30U E 697878 N 5709676
The Bomber Command Memorial, at the western corner of Green Park, was unveiled by Queen Elizabeth II on 28th June 2012. The relief carving of the RAF Badge is on both sides of the memorial.
Waymark Code: WMHT19
Location: London, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 08/11/2013
Views: 2
The relief of the RAF badge is on the Royal Air Force
Bomber Command Memorial in Green Park. The Royal Air Force badge is carved on
the memorial and is about a metre from top to bottom and about the same across
the wing tips if the eagle. In addition to the eagle, which is across the
centre, there is a laurel leaf below it and a crown above. In a circle that is
below the crown, there is the laurel leaf and the motto of the RAF "Per Ardua
Ad Astra".
The
Ministry of
Defence - RAF website tells us about the history of the badge:
At an Air Council meeting on 1
August 1918, a badge for adoption by the Royal Air Force was approved. The
badge adopted was similar in design to the one used today with the exception
that the circlet surrounding the eagle comprised a garter and a buckle. The
badge was not submitted at any time to the King or to the College of Arms
for approval.
In May 1925, the College of Arms was asked to prepare coloured sketches of
the badge, it being stipulated that whilst the details of the approved badge
should stand, any modification of mere drawing, e.g. the eagle's body and
the sprig of laurel, could be left to them [the College]. The College of
Arms produced a colour drawing which was placed on file. The question of
improving the badge was again raised in May 1941, the feeling being that a
more war-like eagle might perhaps be adopted. However, nothing was changed.
So far as can be ascertained, the design registered with the College of Arms
in 1923 is still the official badge of the Royal Air Force, and although a
version in heraldic colours (with some artistic licence) was produced in
1925 (mainly in connection with Royal Air Force drums), it seems never to
have been intended that it should replace the original black and white
drawing, except, perhaps where it was necessary to produce a badge in
colour.
Whilst there may be papers in existence which may be at variance with this
view, in the absence of any evidence to the contrary, the badge now produced
on Air Ministry Orders is the official badge of the Royal Air Force.
Note: It would appear that a considerable effort was made in 1949 to produce
a definitive Royal Air Force badge and at least one authority, writing in A
New Dictionary of Heraldry edited by Stephen Friar and published in 1987,
asserts that: The official badge of the Royal Air Force has been in
existence since 1949 and is blazoned, " In front of a circle inscribed with
the motto Per Ardua Ad Astra and ensigned by the Imperial Crown an eagle
volant and affronty Head lowered and to the sinister."
Your impression of the sculpture?: 
Date Sculpture was opened for vewing?: 06/28/2012
Website for sculpture?: [Web Link]
Where is this sculpture?:
Green Park
Piccadilly
London, United Kingdom
Sculptors Name: Not listed
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