WW1 Canadian RFC Royal Flying Corps pilot officers named hat w/ photos/documents
Hi all!
Just picked this group up from the family and thought it would interest WW1 Aviation, Royal Flying Corps and Canadian military enthusiasts. This a Royal Flying Corps/RAF WW1 officers cap belonging to James Elrick Rettie, and it came with his RFC photo (named on reverse), a 1923 Prince George Hotel banquet menu with his name on it (with him photoed in earlier army uniform), a novelty hollow tourist pyramid picked up in Egypt and a Hindustani language book. I also received a signed provenance document from the family that also listed his military service from Summer 1914 to June 1918, and two copied pages of a book that mention his service overseas.
The officers cap is quite interesting as the badge appears similar to the later WW2 RAF/RCAF badges, although the hat is a Khaki- his name is written on the interior behind the liner. I can't quite make out the manufacture on the interior of the cap however. His banquet booklet lists several of his achievements and has a great poem about his service over Egypt and fighting the Turks. Apparently he was involved in Mesopotamia- flying reconnaissance, artillery support, bombing as well as being involved in strafing missions. He was wounded/found unfit to fly in September 1918 and resigned commission June 1918, coming back to Canada through New York. Interestingly, the first photo of him in the army and the later photo of him in R.F.C. uniform look completely different after only a few years!
If anyone had any information regarding R.F.C. resources, knew about the unit he served in or had any other information I would be grateful. Thanks and enjoy!
Just picked this group up from the family and thought it would interest WW1 Aviation, Royal Flying Corps and Canadian military enthusiasts. This a Royal Flying Corps/RAF WW1 officers cap belonging to James Elrick Rettie, and it came with his RFC photo (named on reverse), a 1923 Prince George Hotel banquet menu with his name on it (with him photoed in earlier army uniform), a novelty hollow tourist pyramid picked up in Egypt and a Hindustani language book. I also received a signed provenance document from the family that also listed his military service from Summer 1914 to June 1918, and two copied pages of a book that mention his service overseas.
The officers cap is quite interesting as the badge appears similar to the later WW2 RAF/RCAF badges, although the hat is a Khaki- his name is written on the interior behind the liner. I can't quite make out the manufacture on the interior of the cap however. His banquet booklet lists several of his achievements and has a great poem about his service over Egypt and fighting the Turks. Apparently he was involved in Mesopotamia- flying reconnaissance, artillery support, bombing as well as being involved in strafing missions. He was wounded/found unfit to fly in September 1918 and resigned commission June 1918, coming back to Canada through New York. Interestingly, the first photo of him in the army and the later photo of him in R.F.C. uniform look completely different after only a few years!
If anyone had any information regarding R.F.C. resources, knew about the unit he served in or had any other information I would be grateful. Thanks and enjoy!
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