§ 14. Sir H. Williamsasked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention had been drawn to the grievance that whereas Army officers who had previously been qualified pilots in the Royal Air Force are permitted to wear pilot's wings on Army uniforms those qualified as observers in the Royal Air Force are not permitted to wear the observer's "wings" on Army uniforms; and will he reconsider the question of observer's "wings"?
§ The Joint Under-Secretary of State for Air (Captain Harold Balfour)I have 1419 been asked to reply. R.A.F. flying badges are not personal insignia. They are a part of Royal Air Force uniform, and the right to wear them with other types of uniform cannot be admitted. Army officers who were qualified pilots were allowed to wear "wings" while seconded to the R.A.F. or while liable to be called up for service with the R.A.F. on mobilisation. This arrangement was later extended to permit all Army personnel qualified as pilots to wear "wings" on Army uniform. No Army personnel qualified as observers have ever had mobilisation liability to the R.A.F., and I do not consider that in the circumstances any alteration in the present regulations is called for.
§ Sir H. WilliamsDoes the right hon. and gallant Gentleman realise that there is a sense of grievance that one lot of people should be qualified in one way and are permitted to wear this badge and others are not? There is a sense of injustice.
§ Captain BalfourIt is the policy of my Department to resist claims by non-Royal Air Force personnel to wear flying badges. Applications from the Royal Observer Corps and A.R.P. organisations to certain permission have been consistently refused. The only concession is as regards the pilot's badge for Army personnel who have had a mobilisation liability, and which was later extended to other Army qualified personnel.