Spitfire Broach sold by a Birmingham Auctioneers

[Janet Hunt]

A Spitfire Brooch sold at a Fellows Auctioneers Birmingham today for £2169.20. It was expected to fetch between £400 and £600. It belonged to a SGT W H T Farmer an RAF pilot based in Cornwall. I never even new they existed. Apparently they were awarded to pilots who had to eject from their aircraft, Sgt Farmer was shot down over France in July 1942 and was taken prisoner. The Brooches were awarded by the caterpillar club formed in 1922 (by parachute makers Irvin). They represented the silk worm which can lower itself gently by a silky thread. Very interesting stuff, they say you learn new things every day...I certainly do!

 

[A Sparks]

I've got a little Spitfire pin I bought from the shop in the Museum and Art Gallery a few years ago - I don't think it's worth that sort of money though

 

[pjmburns]

Article and photo here.

Spitfire pilot's caterpillar brooch sells for more than £2,000

The brooch was awarded to Sgt William Farmer for successfully parachuting from his aircraft.

www.google.co.uk

I posted it as I was curious what looked like as I think Janet has given us the facts.

 

[Janet Hunt]

Article and photo here.

Spitfire pilot's caterpillar brooch sells for more than £2,000

The brooch was awarded to Sgt William Farmer for successfully parachuting from his aircraft.

www.google.co.uk

I posted it as I was curious what looked like as I think Janet has given us the facts.

Suppose I should have called it a Caterpillar brooch in my post as calling it a spitfire one looks like it was only meant for spitfire pilots....silly me! sorry.

 

[devonjim]

There was also a goldfish brooch for pilots who survived crashing into the sea.

 

[jmadone]

There were other "clubs" for downed airmen which until now I had never heard of. See link

Caterpillars, goldfish and guinea pigs: badges of the (un)lucky clubs of the Second World War | Australian War Memorial

www.awm.gov.au

 

[Janet Hunt]

There were other "clubs" for downed airmen which until now I had never heard of. See link

Caterpillars, goldfish and guinea pigs: badges of the (un)lucky clubs of the Second World War | Australian War Memorial

www.awm.gov.au

I loved this article, Thank you so much, Just wondering about the Kangaroo one where they required to bounce on landing?..joke

 

[devonjim]

There was also a goldfish brooch for pilots who survived crashing into the sea.

This goldfish award was presented by the makers of the emergency dinghys, P.B.Cow. That's a name that should be familiar to photographers, remember "Cow Gum" used to mount photographs before the days of Spray Mount in an aerosol.

Whatever Happened to Cow Gum? | Hullabaloo Blog | Colin Higton

Cow Gum - a vital part of every design studio before computers took over. Read on if you are old enough to remember that fantastic smell!

hullabaloo.co.uk