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PER
ARDUA AD ASTRA
It
might be interesting to note that the history of the General Badge of
the RAAF goes back to 1912, when a motto was selected for the Royal
Flying Corps, that same motto now used by the RAAF (and RAF). The story
relating to that selection began when a Royal Flying Corps officer,
Lieutenant J S Yule suggested three mottoes to his Commanding Officer,
Colonel F Sykes, those being ‘Sic Ictur Ad Astra, 'Ad Astra Per Ardua'
and 'Per Ardua Ad Astra, the latter being from Rider Haggard's novel
'The People of the Mist'. Per Ardua Ad Astra was selected and approved
on the 15th March 1913. The motto carried on with the inception of the
RAF and remains with it today.
In
1929 the RAAF decided to adopt a motto and two Latin language experts
were consulted to prepare possible ideas. Dr Wallace of the University
of Sydney proposed 'Usque Ad Astra' and Wirtus Spernit Humurn, both were
rejected. Professor Cowling of the Melbourne University suggested
several some of which were ‘Per Labores Ad Caelum 'Xeleritate Et
Audacia', 'Animo Ad Alta Et Alis' and 'Volare, Valere Et Vincere'. He
added to his submission 'In my opinion there is only one motto which is
worthy of the RAAF, and that is the motto which has been adopted after
consideration by the young and growing Air Forces of Canada and New
Zealand namely 'Per Ardua Ad Astra'. '
GENERAL
BADGE PROPOSED
A
design for a complete badge was not thought of until 1937 when the newly
appointed Chester Herald, John Heaton‑Armstrong was commissioned
to prepare a design for the RAAF. He based his proposal on that of the
current General Badge of the Royal Air Force but would 'make the RAAF
bird more like an eagle, of the wedge-tailed variety'. He also
planned to vary the design namely by placing the words ‘Royal
Australian Air Force’ on the collar and a separate motto strip (or
scroll) at the base of the badge containing the words 'Per Ardua Ad
Astra'.
The
Chester Herald requested photographs of a wedge-tailed eagle so that his
artists could capture its pose in the correct manner. An RAAF
photographer was sent to the Melbourne Zoo in order to fulfill the
Herald's request. At the same time he arranged for photographs of the
wedge tailed eagle at the London Zoo. With a conglomeration of the
photos, none were satisfactory and as a last resort, Mr. Campbell of the
Bird Club of Victoria was consulted suggestions and from all
of this a badge was finally designed.
Heaton-Armstrong's
first design arrived in early 1938 and in October of that year it was
returned for alterations. The RAAF required the outer circle to be
made wider and the background colour of the inner circle to be pale blue
(similar to that of the Canadian Air Force). After receipt of the
amended proposal (as per the latter instructions) the RAAF once again
requested changes to the colouring. Those changes were that the outer
circle be RAAF blue with the words 'Royal Australian Air Force' in gold
and the inner circle return to white, the correspondence being dispatched
in late October.
In
January of the next year the badge was submitted to King George V1 and
approved.
ERROR
DETECTED BY CHESTER HERALD
It
would appear that the Chester Herald was not satisfied with the wedge tailed
eagle in the badge right from the first drawings. On the 26th January
1943 a cypher message was received by RAAF HQ Melbourne requesting the
return of the original General Badge with reference to the way the eagle
was drawn. Due to the fact that the alterations could have created a
propaganda problem details were not immediately disclosed. Inspection of
the original badge reveals that the eagle has been repainted especially
the tall feathers, talons, beak and head. The wing feathers also
received some upgrading. The early eagle was often humorously referred
to as an albatross or parrot.
UNIDENTIFIED
DESIGN
During
research, an unidentified design turned up with no direct supportive
information. Two possible references were located, one contained within
a letter from the Secretary of the Department of Defence to the Official
Secretary (Air Liaison) London, dated April 1936 the subject being unit
badges in general. Paragraph 4 sub-paragraph ii refers and reads
'Enclosed herewith is a suggested badge for the Royal Australian Air
Force. It will be observed that this is similar to that of the Royal Air
Force, and permission to adopt the general design and motto was given by
the Air Council. There are, however, two main differences
a).
the eagle is of the wedge-tailed variety, a bird found in
Australia,
b).
a scroll, with the words "Royal Australian Air Force" has been
added.
The
board would welcome any criticisms and suggestions which the Chester
Herald may have to make on this'. In the above, a.' seems somewhat
confusing as the eagle in the unidentified design is the RAF version
but the remaining details are significant to the design. A possible
change may have been effected to alter the eagle.
The
other reference was a letter written in May 1941 (2 years after the
official Australian wedge-tailed eagle badge was approved) from Joan
Kingsley Strack to Squadron Leader J Tart, Public Relations Officer,
RAA17HQ Melbourne. This letter was found attached to the same file as
the original sketch of the unidentified design though some fifty folios
apart with no connecting references. It was noticed that the letter and
the sketch were on the same sized paper of similar grade and both were
in black ink. J Kingsley Strack wrote thanking Squadron Leader Tart for
'making necessary enquiries' about the 'little sketch' but was 'terribly
sorry all the same that it could not be used'. Apart from these
references there are no other details on the history of this
unidentified design.
FURTHER
CHANGES TO GENERAL BADGE
During
a CAS meeting in August 1978 a comment was passed relating to the
General Badge and in particular the attitude of flight of the eagle. A
minute was written from that meeting with a recommendation that the
current badge be altered to reflect the
eagle in 'flying attitude' and not heraldic display. It would appear
that there was no further action taken towards alterations of the badge.
details supplied by RAAF Museum |
