ROYAL FLYING CORPS
The great European war brought out in startling fashion the remarkable efficiency of the military aerial service, which is embodied in the Naval and Military Wings of the Royal Flying Corps. The Naval Wing is concerned chiefly with airships, while the Military Wing is devoted to work with aeroplanes and man-carrying kites. The Corps has its foundation in the old Balloon Company of the Royal Engineers, which in 1911 was absorbed into the Air Battalion Royal Engineers, when the aerial service of the army was placed on a sound basis. The headquarters were placed at Aldershot. On April 13th, 1913, the Royal Flying Corps was organised and developed in remarkable manner in methods, material, and men. When war was declared against Germany in 1914 the members of the Corps quickly achieved fame by their efficiency and daring, many decorations being won, notably the V.C. by Lieut. Warneford, who was killed soon after in an accident near Paris.
Nicknames: "The Hawks," "The Sky Pilots."
"Dettingen," "Peninsula," "Waterloo," "Tel-el-Kebir," "Egypt, 1882," "Relief of Kimberley," "Paardeberg," "South Africa, 1899-1900."
Uniform, Scarlet.
Facings, Blue.
Cloak, Scarlet.
Head-dress, White metal helmet with white plume; band and trumpeters, scarlet plume.
Cap, Blue, with scarlet band.
On State occasions the band and trumpeters wear a special tunic of crimson heavily braided with gold.
A crimson cord is worn in the centre of the shoulder belt.
Two scarlet stripes are worn down the side seams of the overalls.
The Regiment carries three Squadron Standards in addition to the King's Standard. The Silver Kettle-Drums used in the Regiment were presented by King William IV in 1831.