826 Naval Air Squadron Hand Carved Badge

Another exceptionally fine plaque that formed part of a small collection we have purchased, that we understand were displayed in a now defunct service club. No. 826 Squadron was formed in March 1940 at RNAS Ford in Sussex as a torpedo bomber squadron, first equipped with Fairey Albacore biplanes. After initial training it was placed under the operational control of RAF Coastal Command, flying its first Op, a daylight bombing raid against a road junction at Nieuwpoort, Belgium on 31 May 1940. The squadron continued to fly a mixture of convoy escort operations, daylight attacks against German land and sea targets and nighttime patrols against German E-boats. When the Albacore was grounded on 3 July 1940, owing to the unreliability of the aircraft's Bristol Taurus engines, the Squadron was temporarily re-equipped with the older Fairey Swordfish. 826 saw considerable Mediterranean service during WWII and won Battle Honours for Dunkirk 1940, English Channel 1940–44, Atlantic 1940, Matapan 1941, Crete 1941, Mediterranean 1941–43. The squadron was disbanded in 1944, but resurfaced again post war and won further Battle Honours for Falklands 1982 and Kuwait in 1991. The squadrons last incarnation was operating Sea King Helicopters but after the squadron's aircraft had been reallocated to 810 and 819 Naval Air Squadrons, 826 was finally disbanded in July 1993.

This badge (we have avoided calling it a 'Crest' on the basis Naval chums advise "Waves have crests, whilst Ships have badges"!) is a unique finely hand carved example that depicts the squadron badge comprising a Naval Crown of standard form, with the squadron nos 826 below, followed by a seahorse grasping a downward pointing trident. Then in scroll form is carved the squadron's Latin motto 'Latet Anguis In Aqua' that translates to "A Snake Lies Concealed in the Water", a reference to the 826 role as a Torpedo-Spotter Squadron. Whilst the history of the piece has been lost, it is clearly a unique one off hand carved badge, the likes of which we will never see again. It is made from a single piece of polished hardwood, with a warm mellow patina and with the badge carved in relief. We believe this would date from WWII and remains in very fine original condition. We suspect it will not be with us long and with the festive season nearly upon us this would be the ideal present for the Naval or aviation collector in your life that you are not going to find repeated on 'Not on the High Street'! Measures 10.5"x 8" (27 cm x 20 cm)