611 Volunteer Gliding Squadron, based at RAF Honington near Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, has been granted an authorised unit badge by the Inspector of RAF Badges at the College of Arms. This award follows the award to 622 VGS last year, and continues the process of formalising unit badges across the RAF Air Cadets.
The badge consists of a Red Kite bird of prey with a crown around its neck, holding a sword and wearing jesses and bells.
The red kite, a bird once almost extinct in the UK, is now found again in East Anglia so is appropriate for this squadron’s history. 611 VGS was stood down some years ago but now has been reformed again. The jesses and bells worn by the red kite represent the control of flight. The ancient crown is an allusion to St Edmund, King of East Anglia and also to RAF Swanton Morley, where at one time the squadron operated. The Iron Age sword is taken from the Badge of RAF Watton, another former location of the squadron.
The Motto is "Fit Ales Iuventus", which translates from Latin as "Youth becomes winged"
Officer Commanding 611 VGS, Squadron Leader Daniel Vincent-Parker said
"It is a great pleasure to receive our official Squadron badge. Each element of the blazon explains an aspect of our history, a history that all members of the Squadron, past and present are part of. It reflects the professionalism and standards we uphold today and is a symbol of our ongoing mission to provide the very highest level of gliding instruction"
Squadron Leader Daniel Vincent-Parker
Officer Commanding 611VGS
The approved badge is official described as follows:
Blazon:
A Red Kite wings elevated and addorsed PROPER jessed belled and gorged with an Ancient Crown OR holding in the dexter foot an Iron Age Sword PROPER the hilt OR
Motto:
FIT ALES IUVENTUS
(Latin: Youth becomes winged)
Rationale:
The red kite, a bird once almost extinct in the UK, is now found again in East Anglia so is appropriate for this squadron which was stood down some years ago but now has been reformed again. The jesses and bells worn by the red kite represent the control of flight. The ancient crown is an allusion to St Edmund, King of East Anglia and also to RAF Swanton Morley, where at one time the squadron operated. The Iron Age sword is taken from the Badge of RAF Watton, another former location of the squadron.
