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BEARS OVER THERE™ |
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RAAF Bear
Limited Edition- 5000 Bears only
"RAAF Bear" overall measures approx. 40cm, and is manufactured to the usual high standard as other bears in our collection. He is light brown in colour, and comes complete in the older style RAAF uniform, including forage cap and RAAF badge.
Again, indicative of our
bears, the ear-tag summarises the theme - this time, our Air Force personnel,
members of the highly regarded
Royal Australian Air Force.
A donation
from each sale is made to the RSL.
Overseas customers please email, fax or post us the
completed order form,
this will ensure appropriate
postage is paid
"RAAF Bear" serves to highlight the
achievements and qualities of our Defence personnel in an accessible way. A big thank you to the Royal Australian Air Force for granting permission for us to reproduce the uniform and badge on our latest recruit, and to Vanessa Harris, for allowing use of her late father's forage cap, to accurately replicate the caps.
*********************** All bears come in fantastic clear presentation boxes, making them great for collectors wishing to protect but still display their bears, or for those desiring a quality and special gift with that touch of something different.
************************ RAAF Bear comes complete with the following historic information on his ear-tag: The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is one of the world’s oldest independent air forces, with its origins in the Australian Flying Corps during the Great War of 1914-18. In 1915-16, an Australian air party served in Mesopotamia (Iraq), before a complete squadron was sent to Egypt to support Britain’s campaign in Sinai and Palestine for the rest of the war. Three more combat squadrons joined British forces on the Western Front in 1917. Australian airmen fought with distinction, both in Europe and the Middle East, and won many gallantry decorations including one Victoria Cross. The Australian Air Force was formed on 31 March 1921, with the ‘Royal’ prefix granted on 13 August that year. When World War II started in 1939, the RAAF had only 3500 officers and men, but over the next six years it grew fifty-fold to more than 180,000 men and women. From one flying boat unit in 1939, the RAAF presence in England swelled to twelve squadrons, with another six in the Mediterranean area, and many thousands more airmen in RAF squadrons in all theatres. After Japan entered the war in December 1941, four Australian squadrons quickly became involved in fighting in Malaya and Java. Steps were taken to create a formidable air force back in Australia, which totalled 61 squadrons by 1945. RAAF aircraft not only met the Japanese in direct combat, but provided support to allied land and naval forces in a score of campaigns across the Pacific and South-East Asia. After World War II the RAAF blossomed into a highly-respected force skilled in handling peace keeping and humanitarian operations, as well as defending the homeland. Its air, ground and technical personnel continue to command the professional respect earned by previous generations. |
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