Goldfish Club
Encyclopedia
The Goldfish Club is a worldwide association of people who have jumped by parachute from an aircraft into the water, or whose aircraft crashed in the water, and whose lives were saved by a life jacket, inflatable dinghy, or similar device. The Goldfish Club badge shows a white-winged goldfish flying over two symbolic blue waves.
's PB Cow & Co., one of the world’s largest manufacturers of air-sea rescue equipment. After hearing of the experiences of airmen who had survived a ditching at sea, Robertson decided to form an exclusive club for airmen who owed their lives to their life jacket, dinghy, etc.
With the company’s backing, the club was named The Goldfish Club: gold for the value of life, and fish for the water. Each member was presented with a heat-sealed waterproof membership card and an embroidered badge. News of the club spread rapidly, and in January 1943 the BBC broadcast an interview by Wynford Vaughan-Thomas with Robertson and two members who had qualified on their first operational flight.
Due to wartime regulations, production of metallic-embroidered badges was prohibited and all cloth was severely rationed. These problems were overcome with silk embroidery substituted for wire upon black cloth cut from old evening dress suits that were sent by readers of the London Daily Express after an appeal by columnist William Hickey
. Uniform dress regulations prohibited the wearing of the Goldfish Club badge on British and American uniforms. The badge was generally worn by Naval aircrews upon their Mae Wests. Many RAF & USAAF aircrewmen placed their badge under the flap of their left hand uniform pocket.
, the club had 9,000 members from all branches of the Allied Forces. The club attempted to end the granting of memberships, but applications continued to arrive. When Robertson left PB Cow in 1947, he retained the Club records and continued operating it at his own expense.
An article in the RAFA
journal Airmail in January, 1951 brought renewed interest in the club, and a reunion dinner was held. It was a great success, and the Club was reorganized on a formal basis in March, 1953. Reunions have been held annually ever since at various venues with many distinguished guests. In response to a message of greetings sent to her, Mae West
made it clear that she took great pride in the fact that members of the RAF had adopted her name for their life-jackets.
Members of the club have included airmen who qualified in World War I
, more than twenty years before the Club was begun. Many of the older members have passed on, but new members still arrive. Many of those who joined during the war rejoin on learning of the Club’s continued existence. One member nominated as a special member the Italian airman who offered him a seat in his dinghy when they met in the Mediterranean in 1942. The only German member qualified when he ejected from his F104G, part of the NATO forces in 1971. Helicopter
crews predominate these days, since ditchings are rare among combat aircraft. Richard Branson
escaped from his trans-Atlantic balloon
and became the first lighter-than-air Goldfish.
Today, the five hundred-plus members around the world keep in touch with a regular newsletter.
World War II
The Goldfish Club was formed in November, 1942 by C. A. Robertson, the Chief Draftsman at the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
's PB Cow & Co., one of the world’s largest manufacturers of air-sea rescue equipment. After hearing of the experiences of airmen who had survived a ditching at sea, Robertson decided to form an exclusive club for airmen who owed their lives to their life jacket, dinghy, etc.
With the company’s backing, the club was named The Goldfish Club: gold for the value of life, and fish for the water. Each member was presented with a heat-sealed waterproof membership card and an embroidered badge. News of the club spread rapidly, and in January 1943 the BBC broadcast an interview by Wynford Vaughan-Thomas with Robertson and two members who had qualified on their first operational flight.
Due to wartime regulations, production of metallic-embroidered badges was prohibited and all cloth was severely rationed. These problems were overcome with silk embroidery substituted for wire upon black cloth cut from old evening dress suits that were sent by readers of the London Daily Express after an appeal by columnist William Hickey
William Hickey (columnist)
"William Hickey" is the pseudonymous byline of a gossip column published in the British daily newspaper, the Daily Express. It was named for the 18th century diarist of that name....
. Uniform dress regulations prohibited the wearing of the Goldfish Club badge on British and American uniforms. The badge was generally worn by Naval aircrews upon their Mae Wests. Many RAF & USAAF aircrewmen placed their badge under the flap of their left hand uniform pocket.
After the war
By the end of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the club had 9,000 members from all branches of the Allied Forces. The club attempted to end the granting of memberships, but applications continued to arrive. When Robertson left PB Cow in 1947, he retained the Club records and continued operating it at his own expense.
An article in the RAFA
Royal Air Forces Association
The Royal Air Forces Association, more often known as RAF Association, or simply RAFA, is a UK based charitable organization which provides care and support to serving and retired members of the "Royal Air Forces" and their dependents.The organisation, which was formed in 1943, receives no funding...
journal Airmail in January, 1951 brought renewed interest in the club, and a reunion dinner was held. It was a great success, and the Club was reorganized on a formal basis in March, 1953. Reunions have been held annually ever since at various venues with many distinguished guests. In response to a message of greetings sent to her, Mae West
Mae West
Mae West was an American actress, playwright, screenwriter and sex symbol whose entertainment career spanned seven decades....
made it clear that she took great pride in the fact that members of the RAF had adopted her name for their life-jackets.
Members of the club have included airmen who qualified in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, more than twenty years before the Club was begun. Many of the older members have passed on, but new members still arrive. Many of those who joined during the war rejoin on learning of the Club’s continued existence. One member nominated as a special member the Italian airman who offered him a seat in his dinghy when they met in the Mediterranean in 1942. The only German member qualified when he ejected from his F104G, part of the NATO forces in 1971. Helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
crews predominate these days, since ditchings are rare among combat aircraft. Richard Branson
Richard Branson
Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson is an English business magnate, best known for his Virgin Group of more than 400 companies....
escaped from his trans-Atlantic balloon
Balloon
A balloon is an inflatable flexible bag filled with a gas, such as helium, hydrogen, nitrous oxide, oxygen, or air. Modern balloons can be made from materials such as rubber, latex, polychloroprene, or a nylon fabric, while some early balloons were made of dried animal bladders, such as the pig...
and became the first lighter-than-air Goldfish.
Today, the five hundred-plus members around the world keep in touch with a regular newsletter.