RAF EX-POW Association Silver Jubilee Dish 1977

The Royal Air Forces Ex-POW Association was established in the 1950s by a small group of ex-prisoners of war who met occasionally at a pub in the Holborn district of London, England. Flight Sergeant "Dixie" Deans MBE (1913 – 18 February 1989) was a founder member and first president of the Association. Over 10,000 airmen of the Royal Air Force, Fleet Air Arm and other service fliers were captured and became Prisoners of War during World War II. Members from more recent conflicts are still active in maintaining the comradeship that POWs forge in adversity.

Our ceramic dish was made from fine bone china by the Royal Worcester factory which was established in 1751 and is believed to be the oldest or second oldest remaining English porcelain brand still in existence today. The dish carries the RAF Ex-POW barbed wire logo to the centre and around the side the wording 'Royal Silver Jubilee year Reunion London May 13th-16th 1977'. The Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II marked the 25th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's accession to the thrones of the United Kingdom. It was celebrated with large-scale parties and parades throughout the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth throughout 1977, culminating in June with the official "Jubilee Days", held to coincide with the Queen's Official Birthday. Clearly the EX-POW association played an important part in the festivities, although sadly now 43 years later, the "Kriegies", my late Father included, have nearly all received their final posting. The dish, which measures 4.5" diameter (11 cm), is in fine condition.

The final image attached shows the dish displayed with some items from my own POW collection; these are not for sale but included here for interest. The little clay dish we believe was made whilst Dad was a POW at Stalag Luft 111 (along with Dixie Deans)and intrestingly the barbed wire motif is also used, as subsequently adopted by the POW association. The map shows the enforced march the POW made in early 1945, during one of the coldest winters on record. We also show some original POW currency and an instruction booklet issued to my Father when he finally got back to the UK in the Spring of '45, with instructions how to enjoy his leave, the first he had had since being captured in August 1941. I expect he needed no coaching!