RAF No 7 Group Novices Boxing Championship Cup 1925

No. 7 Group was created on the day that the RAF officially came into being on 1st April 1918 by renaming of the Royal Flying Corps 'Southern Training Brigade'. Initially the Group was subordinate to No. 2 Area and on 8 August the designation "Training" was added making the Group's new title 'No. 7 (Training) Group'. With the post war reductions, the Group was disbanded on 16th Aug 1919 but with military logic was reformed the following month, when South-Western Area was downgraded to group status. On 1st April 1920, the Group was transferred to Inland Area's control but was disbanded for the second time on 12th April 1926. Following the outbreak of the Second World War, the Group was reformed on 15th July 1940 as No. 7 (Operational Training) Group, under Bomber Command control.

The cup is stamped EPNS to the base and numbered 33288; much of the electro plating has now worn away after 95 years of polishing, but it still makes an impressive display piece from the very early days of the RAF. The front is engraved with a good crisp RAF crest with the 'Per Adua Ad Astra' legend, the RAF eagle and surmounted by a Kings Crown. The opposite side is engraved 'RAF No 7Group Novices Championship 1925 Light Weight Special Contest Runner Up'. Whilst the cup comes without specific provenance we have assumed it was awarded for a lightweight boxing championship back in 1925, but we stand to be corrected. The cup, which stands a fraction over 6" tall (15.5 cm) is in generally good condition other than the odd bump and ding commensurate with its age (like us all! Editor)