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The Yprhs Times.
the ideal of a simple treatment, for as the aim of all art is a broad and effective simplicity
so the problem of the service shield is to combine its elements skilfully enough to produce
an harmonious and direct design. And since the usual war ribbons, service chevrons and
badges of rank are common to a great number of shields, we can manage this best by using
these constant elements in a simple consistent method, and rely on some distinctive
symbol, personal to the individual, to give the outstanding character to the design.
In producing several hundreds of shields for members of the Navy, Army and Air
Force, I have had full opportunity to test the comprehensive capacity of the scheme and
have been able to comply with most requests for including special points requiring com
memoration, some of which are illustrated here. The number of aeroplanes brought down
by a pilot for instance can be illustrated by sowing the field with the required number
of little 'planes (Fig. i). The officer who had the keys of Jerusalem delivered to him has
two crossed keys traversing the cross of Jerusalem (Fig. 6). A naval officer who convoyed
the American troops has a lymphad (the heraldic ship) with sails striped and starred with
the U.S. colours (Fig. 3). It would take long to describe all the symbols that have been
brought into service. The warning bell is used for gassed," a dragon and spade for
Chinese labour, and as my readers will know, an escutcheon with the patriarchal cross
from the arms of Ypres is included in shields designed for members of the Ypres League.
To differentiate the ribbon of the Victoria Cross from other purple ribbons I sow the field
with crosses, making it in heraldic terms crusilly the correct number of mentions in
dispatches are shown by a like number of oak leaves, and not by one as on Service dress
(see Fig. 4). In numerous similar ways it is possible to bring out the really significant
and decisive facts.
Finally the shield is ensigned (or surmounted) with the crest of the regiment,
ship, or air force unit, just as the old heraldic shields were completed by the plume or
figure worn on the helm in battle. Even the mantling of a full achievementof arms
can be fittingly supplied by ribbons of the regimental colours, and so at almost all points
an ancient mode of art can be made to serve a modern purpose. The principles of art
are indeed unchanging it is the mode of application which varies with the age in which
we live.
Explanation of six shields follow
I. Lieutenant, Royal Flying Corps. Pilot's wings with Roman numerals for 29th
and 44th Squadrons. Shield of the colours of the Military Cross, white-purple-white.
