Royal Aircraft Factory certificate of identity, No. 352, issued to John George Hall, 29 June 1916

During the First World War there was a movement to shame men of military service age who were not fighting, known as the 'white feather movement'. This pass could be produced to show that the bearer had performed military service and was entitled to wear civilian clothing.

The Royal Aircraft Factory was established in 1912 principally as a government research establishment, however, a number of its designs went into mass production during the First World War. It was renamed the Royal Aircraft Establishment in 1918 to avoid confusion with the newly formed Royal Air Force.