Army Air Corps AAC Flt Patch Flight BATUS Suffield 1971

Army Air Corps Patch AAC Army Air Corps Flight BATUS Suffield Canada Flying Suit Ops Patch 1971 very rare

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Flight History  

Following the Gaddafi coup in Libya in 1969 Libya closed down British military installations located at El Adem and Tobruk and additionally American installations located near Tripoli which left the UK with no suitably expansive areas for the British Army to undertake armoured warfare exercises on a suitably large scale in Europe. In 1971 a 10 year lease was signed between the British and Canadian Governments that authorized battle group training to take place in the Suffield area by the British Army and the British Army Training Unit Suffield BATUS was formally established. In 1981 and 1991 the lease for Suffield was extended. On the expiration of this lease in 2006 the British and Canadian governments concluded an agreement that allows British forces to maintain their training practices in Canada indefinitely.

Army Air Corps Flight BATUS preceded 29 BATUS Flight Army Air Corps formed in 1972 for the provision of aviation support for The British Army Training Unit Suffield BATUS which conducts major training exercises at the Canadian Forces Base Suffield Canada. The Flights role include supervision CASEVAC casualty evacuation reconnaissance liaison and limited lift of passengers and equipment with Gazelle AH1 helicopters. The flight is part of 5 Regiment Army Air Corps based at Joint Helicopter Command base at Aldergrove Northern Ireland. 

This patch dates from 1971.