British Army Airborne Patch b 23 Parachute Field Ambulance DZ

British Army Airborne Patch 144 Parachute Field Ambulance RAMC DZ Patch 1980s ribbon 57mm by 55mm two and one quarter inches by two and one eighth inches.

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History 1947-1999 

23 Parachute Field Ambulance RAMC was formed 1 April 1947 on the re-designation of 127 Parachute Field Ambulance which had been formed on 17 July 1942 which had been in action in North Africa France Greece and Palestine. 23 Parachute Field Ambulance under 2 Parachute Brigade relocated to Kingsway Barracks Rhendsburg Germany.  2 Parachute Brigade was renamed 16 Independent Parachute Brigade in 1948 and relocated to the UK in November 1949.  On 5 June 1951 23 Parachute Field Ambulance and the rest of 16 Independent Parachute Brigade
deployed to Cyprus for acclimatization prior to undertaking security duties in the Canal Zone in October 1951.  The Brigade returned to the UK in August 1954. In January 1956 16 Independent Parachute Brigade again deployed to Cyprus undertaking training prior to carrying out numerous operations against EOKA terrorist groups. In March 1956 23 Parachute Field Ambulance and the rest of the Brigade began preparations for an airborne assault on to the Suez Canal Operation Muskateer which took place on 5 November 1956. Following the assault the Brigade returned to Cyprus where 23 Parachute Field Ambulance.

23 Parachute Field Ambulance relocated to Aldershot in 1957 and various sized groups from Field Surgical Team to Medical Section and individuals deployed worldwide in support of Airborne Forces including seeing action in Cyprus Malaysia Aden Bahrain Salahah British Guyana Anguilla and Northern Ireland to mention a few. When 16 Independent Parachute Brigade was disbanded on 31 March 1977 23 Parachute Field Ambulance was reduced to a Parachute Clearing Troop PCT as part of 16 Field Ambulance and this composite unit became known as 6 Field Force Ambulance later re-titled 16 Field Ambulance and remained stationed in Aldershot with individuals deployed supporting Army tasks around the world. 

Parachute Clearing Troop deployed with 2 Para Battalion Group deployed on Operation Corporate the retaking of the Falkland Islands in 1982 and provided the Field Surgical Team personnel working in a joint medical organisation with the Commando Medical Squadron as well as personnel for forward Regimental Aid Posts. Following the campaign a full review of the Army’s ability to mount and support Out of Area Operations took place resulting in the formation of 5 Airborne Brigade from the units of 5 Infantry Brigade and additional supporting services including the reformation of 23 Field Ambulance on 1 of April 1985. 23 Field Ambulance re-acquired its Parachute designation on 6 April 1986.  

Major elements of the unit deployed on Operation Orderley in 1989 to provide military ambulance support during a national ambulance service strike.  During Operation Granby in 1991 major elements of unit reinforced 33 General Hospital at Al Jubail and two Field Surgical Teams deployed with 1 and 5 Armoured Field Ambulances.  Following the Options for Change defence review 144 Parachute Field Ambulance V was reformed as 144 Parachute Medical Squadron V and was assigned to 23 Parachute Field Ambulance in September 1993. In 1994 following the Rwandan Civil War 155 members of unit deployed to Rawanda as Operation Gabriel to provide primary health care and surgical support to over 30 refugee camps.

In May 1995 23 Parachute Field Ambulance deployed on Exercise Purple Star a Combined Joint Task Force Exercise with UK and US forces which included the largest parachute drop since WWII.  In July 1996 the unit deployed on Operation Resolute with 23 Hospital Squadron manned by Regular TA and reservists to Bosnia Herzogovina as part of IFOR and a Parachute Clearing Troop deployed to Zaire in Operation Determinant to Zaire in 1997.

In mid-1999 23 Parachute Field Ambulance deployed to Macedonia on Operation Agricola with 5 Airborne Brigade and deployed into Kosovo with 1 Para Battalion Group to secure the Kajanik defile with an airmobile helicopter insertion in June 1999.

23 Parachute Field Ambulance was disbanded on its merger with 19 Airmobile Field Ambulance to form 16 Close Support Medical Regiment on 1 October 1999 on the formation of 16 Air Assault Brigade from 5 Airborne Brigade and 24 Airmobile Brigade relocating to Colchester. 

This patch dates from the 1980s