RAAF Patch Tng Royal Australian Air Force Parachute Training Flt

RAAF Patch Royal Australian Air Force Parachute Training Flight PTF Patch 1960s RAAF Base Williamtown Japanese Made Ace Novelty Fully embroidered cut edge 117mm by 79mm four and five eighth inches by three and one eighth inches. 

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RAAF Paratroop Training Unit PTU was activated at RAAF Station Laverton in Victoria on 3 November 1942 to train parachute troops with Army personnel attached to PTU designated as Group 244 RAAF Army Z. PTU relocated to RAAF Tocumwal in New South Wales on 16 November 1942 and then to RAAF Richmond on 6 April 1943 and enough personel had been trained for a parachute battalion to be formed and 1 Australian Parachute Battalion was established at RAAF Richmond before relocating to Scheyville Farm NSW. PTU was disbanded at the end of WWII and 1 Australian Parachute Battalion disbanded in January 1946 without being committed to combat operations although they had been alerted for a number of operations and undertaken extensive mission specific training.  

With the creation of the airborne platoon of the Royal Australian Regiment RAR in 1951 a joint Air Force and Army Parachute Training Wing PTW was activated in October 1951 at RAAF Williamtown NSW under School of Land and Air Warfare to support parachute training of members of all three services with an RAAF Commanding Officer and Chief Instructor and instructors from both the Army and the RAAF. Special Air Services SAS Company formed in June 1957 and PTW was redesignated the Parachute Training Flight and organised under the RAAF Air Support Unit in 1958 training parachutists for the SAS. 

Responsibility for parachute training passed to the Australian Army on 14 May 1974 with Parachute Training Flight redesignated the Parachute Training School PTS remaining at RAAF Williamtown and the Commanding Officer Chief Instructor from the Army. 

This patch dates from the 1960s