RAF Patch a 7 Squadron Royal Air Force Chinook HC 1 SF Flt sa

RAF Patch 7 Squadron Royal Air Force Ops Special Forces Flight Chinook Helicopters RAF Odiham 1982 Subdued Embroidered on twill cut edge 90mm three and nine sixteenth inches diameter.

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Badge  On a hurt seven mullets of six points forming a representation of the constellation Ursa Major approved by King George VI in June 1939. Ursa Major has formed part of The Squadron device since 1926 and represents the Squadron number.

Motto  Per diem, per noctem latin By day and by night

Squadron history 1970 2015

7 squadron continued its wartime bomber role after the war operating from RAF Upwood equipped with Lincoln bombers. The squadron disbanded on 2 January 1956 and reformed at RAF Honington in December 1956 equipped with Valiant strategic V bombers until disbanded in 1962.

The Squadron reactivated at RAF St Mawgan on 1 May 1970 equipped with Canberra TT Mk18 target towing aircraft.  The Squadron regularly deployed detachments to Gibraltar Malta and Cyprus providing towed airborne targets for fighter aircraft cannon and missiles and target facilities for ground based anti aircraft guns and missiles. 7 squadron disbanded at RAF St Mawgan in January 1982.

The Squadron reformed at RAF Odiham in September 1982 equipped with Chinooks HC 1 support helicopters and incorporated a flight to provide specialist helicopter support for SAS and SBS Special Forces operations. Special Forces Flight undertook operations in Lebanon in 1983 and carried out regular deployments to Northern Ireland from 1986. 7 Squadron took part in Operation Granby and Desert Storm UKs deployment to the Gulf following the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990. 15 HC.1s were sent from 7 and 18 squadrons as the Chinook Squadron Middle East and three SF Flight Chinooks painted with special camouflage schemes deployed to a forward operating base at Al Jouf Saudi Arabia inserting SAS foot patrols resupply of SAS fighting columns insertion of SBS sabotage teams. The Squadron received HC 2 Chinooks in 1993 and deployments and operations continued including Croatia Albania Kosovo Sierra Leone Iraq and Afghanistan.

7 Squadron became part of the Joint Special Forces Aviation Wing JSFAW In April 2001 with 657 Squadron Army Air Corps to support the United Kingdom Special Forces. 651 Squadron Army Air Corps joined them in 2004 with a complement of Islander aircraft.

This patch dates from 1982.