RAF Patch b 24 Squadron Royal Air Force Crest Hercules Lyneham

RAF Patch 24 Squadron Royal Air Force Crest Hercules C 130 Lyneham Tactical Transport 1980s Velcro Embroidered on twill cut edge 108mm by 77mm four and one quarter inches by three and one sixteenth inches.

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Badge  A black Moorhen  approved by HM King George VI in June 1937. Chosen because of its speed and strength on the wing the cock is in fighting attitude to suggest the Squadrons ability to turn itself into a war unit at short notice despite a peacetime communications role.

Motto  In omnia parati Latin Prepared for all things.

Squadron history 1945 2015 

24 Squadron ended the war based at RAF Hendon equipped with C 47 Dakota and York aircraft tasked with long distance transport and short range VIP duties and was tasked with returning many exiled members of Royalty Heads of State and even entire Governments back to their own countries. The Squadron relocated to RAF Bassingbourn in February 1946 as RAF Hendon had become too small to operate its new Lancastrians from and absorbed 1359 VIP Flight in June 1946. The Squadron was redesignated 24 Commonwealth Squadron with crews from various Commonwealth countries joining the squadron strength. 24 Commonwealth Squadron was heavily involved in the Berlin airlift in 1948 1949.

The Squadron moved to RAF Lyneham in November 1950 and reequipped with Hastings transport aircraft and although VIP tasking continued the Squadron became a general transport unit rather than a specialised Communications Squadron. 24 Squadron relocated to RAF Colerne joining its Hastings Wing. 24 Squadron reequipped with C 130 Hercules transports and moved to RAF Lyneham in January 1968 as part of Lyneham Transport Wing and has been involved with most RAF military and civil operations including the Falklands War former Yugoslavia Iraq Afghanistan Africa and natural disaster relief as well as worldwide exercises. The Squadron received its first C 130J Hercules and fully upgraded to Hercules C 4 and C5 aircraft in September 2002. With the rest of Lynenham Transport Wing the Squadron relocated to RAF Brize Norton on 1 July 2011.

This patch dates from the 1980s.