RAF Patch Cmd Transport Command Royal Air Force Crest a

RAF Patch Royal Air Force Transport Command Crest 1950s Woven merrowed edge 124mm by 88mm four and seven eighth inches by three and one half inches.

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RAF Transport Command was activated on 25 March 1943 on the redesignation of RAF Ferry Command and continued to control the ferrying of aircraft from factories to operational units and air transport activities. In addition Transport command took over the dropping paratroops from Army Cooperation Command.

After the war Transport Command grew in size undertaking transport duties worldwide. Transport Command ran scheduled routes to military staging posts and bases in the Mediterranean Middle East Indian Ocean region Southeast Asia the Far East and the Americas to maintain contact between the UK and military bases of strategic importance. It also carried out special flights worldwide covering all the continents bar Antarctica.

The Command controlled the RAF air transport element during the Berlin Airlift in 1948 with a variety of wartime aircraft including Dakotas which reinforced the need for a large dedicated RAF transport fleet. The Hastings four engined transport was introduced in 1948 and the Command commenced supply support to the secret military establishments at Woomera South Australia in 1949. In addition to general transport duties the Command provided casualty evacuation from South Korea during the Korean War 1950 to 1953 and supporting combat operations during the Malayan Emergecy starting in 1950. The Comet C 2 jet engine transport aircraft and the Beverley heavy transport were introduced in 1956 and Transport Command support airborne landing and evacuation operations during the Suez Crisis of October November 1956. Transport Command began support ferrying personnel and supplies to Christmas Island for the UK atomic bomb tests from 1957. Britannia C 1 and C 2 transports began service in 1959 with a variety of other transport aircraft joining its Squadrons including Andover Britannia Devon Pembroke Belfast and helicopters.

Transport Command established three air transport forces in 1960 with the Strategic Force operating the Comets and Britannias for long haul duties the Medium Range Force operating Beverleys and Hastings and the Short Range Force which operated helicopters Pioneers and Twin Pioneers. VC 10 aircraft for long haul operations began to be received in 1966 and C 130 Hercules aircraft to replace the Hastings and Beverley transports were introduced in 1967.

Transport Command was redesignated RAF Air Support Command on 1 August 1967

This patch dates from the 1950s.