RAF Patch j 22 Squadron Royal Air Force a Wessex Flight B SAR

RAF Patch 22 Squadron B Flight Royal Air Force Search And Rescue SAR Wessex 1980s RAF Leuchars Embroidered on twill merrowed edge 94mm three and one quarter inches diameter.

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Badge: – On a Torteaux, a Maltese Cross throughout, overall a pi fimbriated – approved by King Edward VIII in May 1936. The Greek sign pi denotes the Squadrons service in France with the 7th Wing the pilots often taking off over the Wings HQ – hence the 22 over 7 or pi. When the badge was approved the Squadron was based in Malta which accounts for the inclusion of the Maltese cross.

Motto: – Preux et audicieux – Valiant and Brave

Squadron History 1955 – 2013

22 Squadron reformed for the first time since the end of WWII on 15 February 1955 at RAF Thorney Island with Whirlwind HAR 2 helicopters provide Search and Rescue cover over the South and South East Coasts and Wales with four detached Flights. The Flights were based at RAF Thorney Island RAF Martlesham Heath RAF Valley and RAF St Mawgan. The Flight at RAF Martlesham Heath moved to RAF Felixstowe in April 1956 and Squadron HQ moved to RAF St Mawgan on 4 June 1956. In October 1956 22 Squadron formed Grapple Flight at RAF St Mawgan to provide SAR cover and communications on Christmas Island for the British nuclear tests departing on 30 January 1957. 

In December 1959 the Flight at RAF Thorney Island was withdrawn against local wishes with South Coast cover provided on an ad-hoc basis by the Royal Navy. The Squadron moved the RAF Felixstowe Flight to RAF Tangmere in May 1961 and a new fourth Flight provided at Manston
in July 1961. Whirlwind HAR 10s were received in August 1962. With RAF Tangmere closed in 1964 and Tangmere Flight moved back to RAF Thorney Island. In March 1969 Manston Flight disbanded as aircraft and crews were required to reform 1564 Flight at El Adem following the crash of an Argosy in Libya.

22 Squadron began equipping with SAR Wessex HC2s in 1976. C Flight 202 Squadron at Leuchars became B Flight 22 Squadron in April 1976. D Flight 72 Squadron at Manston became E Flight 22 Squadron in June 1976 and C Flight 22 Squadron’s Whirlwind 10s were replaced by Wessex HC2s at Valley in June 1976. A and D Flights 22 Squadron remained at Chivenor and Brawdy with their Whirlwind 10s.

While 202 Squadron was re-equipped with Sea Kings 22 Squadron maintained a mixed fleet of Wessex and Whirlwind. In October 1979 D Flight 22 Squadron was reformed at Leconfield to replace 202 Squadrons Whirlwinds with Wessex. 22 Squadrons Whirlwinds were finally withdrawn from service at RAF Chivenor and replaced by Wessex in November 1981.

A 22 Squadron detachment of Wessex deployed to RAF Coltishall to cover C Flight 202 Squadrons move to form 1564 Flight in the Falklands Islands in August 1982 and was renamed F Flight 22 Squadron in August 1983. F Flight 22 Squadron was replaced by the reformation
of C Flight 202 Squadron Sea Kings in September 1985. Over 31 August 1 September 1988 E Flt 22 Squadron Wessex moved from Manston to Coltishall and was replaced by C Flt 202 Squadrons move from Coltishall to Manston. Leconfield was reclaimed by 202 Squadron in November 1988 by the formation of E Flight with Sea Kings. In April 1993 B Flight 22 Squadron at Leuchars was disbanded and in July 1994 B Flt 202 Sqn Brawdy  E Flt 22 Sqn Coltishall and C Flt 202 Sqn Manston were disbanded. B Flt 22 Sqn was reformed at Wattisham with Sea Kings. In May 1997 and July 1997 the Flights at Chivenor and Wattisham were re-equipped with Sea King Mk 3As.

Currently the Squadron is headquartered at RAF Valley and maintains detachments A Flight at RAF Chivenor B Flight at RAF Wattisham and C Flight at RAF Valley.

This patch dates from the 1980s.