RAF Patch j 33 Squadron Royal Air Force Puma Op Telic Iraq

RAF Patch 33 Squadron Royal Air Force Operation Telic Puma Helicopter Detachment Kuwait Iraq 2003 Embroidered on twill merrowed edge 81mm by 76mm three and three sixteenth inches by three inches.

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Badge A harts head affrontee couped at the neck approved by HM King Edward VIII in May 1936 The badge was developed from an unofficial emblem produced in the early 1930s when the Squadron introduced the famous Hawker Hart bomber into service 

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Unit history 1974 1991 

33 Squadron reformed at Odiham in 1971 as the RAF’s first Puma squadron providing tactical helicopter support of both NATO and the ACE Mobile Force Land AMFL. The Squadron maintained a detachment in Northern Ireland for 20 years up to 1991 and during that time saw active duty in Belize Zimbabwe in support of the Cease Fire Monitoring Force Ascension Island Venezuela and Jamaica to aid disaster relief.

The RAF Puma Middle East Squadron was created in 1990 when both 230 and 33 Squadrons were put on standby for the Gulf. By early January 1991 the Squadron was on active duty providing casualty evacuation for the 7th Armored Brigade and deployed to a forward operating base in Iraq during the ground war. By the end of the war the Pumas had flown over 1200 sorties carried over 4000 troops evacuated over 160 casualties and delivered 68000 kilograms of freight.

In 1995 33 Squadron deployed to Ploce Croatia as part of the Rapid Reaction Force RRF to assist with stabilization of the former Republic of Yugoslavia to provide troop lift and airborne command and control. For 3 months the Squadron conducted flights throughout Croatia, Bosnia and Serbia returning in November 1995 following the signing of the Dayton Accord. The Squadron also sent a flight of 4 Pumas and 70 Personnel to the Congo in May 1997 and 33 Squadron was put on standby to provide lift capability should Commonwealth civilians need to be evacuated from the Zairian capital of Kinshasa following the departure of Zaires president Mobutu which ended peacefully and the Squadron returned home the end of May.

In June 1997 33 Squadron relocated to RAF Benson and was joined in February 1998 by Puma Operational Conversion Flight previously part of 27 Squadron. The Squadron took part in Operation Barwood in Mozambique providing helicopter support to NATO forces in Bosnia. In 2003 under Joint Helicopter Force 33 Squadron provided the Puma Detachment for Operation Telic the invasion of Iraq and continued regular deployments to Iraq until Op Telic concluded in 2009. In 2009 the Squadron was joined by No 230 Squadron at RAF Benson to colocate the Puma Force part of the RAF Support Helicopter Force which is controlled by Joint Helicopter Command. The focus of the Squadron in 2013 is essential predeployment training of Land Forces for Operation Herrick Afghanistan including Exercises Grand Prix and Askara Thunder in Kenya.

This patch dates from 2003.