RAF Patch j 60 Squadron Royal Air Force Andover GC Berlin Recce

RAF Patch 60 Squadron Royal Air Force Ground Crew NATO X Servicing Germany 1980s Andover Berlin Corridor Clandestine Reconnaissance Recce RAF Wildenrath Embroidered on twill merrowed edge 99mm by 92mm three and seven eighth inches by three and five eighth inches.

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Badge  A markhor’s head. Chosen to commemorate many years of service in North West India the markhor being a mountain goat frequenting the Khyber Pass 

Motto  Per ardua ad aethera tendo – I strive through difficulties to the sky 

Squadron History 

60 Squadron replaced its Hurricanes fighter bombers with Thunderbolt fighters in May 1945 and shortly after the Japanese surrender moved to Java and was soon in action against Indonesian rebels. In May 1946 the Squadron relocated to RAF Tengah Singapore reequipping with Spitfire F18 fighters commencing missions against Communist guerrillas in the Malayan Emergency in 1948. The Squadron reequipped with Vampires in late 1950 and then Venoms in 1955 and continued support of commonwealth forces for the Malayan Emergency until 1960. Meteor night fighters were received in October 1959 and Javelin fighters in July 1961. 60 Squadron disbanded at RAF Tengah in April 1968.  

60 Squadron was reactivated at RAF Wildenrath West Germany on 3 February 1969 equipped with Andover transport aircraft modified for covert intelligence gathering and photo reconnaissance along the Berlin Air Corridor. Codenamed Operation Hallmark the Pembrokes fitted with high powered reconnaissance cameras flew to acquire imagery of Soviet and East German military installations and airfields below the tightly controlled air corridors. These were subsequently analyzed by photo intelligence and imagery experts to record any changes in the Warsaw Pact forces facing the West alterations in the Warsaw Pact order of battle appearance of new equipment and movement of military units. The Squadron reequipped with modified Andover transport aircraft in 1987. 60 Squadron disbanded at RAF Wildenrath on 1 April 1992 due to the end of the Cold War. 

The Squadron reformed as 60 Reserve Squadron on 1 June 1992 at RAF Benson equipped with Wessex helicopters to provide Wessex operational conversion. 60 R Squadron disbanded on 31 March 1997 and reformed as the RAF element of the Defence Helicopter Flying School at RAF Shawbury on 1 May 1997 equipped with Griffin HT 1 training helicopters. 

This patch dates from the 1980s.