RAF Patch Regt sb 19 Squadron Royal Air Force Regiment 1980s

RAF Patch 19 Squadron Royal Air Force Regiment Uncle Sams Sams Patch Rapier USAFE Base Air Defence RAF Upper Heyford RAF Fairford 1980s Embroidered on twill merrowed edge 100mm three and fifteen sixteenth inches diameter.

Free Shipping

19 Squadron RAF Regiment was activated at Gutersloh Air Base on the renumbering 55 Squadron RAF Regt on 1 May 1949 equipped with Bofors 40mm light anti aircraft guns assigned to 6 Wing RAF Regiment tasked with Light Anti Aircraft LAA air defence of Gutersloh Airfield. !9 Squadron relocated to RAF Laarbruch before disbanding with 6 Wing on 30 September 1957.

19 Squadron RAF Regt was reactivated at RAF Brize Norton on 1 July 1983 as a Low Level Air Defence LLAD Squadron equipped with USAF purchased Rapier all weather Blindfire Short Range Air Defence SHORAD system tasked with the short range air defence of USAFE bases RAF Fairford and RAF Upper Heyford. The Squadron was assigned to HQ 6 Wing RAF Regt worked alongside 20 Squadron and 66 Squadron RAF Regiment to protect USAFE bases in England. New recruits completed courses with the RAF Regiment Rapier Training Unit at RAF West Raynham. 19 Sqn won the Lloyds Cup the trophy for the being the top shooting Squadron within the RAF Regiment in 1988.

Following the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990 19 Squadron remained in the UK while 20 Squadron was released from its role and deployed for Operation Granby taking its Rapier systems to RAF Akrotiri Cyprus on 11 August 1990. 20 Squadron relocated A Flight to Muharraq Airfield Bahrain at the end of August to set up airbase air defence with the remaining Flight joining them in mid October 1990. 20 Squadron returned to RAF Honington relieved by 66 Squadron on 14 November 1990.

19 Squadron RAF Regiment was disbanded with HQ 6 Wing in 1994 when the USAF withdrew funding for the USAF Rapier Force as a result of the ending of the Cold War.

This patch dates from the 1980s.