Recent Cloth patches

	Shoulder patch (unofficial) of Operation Desert Storm for troops stationed in or operating from Saudi Arabia.
Example of patch worn by members of 84 Wing Detachment. From 23 March 2002 until 27 September 2002 the detachment was based at Ganci Air Base in Manus, Kyrgyzstan as part of a multinational coalition participating in the war against terrorism. The detachment was based on an element of 33 Squadron, but included personnel from Expeditionary Combat Support Squadrons and No 1 Combat Communications Squadron. A number of specialists in medicine and legal fields were also present. More than 140 people, in two groups participated over the six month period. Using Boeing 707 aircraft, which are fitted to provide refueling of two aircraft simultaneously, the detachment was involved in air to air refueling for aircraft flying over Afghanistan.	AWM REL 30523-003
	A Westland Sea King Mk 50A helicopter, detached from 817 Squadron, Fleet Air Arm, was embarked on HMAS Kanimbla to assist in Maritime Interception Operations as part of Operation 'Slipper', October 2001 - April 2002. This helicopter (call sign 'Shark 22') was the first Sea King operated by Australian forces in the Persian Gulf, and flew 101 missions during Kanimbla's tour, participating in boarding operations, surface searches and logistic/supply flights. The cloth patch worn by members of the 817 Squadron Flight shows a shark (symbol of the squadron, which appears on their crest) riding a camel.
Operation Helpem Fren (pidgin for Helping a Friend) Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands. Undertaken by Australia and New Zealand military and police to assist the Government of the Solomon Islands restore peace and to bring some criminal activities to an end.
	Woven cloth patch worn by members of the Sikorsky S-70B Seahawk 'Agro' helicopter flight embarked aboard HMAS Darwin during the war on Iraq, 2003. The representation of the sun is a well known hand puppet, cartoon character & TV star that started life in Queensland. He is known as "Agro", short for Agro-Vation. He was "ill-mannered & bad tempered" but loveable. Jamie Dunn is the man behind "Agro".

Woven cloth patch produced for members of the helicopter flight embarked aboard HMAS Kanimbla during the war on Iraq, 2003. The patch was not permitted to be worn on flying suits, but was generally worn by aircrew on their helmets, attached with Velcro. The helicopter embarked on Kanimbla for operations was Westland Sea King N16-118, callsign 'Shark 07'. Circular machine embroidered fabric patch in black, blue, green, white, yellow, orange and red cotton, featuring the flags of the allied nations around the bottom edge and a Sea King helicopter in the centre. Woven at the top of the patch in yellow are the words 'KANIMBLA FLIGHT 2003'. Below the helicopter in blue are the words 'OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM'.

Helicopter Combat Support Squadron Light 2 (HC-2) is a US Navy unit performing search and rescue, resupply and executive transport tasks. Detachment Two (Det Two) of HC -2, known as 'Desert Duck Airlines', operates Sikorsky UH-3H Sea King helicopters out of Bahrain, providing VIP and logistical support to Coalition vessels assigned to the Arabian Gulf.

The 'Desert Ducks' are highly popular for the service they provide, but notorious for 'stamping' ships visited with large yellow duck footprints on the flight deck, a practice not always popular with Australians vessels.

Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light 47 (HSL-47), known as the 'Saberhawks', is a US Navy unit operating the Sikorsky SH-60B Seahawk. During Operation 'Slipper' in the Persian Gulf, 2002, Detachment Six from the unit served on board the Destroyers USS John Young, USS Ford and USS Russell, as part of the Maritime Interdiction fleet, which also included Australian forces.

Oval shaped Velcro backed woven cloth patch in chocolate, brown, orange and beige cotton. The badge features a silhouette of an SH-60 Seahawk helicopter over the stylized numeral '6'. The words 'DET SIXTH SENSE' and 'I SEE DHOW PEOPLE' appear above and below the numeral respectively. In a brown border around the edge of the badge are the words 'HSL-47 DET SIX MEFEX USS FORD USS JOHN YOUNG USS RUSSELL'.

This badge was designed by personnel in the Australian Task Force Command Team, MIO (Maritime Interception Operations) following a complaint from Iraq to the United Nations in mid 2001 that the Coalition navies' actions in boarding every ship entering or leaving Iraqi waters constituted piracy.

Sailors on HMAS Melbourne promptly nicknamed themselves the 'Pirates of the NAG' (North Arabian Gulf). The badge was apparently also produced in a low-contrast 'desert cam' colour scheme.

Cloth patch worn by members of the Australian and New Zealand Rotary Wing Aviation Unit, an element of the Multinational Force and Observers, (MFO) Sinai, 1982-86. Circular woven cloth patch of the Australian and New Zealand Rotary Wing Aviation Unit.

The black badge has a green border, and shows the orange and black silhouette of an Iroquois helicopter over a map of the Sinai peninsula. Flanking the map are an orange kangaroo and kiwi. The words 'ROTARY WING AVIATION UNIT MFO SINAI' are embroidered in yellow inside the border.

Woven cloth patch worn by members of the Sinai Field Mission, (SFM) a civilian observer group which operated prior to the creation of the MFO (Multinational Force and Observers) Sinai peacekeeping force, in which Australians served 1982-86. The donor was an American member of both SFM and MFO.

Circular woven cloth patch of the Sinai Field Mission. The bright orange badge is embroidered in black cotton with the large letters 'SFM'. The border of the badge is also in black cotton.

The Spruance Class Destroyer USS John Young (DD-973) was commissioned in 1978. After a lengthy and varied career, her final deployment (October 2001 - April 2002) was as part of the Maritime Interdiction fleet (which also included Australian forces) operating in the Persian Gulf against Iraqi smuggling vessels. During this time, she was engaged as a guard vessel at the 'Comiski' holding area for intercepted smugglers, carrying a pair of Seahawk helicopters from HSL-37 and later HSL-47 Det Six. The John Young was decommissioned in September 2002.

Woven white cotton patch of the USS John Young (DD-973), featuring the ship's badge and the motto 'PRENDS LA MER AVEC COURAGE' ('Set sail with courage'). The coat of arms features a tri-coloured shield, the upper portion of which is scarlet and the lower portion 'Independence Blue'.

These are separated by a wavy bar of white. A golden fleur-de-lis in the upper part of the shield represents the American association with the French during the War of Independence. Four stars in the wavy bar represent the four enemy vessels captured by Captain John Young in 1780, and a golden anchor without cable in the lower section of the shield is indicative of the loss of Captain Young at sea with his entire crew in 1781. Above the shield is a mast with sail hoisted, symbolic of Captain Young's last command, the 'Saratoga'. A red rose on the sail represents the coat of arms of the Young family.

Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light 37 (HSL-37), known as the 'Easyriders', is a US Navy unit operating the Sikorsky SH-60B Seahawk. During Operation 'Slipper' in the Persian Gulf, 2002, detachments from the unit served on board the Destroyer USS John Young, as part of the Maritime Interdiction fleet, which also included Australian forces.

Velcro backed woven cloth patch in black, yellow, red, white and blue cotton. The badge features an image of a warrior spearing a shark, with the words 'EASYRIDERS' and 'HSL-37' in banners at top and bottom.

A flight of Sikorsky S-70B Seahawk helicopters was embarked on HMAS Melbourne during her tour of the Persian Gulf, (as part of Maritime Interdiction fleet) June - November 2002. While participating in Operation 'Slipper' as part of the coalition fleet, this detachment was engaged in the interception of suspected smuggling vessels. Velcro backed circular woven cloth patch in red, blue, black, grey and white cotton. The badge shows a caricature of an S-70 Seahawk helicopter with the word 'NAVY' on its tail menacing a ship with the word 'OIL' on its bows. A red border contains the following words: 'MARITIME INTERCEPTION OPERATIONS ARABIAN GULF 2002 HMAS MELBOURNE SEAHAWK FLIGHT'. A diagonal red line crosses the patch behind the ship and helicopter. In the ocean below the ship are the words 'SMUGGLER BUSTERS'.

The Royal Australian Navy Logistic Support Element (LSE) - Middle East is a small team currently operating from the island of Bahrain in the Persian Gulf. They coordinate and manage strategic and logistic supply to RAN and Coalition naval forces engaged in Operation 'Slipper', the interception and boarding of suspected smuggling vessels. Their primary tasks involve the movement of stores, mail, spare parts and personnel. The badge features an image of a flying falcon (actually taken from the logo of Gulf Air, the airline of Bahrain) with a boomerang in its talons, and the stars of the Southern Cross, superimposed on a map of the Persian Gulf. Around the edge is a yellow rope border, surrounding the words 'RAN LOGISTIC SUPPORT ELEMENT - MIDDLE EAST' in English and Arabic. The words 'ABSOLUTELY ANYTHING, ANYWHERE' appear in a ribbon below.


Interfet Combined Airlift wing	Unofficial Cambodian made patches for the Australian Army Signal Squadron, worn during the UNTAC mission to Cambodia in 1992-93.

Returned & Service League 2004	WORN BY M.I.N.U.R.S.D. (UNITED NATIONS). (MISSION DE LAS NACIONES PARA DEL SAHARA OCCIDENTAL) 1991.

Ships Army Department brassard in Disruptive Pattern Camouflage Uniform (DPCU) fabric with Velcro strips for adjustment.

A woven fabric Australian flag patch in red, white and blue cotton is sewn immediately below the slit for the shoulder strap, and underneath this is the circular badge of the Ships Army Department (SAD), HMAS Manoora.

This shows a winged Sea Horse on a purple background, with the words 'SHIPS ARMY DEPARTMENT HMAS MANOORA - LPA 52' embroidered in yellow cotton around the edge.

The name 'GODMAN' is written in black ink on the inside of the brassard, and written in blue biro behind the flag patch are the words 'SAD BRASSARD AS WORN BY PTE PETER GODMAN'.