a original post war   vintage specialist trade award patch for a  royal air force  nursing orderly 

sleeve badge  worn  below the red cross armband 

small  khaki  woven patch   with winged  red cross over blue circle to centre 

measuring overall  6cn x 2.4cm  

in very good condition  

Flying Nightingales]

Nursing Orderlies of the WAAF flew on RAF transport planes to evacuate the wounded from the Normandy battlefields. They were dubbed Flying Nightingales by the press.] The RAF Air Ambulance Unit flew under 46 Group Transport Command from RAF Down AmpneyRAF Broadwell, and RAF Blakehill Farm. RAF Dakota aircraft carried military supplies and ammunition so could not display the Red Cross.

Training for air ambulance nursing duties included instruction in the use of oxygen, injections, learning how to deal with certain types of injuries such as broken bones, missing limb cases, head injuries, burns and colostomies; and to learn the effects of air travel and altitud