DZ Flash

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A DZ Flash is a badge or patch worn by the Airborne forces of the British Army and all squadrons of the RAF Regiment. [1] DZ stands for 'drop zone'. In RAF Regiment use, these flashes distinguish between squadrons, although within the RAF Regiment only II Squadron has a parachute capability.

Contents

The DZ flash should not be confused with the smaller Tactical Recognition Flash (TRF) introduced and used by the rest of the Army. [2]

Army

Current

Parachute Regiment
HQ, Parachute Regiment 1st Battalion, Parachute Regiment 2nd Battalion, Parachute Regiment 3rd Battalion, Parachute Regiment 4th Battalion, Parachute Regiment
HQ Para DZF 2nd pattern.svg
1st Para DZF.svg
2nd Para DZF.svg
3rd Para DZF.svg
4th Para DZF.svg
Depot, Parachute Regiment and Airborne Forces
Depot DZF.svg
Other units of the 16th Air Assault Brigade
7th Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery 23 Parachute Engineer Regiment 13 Air Assault Regiment Royal Logistics Corps16 Medical RegimentEOD Troop 33 Regiment Royal Engineers
Royal Artillery TRF.svg
23rd AAs Engineer Regt TRF.svg
13th AAs Regt RLC DZF.svg
RAMC TRF.svg
EOD Troop 33rd Engineer Regt TRF.svg
9 Parachute Squadron, Royal Engineers 216 Parachute Signals Squadron 8 Field Company Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers D Squadron, Household Cavalry Regiment 156 Provost Company Royal Military Police
9th PARA Sqn 23rd Engineer Regt TRF.svg
216th Para Signal Sqn TRF.svg
7th AAs Bat REME DZF.svg
GuardsTRF.svg
156th Provost Coy RMP DZF.svg
Brigade HQ Brigade Pathfinder Platoon
16th AABr HQ DZF.svg
16th AABr PFPt DZF.svg

Inactive

10th Battalion, Parachute Regiment 15th (Scottish) Parachute Battalion
10th Para RZF.svg
15th (SV) PARA DZF.svg

Air Force

No. 2 Squadron RAF Regiment
Rafdz.jpg

Cadet Forces

Within the Royal Air Force Air Cadets the only cadets permitted to wear a DZ Flash are Qualified Junior Leaders. These cadets wear a blue green DZ.

RAFAC Junior Leaders
JLs DZ flash.jpg

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References

  1. "AP 1358, CHAP 7" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 March 2009. Retrieved 26 March 2009. 0733. RAF Regiment. Members of the RAF Regiment wear distinguished arm badges and shoulder slides as follows:
    a. RAF Regiment Shoulder Badge.
    b. Shoulder/Chest Epaulette Rank Slides
    c. Sqn Drop Zone (DZ) Patches. Sqn DZ patches may be worn on the CS 95 jacket with the sqn cdrs permission. They are to be OG with the centrepiece of the authorised Sqn badge embroidered in black, coloured versions are not to be worn. They are worn centrally mid-way up the right sleeve of the field jacket (or parachute smock if appropriate), positioned below parachutist wings if awarded. RAF Regt personnel not serving on sqns may wear the RAF Regt DZ patch with embroidered crossed rifles and astral crown instead.
  2. https://www.paradata.org.uk/article/dz-flashes