Code: 57039
An extremely rare Italian made Shoulder Patch for the Desert Air Force.
Constructed in Italian blue silk, gold bullion wire and red thread with both the British and US roundels on a golden panel above a winged shield, the wings encompassing DAF.
Originally acquired by a collector in the city of Lucca, on the Serchio river in Italy’s Tuscany region, the wartime airfield of Rosignano nearby, the badge is in very good condition showing toning and very light rubbing to the high points on the blue silk. It was clearly intended to reflect the participation of both the British and Commonwealth air forces with the USAAF.
The Desert Air Force (DAF), also known as Air Headquarters Western Desert, Air Headquarters Libya, the Western Desert Air Force, and the First Tactical Air Force (1TAF), was an Allied tactical air force created from No. 204 Group RAF under RAF Middle East Command in North Africa in 1941 to provide close air support to the British Eighth Army against Axis forces.
Throughout the Second World War, the DAF was made up of squadrons from the Royal Air Force (RAF), the South African Air Force (SAAF), the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) and other Allied air forces.
When the Allied forces invaded Sicily (Operation Husky) on 10 July 1943, Desert Air Force (DAF) was created by simply renaming Western Desert Air Force. For Operation Husky, DAF contained Advanced and Rear elements and then played a key role in the Allied campaign in Italy, providing mobile firepower and close air support to ground forces:
