41 Squadron Vietnam badge

A bit of history in regard to the 41 Squadron patch posted by Nigel Brown. I initiated the patch after V Force HQ had changed to HQ NZATGV. It was prompted by a cartoon of a Bristol Freighter that some former HQ member had posted on the notice board. The completed patch does not resemble the original patch drawing. Unfortunately it was been constructed during the Easter Offensive when travel was severely restricted. Instead of my going to view the product prior to final run I had to rely on a telephone confirmation that the patch reflected the drawing. When things settle down and I was able to travel to uplift the patches it was too late to complain. As a result I paid for the patches myself, and they were down graded to an unofficial patch.
Later when I was been ordered out of South Vietnam, I simply passed those that remained to a fellow soldier and asked him to distribute them to those who wanted them.

The words "No Show Airlines" was copied from the cartoon on the notice board. It was not uncommon for NZ Army personnel to arrive at the Saigon airport and wait after the known ETA. After considerable waiting someone would visit the airport movements section, to be told that the flight was cancelled.
This would be further compounded when on return back to the HQ there would be a priority signal from Singapore that the flight have been cancelled.
This communication delay was a result of the reduced facilities available from the Australian Signals system. Prior to the withdrawal of combat personnel there was a reasonably prompt system where a signal from Singapore would be quickly transferred through Melbourne Major Relay Station via HF radio teletype to the Australian Minor Relay Station at Vung Tau, and then on to Saigon.
The system available in late 1971 onwards was an ad hoc connection from Melbourne via Subic Bay on American circuits to Saigon, renowned for its circuit outages and message delays.