40 Squadron SAAF 40 Squadron SAAF existed as a combat unit from early 1940 through to late 1945 . It served in the East African Campaign , Western Desert , Tunisia , and Italy , reaching Austria by the end of World War II . The squadron ' s motto in those years was " Amethlo e Impi " - the eyes of the army . History . East Africa . 40 Squadron was formed in May 1940 at Waterkloof Air Station , under the command of Major ( later Major - General ) Jimmy Durrant , as part of the South African Air Force ' s expansion early in World War II . It was an Army Co - Operation squadron equipped with Hartebees aircraft ( a South African variant of the Hawker Hart ) . The squadron deployed to Kenya in August 1940 , and in September started operations in Italian East Africa supporting the South African 1st Division . This effort continued throughout the East African Campaign . Operations included Tac . R , Armed Recce and Photo Recce using hand held cameras . In April 1941 it was decided that the squadron be converted to a bomber squadron and equipped with Martin Maryland s . Although this conversion never took place , the squadron was disbanded at Neghelli in Ethiopia at the end of May 1941 and its sixteen Hawker Hartbeest aircraft were handed over to 41 Squadron at Yavello on 2 June 1941 . North Africa . In September 1941 , after a brief period back in South Africa , the squadron ' s personnel were flown to Egypt to join the Desert Air Force . Until new aircraft arrived , the Squadron operated at Burg - el - Arab as an Advanced Maintenance Unit . In this period , six pilots were attached to 208 Squadron RAF for operational experience in modern monoplane fighters . The squadron became fully operational in March 1942 , flying the Hawker Hurricane Mk . I adapted for desert conditions . It flew Tac . Rs and Photo Recce in support of XIII Corps , British Eighth Army . The squadron ' s pilots soon learnt to operate in pairs and to stay out of range of small arms fire from the ground , to reduce casualties ; however , as Erwin Rommel ' s Afrika Korps prepared to go on the offensive , Luftwaffe Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters concentrated on intercepting Tac . R aircraft . Casualties rose rapidly until HQ Desert Air Force ordered a fighter escort for all Tac . Rs . This reduced the rate of losses ; and it continued until the Axis breakthrough at Bir Hakeim in June 1942 , when fighter squadrons were given other priorities . The squadron ' s advance landing ground at El Adem was attacked by German Panzers at dusk on the first day of their offensive . The squadron fell back on Sidi Aziz , from there to Tobruk , and then to El Alamein . The rapid retreat played havoc with communications and supplies , which drastically curtailed the squadron ' s operational effectiveness . In July 1942 the squadron was operating once again from Burg - el - Arab during the First Battle of El Alamein , as the German offensive slowed and stopped ; the crisis having passed , it moved out of the line for rest and re - equipment . The squadron converted to the Hurricane Mk . II and in late October it moved up to Burg - el - Adem in preparation for the Second Battle of El Alamein , supporting X Corps ( the unit formed to break out ) . Following its victory the 8th Army advanced rapidly , and the squadron scrambled to keep up . The advance Flight moved base 12 times in one month , and the main squadron base 6 times . At the end of November 1942 the squadron was attached to XXX Corps . Enemy fighter activity had been limited while the Germans were in full retreat , but stabilisation of the line changed that ; most Tac . Rs were intercepted , and the casualty rate rose steeply . Once again , fighter cover was ordered by HQ , from 6 to 12 aircraft depending on the Tac . R target area . Early in January 1943 the Army requested long range Tac . Rs behind enemy landing grounds , flown with Kittyhawk escorts ; but high losses amongst Tac . R and escort aircraft meant that these were soon discontinued . As the 8th Army advanced through Libya into Tunisia , the squadron continued to fly Tac . R and Photo Recce sorties in support . The squadron converted to the Supermarine Spitfire Vb at the end of February 1943 . This variant had clipped wingtips to enhance its low - altitude performance , most notably its roll - speed . Sorties now included vertical and oblique photography , battle area Tac . R , target marking for fighter bombers , searches for night bomber targets , and identification of landmarks for day bomber navigation . Sicily . At the end of June 1943 two Flights deployed to Inqa airfield on Malta , as part of the operations preparing for the invasion of Sicily , Operation Husky . Oblique photographs were taken of the invasion area and intensive Tac . R operations started on the day prior to the invasion . A few days after the beachhead had been established , the squadron moved to a Sicilian landing - ground and continued with its usual workload in support of XIII Corps . It also added Naval Arty . R shoots to its repertoire , assisting HMS Roberts in bombarding roads inland . A letter to the squadron ' s CO from GOC XIII Corps , Lieutenant - General Miles Dempsey , illustrates the squadron ' s efficiency in this period : " “ I am writing this note to you to thank you very much for the oblique photographs which you have taken for me during the last 3 or 4 days . They are quite first class and are exactly what we wanted . I would be grateful if you would tell the pilots concerned how important these photos are to us and how much we appreciate their work . I would also like to take this opportunity to thank you and the whole of 40 Squadron for the fine work you did for XIII Corps during the operations in Sicily . ” " The following message was also received from HQ Special Services Brigade Detachment : " “ I am writing to thank you personally for the most excellent oblique photographs you took on August 6 . These photographs were required , as I expect you know , for a project which , to our intense regret , the powers that be cancelled . Although the sortie was therefore in vain , I can assure you that it would not have been possible to carry out the operation without the information obtained from the photographs , which incidentally are the best I have ever seen . ” " Italy . After the Siciilan campaign ended on 18 August 1943 , the squadron started on long range recce of the toe of Italy and low level oblique photography of the Italian coast . Some Naval Arty . Rs were also carried out on gun positions in the toe of Italy , including shoots with HMS " Rodney " and HMS " Nelson " . The squadron ceased operations early in September and withdrew to North Africa to re - equip with the Spitfire IX in its clipped - wing form . Even before the move was completed , one Flight recommenced operations under the operational control of 329 Wing RAF , for whom numerous Pathfinder Tac . Rs were flown . During this period the squadron ' s bag of enemy MT , guns and equipment was considerable . For the rest of 1943 , the squadron was fragmented : the Flight in Italy operated from a succession of landing - grounds near the Adriatic coast , while the main part of the squadron remained in North Africa . Only in mid - January 1944 were the two reunited : but not for long . On 26 February ' A ' Flight was detached to operate in conjunction with No . 225 Squadron RAF in support of US Fifth Army . Operations covered the Cassino - Rome road , Rome itself , and the Anzio beachhead . In April the whole squadron , reunited once again , was operating in support of Fifth Army . The squadron maintained its reputation for efficiency and gallantry , witnessed by this letter from HQ 5th Canadian Armoured Division : " “ Our thanks for oblique sortie S . B . 31 . This sortie has been of tremendous value to our patrols . Please convey our appreciation to the pilot who took these pictures as obviously he took great risks in flying so low to procure such splendid photographs . ” " The squadron continued to move with the Army , five times in June and twice in July . Missions were Tac . Rs and Photo . Rs . A detachment sent to Corsica flew Naval Arty . R shoots as part of the invasion of Elba . During July , Fleet Air Arm pilots were attached to the squadron for training as Fighter Reconnaissance pilots , in preparation for the invasion of the South of France . On 25 August the squadron resumed its support of 8th Army ' s assault on the Gothic Line . It suffered especially heavy casualties during the Battle of Gemmano and in the Rimini area . It then operated from a series of landing grounds on the Adriatic , including one actually on the beach . In Autumn 1944 , the squadron settled at the former Regia Aeronautica base at Forli , enjoying concrete runways and all the amenities of an established station . Greece . On 9 December 1944 four pilots flying Spitfire VBs borrowed from 318 ( Polish ) Squadron were detached to the Balkan Air Force . There they were to operate in Greece against ELAS , as part of the Western Allies ' intervention in the Greek Civil War . Aircraft from several other Desert Air Force units also tried to cross the Adriatic to Greece on that day : all the aircraft and their crews were lost , apart from the 40 Squadron pilots . A strong north - easterly wind and dark clouds blew the aircraft off course and forced them ever lower . The radio beacon at Patras , on which all the aircraft were homing , was not turned on . The four squadron pilots had agreed that if one had to ditch for lack of fuel , they all should : and just as the first had reported that his tanks were showing empty , another saw an island in the murk . Without delay , all four made wheels - up landings in a field on what turned out to be Zakynthos . Some of the inhabitants were openly hostile , but a local land - owner rescued the pilots and put them on a fishing - boat for the mainland . The detachment was based on Kalamaki Airfield near Athens , this time flying Spitfire VBs which had previously been used by a Greek squadron . Over the next month it made 93 sorties without loss ; these included long range Tac . Rs , Target Search Arty . Rs and Arty . Rs , as well as pathfinder missions for Beaufighters and Spitfires . After dark the pilots joined in the defence of the airfield perimeter against ELAS attacks , Sten guns in hand . The BAF detachment rejoined the squadron on 13 January 1945 , followed by a signal from AOC , Air HQ Greece : " " I should like to thank you for the loan of the four pilots of 40 SAAF Squadron who have now been returned . " " " Please convey to the Squadron Commander my appreciation of their work . They met every call made on them and gave very valuable and accurate information to me at all times . Their enthusiasm and ability were quite exceptional . " " Post War . In 1953 40 Squadron was re - established at Rand Airport , Germiston as an Active Citizen Force Squadron flying Harvards . It was moved to Central Flying School Dunnottar in 1965 . In August 1982 the Squadron was re - equipped with Impala aircraft and returned to their original base , AFB Waterkloof . The Squadron was finally disbanded on 29 April 1985 .