21 Squadron.
	Motto:	Onoorwinlik
	Meaning:	Undefeated

This Sqdn's primary role is the transport of Very Important Persons, but No.21 Squadron has a history of hell-raising bombing raids and desperate air battles dating to the days of the North African campaign of World War II. No.21 Squadron was formed at Nakuru, Kenya, on May 8,1941, and two months later moved to Egypt, where it was stationed at Landing-Ground 21 in the Western Desert as a component of No. 261 Wing — later 3 Wing SAAF. The sqdn entered the Western Desert fray at a fairly hectic time. Typical of many of its early operations is one that took place on September 7, 1941, when nine of the squadron’s Maryland light bombers were scheduled to bomb Bardia. Twenty-four kilometers south of Buq Buq the formation was jumped by Bf-109s, which shot down one of the Marylands. It was not a totally one-sided fight, however, as a pilot named Major Britz (later commander of the squadron) shot down a 109 with his front guns and his rear-gunner, Sergeant Petterson, hit another 109, which was seen to spin away, trailing heavy smoke.

The pace became even hotter in November-December 1941, with the squadron flying intensive bombing operations, taking over all of No. 12 Squadron SAAFs Marylands on Boxing Day when that unit went over to Bostons. But the era of the Maryland was fast coming to an end, and No. 21 Squadron was the last remaining operational Maryland bomber unit in the Western Desert when it withdrew to the Nile Delta in late January 1942. The squadron was non-operational at Amiriya until September 1942, re-equipping and working up on the Baltimores it began receiving from August onwards. In June 1942 the commanding officer was attached to No. 12 Squadron for experience on Baltimore, while parties of ground crew worked as reliefs for their No. 12 Squadron opposite numbers. Early in October 1942, with the squadron again operational, it joined No. 232 Wing SAAF and began operations on October 8, but did not stay long with its new formation before being moved to No.3 Wing SAAF. The squadron fought in the El Alamein battle and went on to many months of intense air activity. Among other things, the sqdn bombed the 16th Panzer Division on March 22, 1943, escorted for the first time by United States Army Air Force P-40 Warhawks of the 79th Fighter Group. May 12, 1943. saw the squadron take part in the final bombing raid of the North African campaign, and later that month its aircraft also hit the Italian-held island of Panlelleria (which was so hammered by Allied bombers between May 29 and June 11 that when the British landed, the 11 000-man garrison surrendered almost without firing a shot).