IPMS South Africa - 1 Squadron

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Written by Anton Dyason - IPMS SA Media Group

Sunday, 16 January 2000

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1 Sqdn unit badge at the time of disbandment.	1 Squadron

	Motto:	Prima

	Meaning:	First
	The "Billy Boys".

Early 1 Sqdn badge dating back to WWII.

The pilot's cloth patch at the time of the unit's disbandment.

Until the disbandment of 1 Squadron (Sqdn), it was South Africa's senior operational flying unit - being almost as old as the SAAF itself. It was one of the late, Herman Potgieter’s (leading SA aviation photographer) favourite Squadrons. 1 Sqdn was formed at Swartkop Air Force station in February 1920 and equipped with war-surplus De Havilland DH-9s received from BritainCape Town and been re-equipped with four Hurricane Is and six Hawker Furies - then the most modern fighters in the SAAF. as part of the Imperial Gift. Later the squadron moved to the nearby Waterkloof air base, flying first Hawker Harts and then Hartbees. On August 31, 1939, it was re-designated No. 1 Bomber/Fighter Squadron, but in December that year lost its identity by being renumbered No. 11 (Bomber) Squadron. No. 1 Squadron was re-formed in February 1940 by renumbering No. 6 Squadron, which had just moved up from from Cape Town and been re-equipped with four Hurricane Is and six Hawker Furies - then the most modern fighters in the SAAF.

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Last Updated ( Saturday, 31 December 2005 )

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1 Squadron

Motto:

Prima

Meaning:

First

The "Billy Boys".

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