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3 Squadron E-mail
Written by Anton Dyason - IPMS SA Media Group   
Sunday, 16 January 2000
Page 1 of 2
 
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The pilot's cloth patch at the time of the Sqdn's disbandment.

 3 Squadron

  

 Motto:

 Semper Pugnans

  

 Meaning:

 Always Fighting

 

 
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Early 3 Sqdn badge dating back to WWII.
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Boasting a colourful history and untill the retirement of the F1CZ, one of the SAAF's first-line Mirage squadrons. No. 3 Squadron was formed at Waterkloof air base in January 1939, equipped with Hawker Hartbees and Hurricane Mk l's.It moved to Port Elizabeth in September 1939, then was disbanded, only to be re-formed at Waterkloof on September 9, 1940, and equipped with Hurricane Mk Is. From here it went on active service almost immediately, and by October was in East Africa. On October28 it flew its first sortie and on November22 scored its first `kills' when a pilot, Lieutenant Allen, shot down a Caproni Cal 33, another Caproni crashing after the same encounter. 

During this time one of No. 3 Squadron's pilots, Captain J. E. Frost, carried out one of the SAAF's most famous wartime exploits by shooting down five Italian aircraft in one dog-fight, for which he was awarded an immediate DFC. Frost later took part in an even more famous `stunt' when he was shot down by anti-aircraft fire while strafing Diredawa airfield. Frost landed on a satellite strip, where his friend Lieutenant R. H. C. Kershaw landed and picked him up. Kershaw was awarded an immediate DSO, the SAAF's first in World War II. Another immediate DFC earned on that raid went to Captain Servaas van Breda Theron, who ended up as a much-decorated Brigadier after weathering not only World War II but the Korean War, as well. He was the SAAF's most highly decorated pilot.

 

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