South Africa Patch Sqn SAAF South African Air Force b 21 XXI Squadron Ventura

SAAF Patch South African Air Force 21 XXI Squadron Patch Badge Ventura Bomber Aircraft 1950 Embroidered on wool cream paper back 75mm by 109mm three inches by four and one quarter inches.

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History 1941 – 2013

21 Squadron formed on 8 May 1941 at Nakuru Kenya with Maryland light bombers and moved to the Desert Air Force at Shandur in the Canal Zone Egypt in July 1941 for bombing operations in the Western Desert. In January 1942 the Squadron was withdrawn to RAF El Amiriya in the Nile Delta where it re-equipped with Baltimore bombers in September 1942 and provided support during the battle of El Alamein. The Squadron moved to Malta in the autumn of 1943 for operations over Italy. Following the invasion of Sicily 21 Squadron relocated to Sicily and then moved to Tortorella in the Foggia Airfield Complex FAC Italy on 16 October 1943 before relocating to Campomarino FAC south east of Termoli on 21 February 1944. The Squadron supported the Anzio beach-head the Monte Cassino Offensive and Titos partisan operation in Yugoslavia in February to June 1944. The Squadron converted to Marauder bombers in July 1944 and in August 1944 as part of 3 Wing Desert Air Force were back bombing targets mainly railways and marshalling yards in northern Italy. Following the German surrender 21 Squadron ferried its aircraft back to Egypt and disbanded in Italy on 10 September 1945.

21 Squadron reformed in 1946 at Swartkops Air Base equipped with Ventura bombers. The Squadron inactivated on 1 January 1951 on being renumbered 25 Squadron.

In February 1968 the Squadron reformed again at Swartkops Air Base from part of 28 Squadron with a Viscount and three Dakotas for VIP transport. HS-125 were received in 1970 and Swaeringen Merlin IVAs were acquired in 1975. In 1981 the squadron moved to Waterkloof Air Base and Dassault
Falcon 50 were acquired in 1982. The Squadron acquired two Cessna 550 Citation IIs in 1983 while the Viscount tranferred to 44 Squadron in 1983. The Merlins were sold in 1985 and another Dassault Falcon 50 acquired in 1985. Two Beech KingAir 200Cs were also acquired but one was later sold while the other was transferred to 41 Squadron. The squadron received the new presidential Boeing BBJ ZS-RSA in January 2003.

This patch dates from 1950