South Africa Patch Sqn SAAF South African Air Force b 25 Squadron C 47 Dakota

SAAF Patch South African Air Force 25 Squadron Patch Badge C 47 Dakota Transport Border War 1980s Embroidered on twill grey compressed stiffener back 83mm by 81mm three and one quarter inches by three and three sixteenth inches.

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History 1942 – 2013

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25 Squadron was formed from 33 Flight at St Albans in Port Elizabeth on 1 July 1942 with Ansons for torpedo bomber and coastal reconnaissance patrolling the South African coast as part of SAAF Coastal Command. B 34 Venturas started arriving in September 1942 with the Squadrons first Ventura operational deployment was Operation Volley where Venturas from 23 and 25 Squadrons were deployed to intercept German blockade runners in a 400 mile coastal belt off Agulhas between 15 and 21 September 1942. The last Ansons were relinquished by the end of 1942.

In May 1944 the Squadron began moving to Italy for operations in the Mediterranean with the sea party sailing from Durban on the 13 May for Port Tewfik en route to Pomigliano in Italy and the first five aircraft left AFB Swartkop on the 2 June 1944. By September 1944 the squadron was operating from Campomarino landing ground at Biferno Foggia Airfield Complex. As there was no longer a need for additional anti-submarine
squadrons in the Mediterranean the Squadron was assigned to the Balkan Air Force and commenced operations in the Balkans on 30 August 1944. The Squadron converted to B-26 Marauder IIIs on 20 November 1944 flying tactical bombing missions in support of Tito partisans in Yugoslavia. The Squadron operated from Pomigliano d’Arco in Italy and remained part of the Balkan Air Force until the end of the war when it was moved back to the Union of South Africa and disbanded on 15 July 1945.

25 squadron was reformed on 1 January 1951 equipped with Douglas C 47 Dakotas taken over from the Citizen Force 21 Squadron and operated on a part-time basis until the unit was disbanded on its re-numbering as 44 Squadron on 13 November 1953. The Squadron was again reactivated at AFB Ysterplaat in February 1968 with C 47 Dakotas and disbanded in October 1990 

This patch dates from 1980s