25 Squadron SAAF
Encyclopedia
25 Squadron was a maritime patrol and later medium bomber squadron of the South African Air Force
South African Air Force
The South African Air Force is the air force of South Africa, with headquarters in Pretoria. It is the world's second oldest independent air force, and its motto is Per Aspera Ad Astra...

 during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

. It was re-constituted twice between 1951 and 1990 as a medium transport squadron and was finally disbanded in October 1990.

Indian and Atlantic Oceans

The Squadron was formed from 33 Flight at St Albans in Port Elizabeth on 1 July 1942 and was deployed as a torpedo bomber / coastal reconnaissance squadron patrolling the South African coast flying aged Avro Ansons
Avro Anson
The Avro Anson is a British twin-engine, multi-role aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force, Fleet Air Arm and numerous other air forces prior to, during, and after the Second World War. Named for British Admiral George Anson, it was originally designed for maritime reconnaissance, but was...

 as part of Coastal Command.Coastal Command consisted of 27 Sqn
27 Squadron SAAF
27 Squadron was established as a World War II maritime patrol squadron of the South African Air Force. It was disbanded after the war and resurrected in the same role from 1951 to 1958...

 at Walvis Bay and Rooikop and a detachment at Aus; 6 Sqn
6 Squadron SAAF
6 Squadron was a South African Air Force squadron as from World War II. It was disbanded and re-created a number of times, until finally disbanded in October 1990.The Squadron was formed in Cape Town in April 1939 and was equipped with Westland Wapiti IIIs...

 at Eerste River; 23 Sqn at Darling; 25 Sqn
25 Squadron SAAF
25 Squadron was a maritime patrol and later medium bomber squadron of the South African Air Force during World War II. It was re-constituted twice between 1951 and 1990 as a medium transport squadron and was finally disbanded in October 1990....

 at Port Elizabeth and East London; 22 Sqn
22 Squadron SAAF
22 Squadron is a squadron of the South African Air Force. It is currently a maritime helicopter squadron operating Lynx and Oryx helicopters for the South African Navy.-History:...

 at Lombazi and Matubatuba; 29 Sqn
29 Squadron SAAF
29 Squadron was one of the Coastal Command squadronsCoastal Command consisted of 27 Sqn at Walvis Bay and Rooikop and a detachment at Aus; 6 Sqn at Eerste River; 23 Sqn at Darling; 25 Sqn at Port Elizabeth and East London; 22 Sqn at Lombazi and Matubatuba; 29 Sqn also at Lombazi and 10 Sqn at...

 also at Lombazi and 10 Sqn
10 Squadron SAAF
10 Squadron was formed as a South African Air Force fighter bomber squadron on 1 April 1939 and was deployed in a coastal defence role as part of Coastal Command until 1943 and was disbanded after the threat of Japanese naval actions off the South African coast had waned...

 at Durban and Isipingo. Martin and Orpen, (1979) p.275
The Ansons were gradually replaced and on 12 September 1942 the first Lockheed Ventura Mk I
Lockheed Ventura
The Lockheed Ventura was a bomber and patrol aircraft of World War II, used by United States and British Commonwealth forces in several guises...

 was received and by end 1942 the squadron was only operating Venturas in coastal operations. The first operational deployment was that of Operation Volley, where Venturas from 23 and 25 Squadrons were deployed to intercept German blockade runners together with HMS Sirius
HMS Sirius (82)
HMS Sirius was a Dido-class light cruiser of the Royal Navy. She was built by Portsmouth Dockyard , with the keel being laid down on 6 April 1938. She was launched on 18 September 1940, and commissioned 6 May 1942.-History:...

 and HMS Phoebe
HMS Phoebe (43)
HMS Phoebe was a Dido class light cruiser of the Royal Navy. She was built by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company , with the keel being laid down on 2 September 1937...

 in a 400 mile coastal belt off Agulhas between 15 and 21 September 1942.

The German submarine U-504 had been attacking Allied shipping off Cape Agulhas from October 1942 and the squadron was deployed to search for the submarine together with HMS Express
HMS Express (H61)
HMS Express was an E class destroyer of the Royal Navy. She was one of 18 'E' and 'F' class destroyers to be built.She was launched on 29 May 1934. She had an overall length of 100 m, displacement of 1,375 tons, and a maximum speed of 35.5 knots...

 and HMS Catterick - unsuccessful patrols failed to prevent the sinking of SS Empire Chaucer
SS Empire Chaucer
Empire Chaucer was a 5,970 GRT cargo ship which was built in 1942 by William Pickersgill & Sons Ltd, Sunderland. She was built for the Ministry of War Transport . Completed in May 1942, she had a short career, being torpedoed and sunk by on 17 October 1942.-Description:The ship was built by...

, SS City of Johannesburg
SS City of Johannesburg
The SS City of Johannesburg was a British merchant steamer, sunk in the Second World War. She was built by Barclay, Curle & Co, of Whiteinch, Glasgow for Ellerman Lines Ltd, of London in 1920, originally being named SS Melford Hall...

 and US Liberty ship Anne Hutchinson (which broke in two) - the squadron did however succeed in escorting the bow portion of Anne Hutchinson under tow of the South African minesweeper HMSAS David Haigh back to port in Port Elizabeth.

Mediterranean

In May 1944 the squadron was moved to 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
AFB Swartkop
AFB Swartkop is an air force base in South Africa. It is managed as part of AFB Waterkloof and houses one of the three branches of the South African Air Force Museum...

 on the 2 June. By September the squadron was operating from Campomarino landing ground at Biferno. It was planned that the squadron and it's Venturas would be used for anti-submarine patrols but by the time it reached the Mediterranean, there was no longer any need for additional anti-submarine squadrons and it was subsequently assigned as part of the Balkan Air Force
Balkan Air Force
The Balkan Air Force was a late-World War II Allied air formation.-History:The formation was based at Bari in Italy, and activated on 7 June 1944 from AHQ 'G' Force to simplify command arrangements for the air support of Special Operations Executive-operations in the Balkans, i.e. across the...

.

Balkans

The squadron commenced operations in the Balkans on 30 August 1944 and was converted to Martin B-26 Marauder IIIs on 20 November 1944 flying tactical bombing missions in support of Tito partisans
Josip Broz Tito
Marshal Josip Broz Tito – 4 May 1980) was a Yugoslav revolutionary and statesman. While his presidency has been criticized as authoritarian, Tito was a popular public figure both in Yugoslavia and abroad, viewed as a unifying symbol for the nations of the Yugoslav federation...

 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.

South Africa

On 1 January 1951, the squadron was re-constituted and equipped with Douglas C-47 Dakotas  taken over from the Citizen Force 21 Squadron
21 Squadron SAAF
21 Squadron SAAF is a squadron of the South African Air Force. It is currently a VIP transport squadron.* Motto: Onoorwinklik * First formed: 8 May 1941...

 and operated on a part time basis until the unit was re-numbered as 44 Squadron
44 Squadron SAAF
44 Squadron SAAF is a squadron of the South African Air Force. It is currently a light transport squadron.* First formed: 12 March 1944 . The squadron flew Dakota DC3's as part of No. 216 Group RAF of the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces in May 1945* Historic aircraft flown: Avro Anson, Dakota,...

 on 13 November 1953. It was again re-established at AFB Ysterplaat
AFB Ysterplaat
Air Force Base Ysterplaat is an airbase of the South African Air Force. It is located in Cape Town, on the southwestern coast of South Africa.The name Ysterplaat is Afrikaans; it means Iron Plate in English....

in February 1968 and re-equipped with C-47s until October 1990 when it was disbanded for the last time.
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