No. 3 (S.A.) Wing
| 3 Wing SAAF | |
|---|---|
 Douglas Boston light bomber of 24 Squadron, 3 (SA) Wing: 1943 | |
| Active | 1939 to 1945 |
| Country |  South Africa |
| Branch | South African Air Force |
| Role | Light Bomber Wing |
| Commanders | |
| Commander | Col. H.G. Wilmot (November 1941 - )[1] |
| Commander | Col H.J. Martin ( - May 1943)[2] |
| Commander | Col. J.T. Durant (28 April 1943 - )[2] |
No. 3 (S.A.) Wing was a
No. 24 Squadron SAAF with Douglas Boston bombers. The latter unit was re-assigned to Army Cooperation before the start of Operation Crusader while No. 113 Squadron was assigned to Whitforce. This left 12, 21 Squadrons SAAF plus No. 11 Squadron RAF as its assigned units, with additional units being assigned later. Two RAF squadrons left for the Far East when Japan declared war in December 1941.[3]
Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Longmore proposed the formation of the first South African Air force Wing and later, perhaps a SAAF Group within the RAF organisational structure. Such a Group however never came into existence and although the SAAF fielded two operational wings in North Africa, they were never deployed as a group or as an independent air force.[4]
History
It was designated as a light bomber wing and its squadrons flew
Free French company as from end April 1942.[5]
Organisation and Squadrons
| No. 3 (S.A.) Wing organisation: Western Desert: 1941 - 1943 | |||
| Date | Assigned Squadrons | Wing Commander | Higher formation |
| 3 November 1941 |
|
Lt.Col. H.G. Wilmot | |
| 11 November 1941[6] |
|
Lt.Col. H.G. Wilmot | Western Desert Air Force[7] |
Notes
References
- ^ Brown, James Ambrose (1974). Eagles Strike: The Campaigns of the South African Air Force in Egypt, Cyrenaica, Libya, Tunisia, Tripolitania and Madagascar: 1941 - 1943. Cape Town: Purnell. p. 66.
- ^ a b Brown (1974) p. 401
- ^ https://rommelsriposte.com/2023/08/20/south-african-air-force-wings-in-crusader/
- ^ Brown (1974), pp. 14
- ^ Brown (1974) p.135
- ISBN 9781908117076.
- ISBN 0-7110-0382-3.