No. 34 Squadron (SAAF): Second World War

Aircraft - Locations - Group and Duty - Books

No.34 Squadron, S.A.A.F., was a heavy bomber unit that operated from Italy from July 1944 until the end of the Second World War.

The squadron was formed in Egypt on 14 April 1944 with South Africa personnel, and received its first Liberators in June.

In July 1944 the squadron moved to Italy, where it joined No.31 Squadron, SAAF, to form No.2 (S.A.A.F.) Wing. Its first operation came on 21 July, and from then until the end of the war the two South Africa squadrons operated over the Balkans, Austria and Northern Italy, as well as taking part in the invasion of Southern France and mine-laying in the Danube. On occasion the squadron was used to drop supplies to the partisans in Yugoslavia, and also took part in efforts to get supplies to Warsaw during the uprising of August-September 1944.

At the end of the war No.34 Squadron became a transport unit, flying supplies to northern Italy and Austria, prisoners of war back from there to Britain and South Africa soldiers from Britain to Egypt on the first stage of their journey home. The squadron moved to Egypt in September, before disbanding on 15 December 1945.

Aircraft
August 1944-December 1945: Consolidated Liberator VI

Location
April-May 1944: Almaza
May-June 1944: Kilo 40/ Gebel Hamzi
June 1944: Rasin el Boud
June-July 1944: Kilo 40
    July 1944: Ground crews to Almaza
July 1944-September 1945: Celone
September 1945-December 1945: Shallufa

Squadron Codes: -

Duty
1944-45: Heavy Bomber Squadron
1945: Transport

Books

 Consolidated B-24 Liberator (Crowood Aviation), Martin W. Bowman. A well balanced book that begins with a look at the development history of the B-24, before spending nine out of its ten chapters looking at the combat career of the aircraft in the USAAF, the US Navy and the RAF.
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How to cite this article: Rickard, J (5 November 2009), No. 34 Squadron (SAAF): Second World War, http://www.historyofwar.org/air/units/SAAF/34_wwII.html

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