Editing 1 Squadron SAAF (section)

==== East Africa ====
The squadron's first operational mission was an attack on the Italian ''[[Regia Aeronautica]]'' air base at [[Yabelo|Yavello]] in [[Ethiopia|Abyssinia]], on 17 June 1940. The task of the two Hurricanes was to escort three [[Junkers Ju 86]] bombers from [[12 Squadron SAAF|12 Sqn]] in the attack on the airfield. The attack destroyed airport infrastructure as well as six [[Caproni Ca 133|Caproni Ca 133s]] on the ground. But a couple of [[Fiat CR.32]]s from 412ª ''Squadriglia'' had scrambled as soon as the South Africans had been spotted. The two Italian pilots severely damaged one of the Ju 86s, then shot down one of the Hurricanes<ref group="Note">2nd Lt B.L. Griffiths, who was to be the first operational casualty of the squadron.</ref> Capt St E. Truter, in the second Hurricane, reacted: he attacked and chased away the CR.32 flown by ''Tenente'' Aldo Meoli, that flipped over when it landed.<ref name="Sutherland & Canwell 2009, p. 38">Sutherland and Canwell 2009, p. 38.ruter </ref><ref>Brown, (1990) p.54</ref>

The squadron's Hurricanes, Gladiators and Hartbeest aircraft continued to provide fighter cover but by late 1940 the Hartbeest were proving to be no longer a match for the Italian [[Fiat CR.42 Falco]]s and one flight consisting of Hartbeest and Gladiators was split off from the squadron to form the nucleus of [[2 Squadron SAAF|2 Fighter Bomber Squadron]].<ref>Becker (1991) p.71</ref> The squadron then continued operating with the remaining Gladiators and Hurricanes from airfields in Abyssinia and [[Sudan]] until the fall of [[Addis Ababa]] on 5 April 1941. Although the [[East African Campaign (World War II)|East African campaign]] continued until November 1941, the absence of Italian fighters permitted the squadron to be moved to the Middle East on 8 April 1941.<ref>Becker (1991) p.73</ref>

From June 1940 to April 1941 the squadron operated from [[Kenya]], Abyssinia, Sudan (Azzoza and Port Sudan), and [[Eritrea]].