A few days after the beachhead had been established, the squadron moved to a Sicilian landing-ground and continued with its usual workload in support of XIII Corps. It also added Naval Arty.R shoots to its repertoire, assisting HMS Roberts in bombarding roads inland. A letter to the squadron's CO from GOC XIII Corps, Lieutenant-General Miles Dempsey, illustrates the squadron's efficiency in this period: “I am writing this note to you to thank you very much for the oblique photographs which you have taken for me during the last 3 or 4 days. They are quite first class and are exactly what we wanted. I would be grateful if you would tell the pilots concerned how important these photos are to us and how much we appreciate their work. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank you and the whole of 40 Squadron for the fine work you did for XIII Corps during the operations in Sicily.” The following message was also received from HQ Special Services Brigade Detachment: “I am writing to thank you personally for the most excellent oblique photographs you took on August 6. These photographs were required, as I expect you know, for a project which, to our intense regret, the powers that be cancelled. Although the sortie was therefore in vain, I can assure you that it would not have been possible to carry out the operation without the information obtained from the photographs, which incidentally are the best I have ever seen.” Italy After the Siciilan campaign ended on 18 August 1943, the squadron started on long range recce of the toe of Italy and low level oblique photography of the Italian coast. Some Naval Arty.Rs were also carried out on gun positions in the toe of Italy, including shoots with HMS Rodney and . The squadron ceased operations early in September and withdrew to North Africa to re-equip with the Spitfire IX in its clipped-wing form. Even before the move was completed, one Flight recommenced operations under the operational control of 329 Wing RAF, for whom numerous Pathfinder Tac.Rs were flown. During this period the squadron's bag of enemy MT, guns and equipment was considerable. For the rest of 1943, the squadron was fragmented: the Flight in Italy operated from a succession of landing-grounds near the Adriatic coast, while the main part of the squadron remained in North Africa. Only in