target's anti-aircraft guns to keep firing, denying sleep to workers at the target and damaging enemy morale. Meanwhile, the British-based remnant was gradually rebuilt, although this was disrupted by the posting away of New Zealand and Canadian aircrew to 75 and 419 Squadrons. On 14 February 1942, the Alconbury-based part of the squadron was renumbered No. 156 Squadron RAF, while the Mediterranean-based detachment, which retained the 40 Squadron number, moved to Egypt, spending several months non-operational as it was rebuilt back to full squadron strength after its losses while based at Malta. During the Second Battle of El Alamein, the British bomber force, including 40 Squadron, attacked the key port of Tobruk as a priority, while also attacking enemy airfields and concentrations of troops and vehicles on the El Alamein battlefield. After the Allied victory in the battle, the squadron was moved westwards to aid attacks on the supply lines of the retreating German and Italian forces. From November 1942 to January 1943, the squadron's aircraft were deployed to Malta, with the role of disrupting Axis supply routes to North Africa during the Anglo-American invasion of French North-West Africa. By the end of February 1943, the squadron was based at Gardabia in Tunisia. While based here it replaced its worn out Wellington Mk Ic aircraft with newer and more capable Wellington Mk IIIs. On 18 February, 40 Squadron, together with most of the rest of the RAF's night bomber force in the Mediterranean and American day bombers, joined the newly established Northwest African Strategic Air Force. While designated as a Strategic force, the distance to strategic targets from the airfields in North Africa meant that they were at first mainly employed on tactical operations. The squadron flew operations against targets in Sicily during the Allied invasion of that island in July–August 1943. The squadron moved to Southern Italy in December 1943, bringing it closer to its intended targets in Northern Italy and the Balkans, operating from Foggia Main airfield for the rest of the war in Europe. The squadron re-equipped with Consolidated Liberators in March 1945, flying its last mission of the war on the night of 25/26 April 1945, against marshalling yards North West of Salzburg, Austria. Postwar The Squadron returned to Egypt in October 1945, and converted to Avro Lancasters in January 1946, before disbanding on 1 April 1947. In 1947, the RAF found that its squadrons of