▁area ▁and ▁int ensive ▁T ac . R ▁operations ▁started ▁on ▁the ▁day ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁invasion . ▁A ▁few ▁days ▁after ▁the ▁beach head ▁had ▁been ▁established , ▁the ▁squad ron ▁moved ▁to ▁a ▁Sic ilian ▁landing - ground ▁and ▁continued ▁with ▁its ▁usual ▁work load ▁in ▁support ▁of ▁XIII ▁Corps . ▁ ▁It ▁also ▁added ▁Naval ▁Ar ty . R ▁sho ots ▁to ▁its ▁re per toire , ▁assist ing ▁HMS ▁Roberts ▁in ▁bomb arding ▁roads ▁in land . ▁ ▁A ▁letter ▁to ▁the ▁squad ron ' s ▁CO ▁from ▁G OC ▁XIII ▁Corps , ▁Lieutenant - General ▁Mil es ▁D emp sey , ▁illustr ates ▁the ▁squad ron ' s ▁efficiency ▁in ▁this ▁period : ▁ ▁“ I ▁am ▁writing ▁this ▁note ▁to ▁you ▁to ▁thank ▁you ▁very ▁much ▁for ▁the ▁ob lique ▁photograph s ▁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 ▁pil ots ▁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 ▁ 4 0 ▁Squadron ▁for ▁the ▁fine ▁work ▁you ▁did ▁for ▁XIII ▁Corps ▁during ▁the ▁operations ▁in ▁Sic ily .” ▁ ▁The ▁following ▁message ▁was ▁also ▁received ▁from ▁H Q ▁Special ▁Services ▁Brigade ▁Det achment : ▁ ▁“ I ▁am ▁writing ▁to ▁thank