▁It ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁East ▁African ▁Camp aign , ▁Western ▁Des ert , ▁Tun is ia , ▁and ▁Italy , ▁reaching ▁Austria ▁by ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁The ▁squad ron ' s ▁mot to ▁in ▁those ▁years ▁was ▁Am eth lo ▁e ▁Imp i ▁- ▁the ▁eyes ▁of ▁the ▁army . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁East ▁Africa ▁▁ 4 0 ▁Squadron ▁was ▁formed ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁at ▁Water k lo of ▁Air ▁Station , ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁Major ▁( l ater ▁Major - General ) ▁Jimmy ▁D urr ant , ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁South ▁African ▁Air ▁Force ' s ▁expansion ▁early ▁in ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁It ▁was ▁an ▁Army ▁Co - Operation ▁squad ron ▁equ ipped ▁with ▁Hart be es ▁aircraft ▁ ▁( a ▁South ▁African ▁variant ▁of ▁the ▁Haw ker ▁Hart ). ▁ ▁The ▁squad ron ▁deployed ▁to ▁Ken ya ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁and ▁in ▁September ▁started ▁operations ▁in ▁Italian ▁East ▁Africa ▁supporting ▁the ▁South ▁African ▁ 1 st ▁Division . ▁▁ ▁This ▁effort ▁continued ▁throughout ▁the ▁East ▁African ▁Camp aign . ▁Oper ations ▁included ▁ ▁T ac . R , ▁Ar med ▁Rec ce ▁and ▁Ph oto ▁Rec ce ▁using ▁hand ▁held ▁cam eras . ▁ ▁In ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁it ▁was ▁decided ▁that ▁the ▁squad ron ▁be ▁converted ▁to ▁a ▁bom ber ▁squad ron ▁and ▁equ ipped ▁with ▁Martin ▁Mary lands . ▁ ▁Although ▁this ▁conversion ▁never ▁took ▁place , ▁the ▁squad ron