Rare ca 1944-1945 SAAF SALM South African Air Force # 10 Fighter Squadron Badge

10 Squadron was established on 1 April 1939 as 10 Bomber Fighter Squadron at East London. It was assigned as an Active Citizen Force squadron and was placed under command of Eastern Province Command. It was re-designated as 10 (Fighter-Bomber) Squadron (10 (F.B.) Squadron) on 1 September 1939 and renamed once again as 16 (Bomber) Squadron on 1 December 1939 under command of Witwatersrand Command while the designation of 10 (F.B.) Squadron was kept in reserve to allow for possible expansion in this type of Squadron.

The squadron was re-established on 25 May 1944 and was deployed to Almaza in Syria, initially for training and later as a fighter squadron equipped with Spitfire Mk. Vs. By the end of June 1944, the squadron was moved to Idku in the Nile Delta, where they took over convoy escort and patrol duties from 336 (Hellenic) Squadron under command of 219 Group (RAF). The squadron aircraft were upgraded to Spitfire Mk. IXs in August 1944 and was tasked with high altitude interceptions of reconnaissance and bomber aircraft. In September, the squadron was moved to Luigi di Savoia, Libya for operations over Crete and the Aegean as well as anti-submarine patrols in the Eastern Mediterranean. It was disbanded on 31 October 1944 and its aircraft were transferred to 9 Squadron.