3 Squadron, South African Air Force. Formed in January 1939 at Air Force Base Waterkloof. It flew Hurricanes and Spitfires in the Second World War and Mirages afterwards, serving in East Africa, North Africa, Italy and South West Africa. Disbanded on 30 September 1992 when the Mirage F1CZ was retired.
The Rhodesian Air Force squadron of the same number is a separate unit and has its own record, OrgEntityID 6765.
CORRECTED 25 September 2026. This entity previously carried Branch "Rhodesian" and a description asserting it was Rhodesian Air Force No. 3 Squadron, sourced to Geldenhuys, Rhodesian Air Force Operations. That was wrong: every casualty attached here is South African, almost all with Corps "South African Air Force". The Rhodesian description was matched on the bare squadron number, which South Africa and Rhodesia both used, and the force-split of 27 August 2026 then moved the Rhodesians out to their own entity while the Rhodesian label stayed behind on the South Africans.
| Formation | Type | Relationship | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhodesian Air Force - Squadrons | Category | organic | |
| rsf-oob:rhodesian-air-force | |||
26 on the roll across 2 Force tags — this organisation name is shared by more than one defence force / era.
| # | Last Name | First Name | Initials | Rank | Force | Regiment | Corps | Date of Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | Aberdein | James Sidwell | J S | Lieutenant | UDF | 3 Squadron | South African Air Force | 1945-02-17 |
| 796 | Austin | Michael Francis Wentworth | M F W | Lieutenant | UDF | 3 Squadron | South African Air Force | 1945-02-20 |
| 29603 | Brits | Frederick Wilhelm Christiaan | F W C | Major | SADF | 3 Squadron | South African Air Force | 1979-02-15 |
| 2901 | Bruyns | Paul Joseph Henry | P J H | Air Mechanic | UDF | 3 Squadron | South African Air Force | 1943-09-06 |
| 5173 | Dawber | Phillip Oliver | P O | Lieutenant | UDF | 3 Squadron | South African Air Force | 1944-08-30 |
| 6221 | Dudley | Leighton Rex | L R | Lieutenant | UDF | 3 Squadron | South African Air Force | 1941-03-13 |
| 7956 | Geater | Howard Albert | H A | Lieutenant | UDF | 3 Squadron | South African Air Force | 1944-04-16 |
| 8466 | Gould | Charles Terry | C T | Lieutenant | UDF | 3 Squadron | South African Air Force | 1940-10-27 |
| 9402 | Harvey | Noel Courtney | N C | Captain | UDF | 3 Squadron | South African Air Force | 1941-03-15 |
| 10401 | Howitson | John | J | Lieutenant | UDF | 3 Squadron | South African Air Force | 1941-04-24 |
| 10789 | Jackson | John Scafe Lindrea | J S L | Lieutenant | UDF | 3 Squadron | South African Air Force | 1943-05-22 |
| 10863 | Jacobs | Gabriel Raymond | G R | Lieutenant | UDF | 3 Squadron | South African Air Force | 1941-11-20 |
| 11450 | Jones | John Harris | J H | Air Mechanic | UDF | 3 Squadron | South African Air Force | 1941-07-13 |
| 12824 | Laing | Jack Dennis | J D | Second Lieutenant | UDF | 3 Squadron | South African Air Force | 1942-04-17 |
| 31308 | Leon | Harold Bruce Michael | H B M | Second Lieutenant | UDF | 3 Squadron | South African Air Force | 1953-02-07 |
| 16755 | Minto | George William | G W | Lieutenant | UDF | 3 Squadron | South African Air Force | 1943-06-01 |
| 16765 | Mitchell | Alexander Clifford | A C | Lieutenant | UDF | 3 Squadron | South African Air Force | 1941-11-12 |
| 17321 | Montgomery | Joseph Arthur | J A | Air Mechanic | UDF | 3 Squadron | South African Air Force | 1944-10-14 |
| 32669 | Reynders | Sarel Johannes | S J | Corporal | SADF | 3 Squadron | South African Air Force | 1983-12-29 |
| 32811 | Scheepers | Zacharias Frederick | Z F | Corporal | SADF | 3 Squadron | South African Air Force | 1987-03-13 |
| 24141 | Stevenson | Harold Baker | H B | Second Lieutenant | UDF | 3 Squadron | South African Air Force | 1941-07-11 |
| 26727 | Van Der Watt | Stanley C | S C | Lieutenant | UDF | 3 Squadron | South African Air Force | 1943-07-21 |
| 27237 | Venter | Albertus Stephanus | A S | Lieutenant | UDF | 3 Squadron | South African Air Force | 1941-06-03 |
| 28155 | Wheeler | Henry David | H D | Lieutenant | UDF | 3 Squadron | South African Air Force | 1944-11-05 |
| 28869 | Wright | Clifford Alexander | C A | Lieutenant | UDF | 3 Squadron | South African Air Force | 1944-04-20 |
| 29019 | Young | Ivan William | I W | Lieutenant | UDF | 3 Squadron | South African Air Force | 1943-05-22 |