The enemy twice threatened to attack our new positions but 10 Corps succeeded in breaking through and a continuous tank battle ensued behind the enemy lines in the Northern Sector where both sides had a heavy concentration of armoured forces. The Squadron, despite heavy anti-aircraft fire and enemy air opposition, provided tactical reconnaissance throughout this final phase of the battle and by 3rd November the enemy was defeated and effected a complete withdrawal along the whole front. The 8th Army followed up the withdrawal to Fuka making continuous use of our bombers and regained Mersa Matruh and Sidi Barrani.
The Squadron, working with 30 Corps, moved further forward to a new landing ground at Burg El Arab but on 8th November ceased to operate, being held in reserve for possible further action should the enemy make a stand at Agheila. Sorties were carried out to locate straggling Germans or Italians before the Squadron was given a rest, though it remained on standby for further action.
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of the Battle of El Alamein at this Link:
REST FROM OPERATIONS
Now that the Squadron had ceased to fly on operations it commenced a training programme in December covering cloud and formation flying, evasion tactics, low flying and ground attack, and practice artillery shoots in conjunction with the Army. In January the Squadron was instructed to move to Aqsu, South West of Tuz Kharmatli in Iraq for winter training with No. 21 Corps. under control of AHQ Iraq and Persia. Two weeks later after moving 1,330 miles training was re-commenced and throughout the following months the Squadron operated from Kirkuk, with flights at Beirut and Baghdad. The various training sorties and exercises carried out covered areas as far as Cyprus and Damascus.