Submitted by the Fitzgerald family, this is what  the newspapers were saying in 1941/1942 about the Squadron's performance in the "Near East" (as it was then called).

Note that any reference to 3 Squadron's number isn't made ... censorship at the time would have prevented any mention of the whereabouts of  any of the forces.

 I wonder how long it would have taken an enemy spy to figure out exactly who  "Australia's only air squadron in the Near East ..."  was at that particular time?

HAPPY CHRISTMAS

1943

(from the Arthur Pardey collection)