Document
"A1"
SQUADRON ROUTINE ORDER NO. 18/43 No. 21 Squadron S.A.A.F.
by
LIEUT. COL. C.S. COPPEN D.F.C.
------------------------------
Officer Commanding,
No 21 Squadron S.A.A.F.
Middle East.
19th March 1943.
Para: 44: CRASHED OR ABANDONED ENEMY AIRCRAFT
Much valuable information is obtained from the examination by experts of
crashed or abandoned enemy aircraft. It has been reported that some of this
information is lost by reason of the fact that the aircraft has been tampered
with, and equipment removed or destroyed, by unauthorised personnel. All
personnel are instructed that on no account are they to interfere with enemy
aircraft without permission and disciplinary action will be taken against
any person found contravening this order.
(A.R.O. Para.101)
Para: 45: FIELD GENERAL COURTS MARTIAL:
1450122 A/Cl Castell D.A. of No.145 Squadron R.A.F. was tried by Field
General Court Martial on 8/Jan/1943 and found guilty of stealing an aircraft
clock, the property of the public, and being in improper possession of
another aircraft clock. He was sentenced to undergo detention for 150 days.
This sentence has been duly confirmed.
(A.R.O. Para 103)
1. By a field general court martial which assembled at the R.A.F. Court Room
Cairo, on the 3rd and 4th Feb. 1943, an Airman of H.Q. R.A.F. M.E. was
convicted on the following charge:-
Section 11 Air Force Act - WHEN ON ACTIVE SERVICE, NEGLECTING TO OBEY
MIDDLE EAST ORDERS FOR CENSORSHIP AND DESPATCH OF CORRESPONDENCE,
in that he,
At H.Q. R.A.F. M.E. Cairo, on the 6th Oct. 1942 wrote and despatched a letter
which contained the following passage :-
"It is really a great education coming out to a place like this. The
longer I stay, the more disgusted I become of British methods of dealing
with natives and coloured races. I am afraid my views on the British
Empire and British Government have altered considerably. When one of our
lorry's runs a native over, the drivers are told to run over him or her
again to make sure they are dead to save trouble. A driver in my billett
got into trouble for running over a native girl and only injuring her "
contrary to paragraph (1x) of Middle East Orders for censorship and
despatch of correspondence.
2. He was found guilty and sentenced to undergo detention for 90 days and
the proceedings were confirmed by the Air Officer Commanding in Chief
Royal Air Force, Middle East.
(R.O. Para.220)
Para:46: PROHIBITED FLYING AREAS:
1. A considerable increase has been noticed recently in the number of cases
that have arisen of R.A.F. Aircraft flying low over the centre of Cairo.
2. The attention of all flying personnel is drawn to K.R. and A.C.I. Chapter
X11 Para.717 sub.para.8 which reads as follows:-
"Towns and thickly inhabited districts must be crossed at such a height
as will enable the aircraft in the event of engine failure to glide to
open country. If visibility precludes sufficient altitude being maintained
the area of a town must be avoided"
and to Part 11 Section 2 para.5 of S4/1115/Ops. (Routeing, recognition and
identification of aircraft in the Middle East Command) which reads:-
"PROHIBITED AREAS.
Cairo
A circle of 10 miles diameter from the centre of the city, excluding
Heliopolis and Almaza Aerodromes. These aerodromes always to be approached
from the East"
3. Disciplinary action is to be taken against offenders contravening these
regulations.
(R.O. Para 218)