[Routine Order] SQUADRON ROUTINE ORDER NO. 24/43 No. 21 Squadron S.A.A.F.

Tuesday, 13 April 1943 Other

Document

SQUADRON ROUTINE ORDER NO. 24/43 No. 21 Squadron S.A.A.F.
by
LIEUT. COL. C. E. COPPEN D. F. C.
Officer Commanding,
No. 21 Squadron S. A. A. F.
Middle East,
13th April 1943.
Para. 64: TUNISIAN CURRENCY:
Official currencies for the payment of British and Allied Forces in TUNISIA
are FRENCH NORTH AFRICAN francs and FRENCH METROPOLITAN francs, the latter
not exceeding fifty franc denomination.
FRENCH NORTH AFRICAN francs consist of:-
* Notes of Banque de l'Algerie,
* Notes of Banque de l'Algerie overprinted "TUNISIE"
* Notes of Banque d'Etat du Maroc.
FRENCH METROPOLITAN francs consist of:-
* Notes of Banque de France
* Coins of Republique Francaise.
Currencies other than francs as above will not under any circumstances be
tendered for payment to civilians in TUNISIA. BRITISH MILITARY AUTHORITY
currency is not to be used in Tunisia with civilians similarly francs current
in Tunisia are not to be tendered to civilians in TRIPOLITANIA.
All ranks are forbidden to engage in any currency transaction for profit or
as a speculation.
The rate of exchange for all these francs is 200 Francs equals £1 Sterling.
(Note. South Africa's £1. is the same as £1. Sterling). Personnel proceeding
back to the Middle East Command are, as far as possible, to dispose of all
francs.
The Official Currency for Free French Africa consists of notes bearing on
the face:-
(a) the words "Afrique Francaise Libre"
(b) a small French flag printed in the top right hand corner.
Notes of the French West African Bank (Banque de L'Afrique Occidentale) are
not to be accepted.
Para. 65: NON RECORDABLE SERVICE LEAVE (N/R S.L.)
* (a) Irrespective of the length of their service in the theatre of operations
all S.A.A.F. and W.A.A.F. personnel posted to formations or units in
the North, unless for temporary duty, become entitled to N/R S L on
return to the Union, provided that this principle will apply only to
members who returned to the Union on or after 15/Oct/41.
(b) Personnel who proceed North on temporary duty upon the completion of
which they return to the Union, are not eligible for N/R S L. Such
service will, however, continue to count for normal leave accruals.
(c) N/R S L should, except in special cases which will be submitted to
D.A.P. & Org. be taken immediately upon disembarkation in the Union or
upon final disposal by medical authority, otherwise such leave will be
forfeited.
(d) Authority for the grant of N/R S L except as provided in sub-paragraph
(c) hereof will be M.A.F.D. or O.C. Hospital concerned.
(e) M.A.F.D. or O.C. Hospital granting N/R S.L. will endorse in the pay book
of the detail concerned the period granted.
(f) Should a detail claim not to have received his N/R S.L. non-entry of
that leave in the member's pay book will not be regarded as authority
as authority for the grant of such leave. Application therefore should
be submitted to D.A.P. & Org. in terms of (c) above.
(g) Members returned to the Union on temporary duty will NOT be eligible for
N/R S L but any period of leave taken by them on return to the Union will
be recordable against the vacation leave credit accruable to such members
in any one service year.
(h) (i) All personnel ex North for discharge on medical grounds are eligible
for N/R S.L. after any period of sick leave granted to them.
(ii) If released indefinitely or discharged prior to the four months
qualification period in the Union they will remain eligible for
vacation leave standing to their credit in service year in which
discharged or released.
(iii) The period of N.R.S.L. granted to them will in no circumstances
be set off against the annual leave accrual.
Handwritten note top right: 30

Transcriber's Notes

Phase 2: Technical Expansion
Glossary of Terms
* LIEUT. COL. C. E. COPPEN D. F. C.: Lieutenant Colonel C. E. Coppen, Distinguished Flying Cross. Commanding Officer of No. 21 Squadron.
* S.A.A.F. / W.A.A.F.: South African Air Force and Women's Auxiliary Air Force.
* £1 Sterling: British Pound Sterling. The administrative standard for currency exchange within the Mediterranean theater.
* TRIPOLITANIA: The western region of Libya, through which the squadron transitioned during its movement from Zuara to forward bases in Tunisia.
* N/R S.L.: Non-Recordable Service Leave. A specialized category of leave granted to personnel serving in the North African theater.
* D.A.P. & Org.: Director of Air Personnel and Organisation.
* M.A.F.D.: Military Air Force Detachment (or potentially Mediterranean Air Force Directorate).
* O.C.: Officer Commanding.
Operational Context
The administrative directives issued in Routine Order No. 24/43 on 13 April 1943 reflect the complexities of the Allied occupation of liberated Tunisia. Strategically, this order was published three days after the British Eighth Army liberated Sfax. As No. 21 Squadron’s Martin Baltimores maintained high-intensity operations—including specialized nocturnal strikes against Axis airfields on the Cape Bon peninsula—the ground echelon had to formalize logistical interactions with the local civilian population.
The granular focus on Tunisian Currency underscores the Allied effort to stabilize the local economy while preventing military personnel from engaging in black-market speculation. The requirement to use overprinted "TUNISIE" notes and the explicit prohibition of British Military Authority currency with civilians were measures designed to integrate Allied forces into the existing French colonial administrative structure. Simultaneously, the detailed regulations for Non-Recordable Service Leave highlight the necessity of managing unit morale and personnel rotation during a period of sustained combat fatigue. These administrative mandates were critical in maintaining unit discipline and economic order as Allied forces squeezed the remaining German 1st Italian Army and Afrika Korps into the final northeastern bridgehead of Tunisia.

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Phase 1: Verification & Extraction
Identity Check: 13th April 1943.