[Routine Order] SQUADRON ROUTINE ORDER . NO. 30/43 No. 21 Sqdn; S.A.A.F. — Orders & Appendices

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SQUADRON ROUTINE ORDER . NO. 30/43 No. 21 Sqdn; S.A.A.F.
by
LIEUT. COL. C. S. COPPEN D.F.C.
"O1" 62
Officer Commanding,
No. 21 Squadron S.A.A.F.
Middle East.
30th April 1943
Para. 81: S.A.O.A. CENTRAL FUND:
Some fortnight ago the Squadron was advised that a sum of
£220. was available from the S.A.O.A's Central Fund, for
distribution to the Messes. It was decided that as all Messes
were in a very sound financial position, the sum of £200.
should be donated to the S.A. Red Cross for the purpose of
supplying food parcels for S.A. Prisoners of war. The remaining
£20; has been given to the Cape Corps Mess. The following is
an extract of a letter received from the Senior Administrative
Officer Air:
"In accordance with your instructions, the sum of £E200. has
today been forwarded to the S.A. Red Cross Society, who no doubt
will acknowledge receipt of this donation direct.
It is desired to place on record the appreciation of this
Headquarters at the magnificent response made by all ranks
of your Squadron to the appeal for funds for this deserving
cause;"
Para. 82: MESSAGE OF APPRECIATION:
General Spaatz, Commanding General, North West African Air
Forces, has sent the following message to Air Marshal Coningham,
Air Officer Commanding, North West African Tactical Air Force.
"During the past several days, your Air Force has carried out
an unusual number of highly successful sorties against
enemy airdromes, armoured vehicles on the roads, and enemy
planes in the air. I desire to commend your entire
organisation for the efficient and effective manner in which,
under your leadership, it is carrying out the systematic
destruction of the enemy's resources. These operations
have contributed enormously to hastening the enemy's retreat!"
Air Marshal Coningham wishes to associate himself most
warmly with this commendation.
(S.A.R.O. '1205/5')
Para. 83: DRESS : FOOTWEAR:
* All Ranks are permitted to wear either brown or black
civilian pattern boots or shoes with service dress, battle
dress or summer dress together with khaki stockings, when
working in offices, when not on duty, and when walking out.
* The use of civilian pattern footwear will be entirely
optional.
3.a. In no circumstances will civilian footwear belonging to
Other Ranks be repaired by regimental shoemakers or under
military boot repair contracts.
b. Para a. above does not apply to Officers, who are obliged
to purchase their own footwear. Officers will therefore
continue to be entitled to have their boots repaired on
payment by regimental shoemakers or military boot repair
contract, and there will be no objection to Officers
having their footwear repaired by civilian firms under
private arrangements. (G.R.O. Para 859)
2.
S.R.O. NO. 30/43 (Contd)
Para. 84: SECURITY: FOREIGN LANGUAGE LESSONS:
All S.A.A.F. Personnel who answer advertisements in the local
press with a view to undertaking foreign language lessons
are to forward to S.A.O.A., S.A.A.F., H.Q. R.A.F. M.E. the
names and addresses of the originators of the advertisements
before concluding any definite arrangements.
(G.R.O. Para. 861)
Para. 85: HANDLING OF FIREARMS:
Many shooting accidents, some of which have proved fatal, have
arisen because airmen issued with small arms have been ignorant
of the most elementary rules which should be observed. All
airmen handling firearms are to ensure that the following
precautions are always taken.
* Any persons taking up a firearm, or handling it in any way,
must immediately examine it to ascertain whether or not it
is loaded.
* A firearm must never be pointed in any other than a 'safe'
direction, except in action, or in training after it has
been proved to be unloaded.
(A.R.O. Para. 156)
Para. 86: LOOTING:
Despite repeated warnings issued on the subject of looting,
it appears that certain units have acquired articles of
furniture from civilian quarters in Tunisia.
The French authorities have made representations concerning the
unauthorised acquisitions and units are again warned of the
grave consequences which may result if civilian property is
found in their encampments and of the action which the Military
Police are authorised to take against those engaged in the
serious crime of looting. (A.R.O. Para. 160)
Para. 87: BOUNDS:
"Out of Bounds" notices have been erected in certain localities
within the townships of Sfax and Sousse and these are to be
strictly observed. The R.A.F. Police and C.M.P. have instruct
ions to report cases of personnel contravening this order
and disciplinary action will be taken against offenders.
(A.R.O. Para. 161)
[Handwritten Signature]
........................Major.
Adjutant No. 21 Squadron S.A.A.F.

Transcriber's Notes

Phase 2: Technical Expansion
Glossary of Terms
* S.A.A.F.: South African Air Force.
* D.F.C.: Distinguished Flying Cross.
* S.A.O.A.: Senior Administrative Officer, Air.
* S.A. Red Cross: South African Red Cross Society.
* S.A. Prisoners of war: South African military personnel held in Axis custody.
* Cape Corps: A South African unit composed of "Coloured" personnel, serving in non-combatant support and security roles within the SAAF during the campaign.
* £E200.: 200 Egyptian Pounds (the currency often utilized for Allied transactions in the Middle East and North African theaters).
* General Spaatz: Carl "Tooey" Spaatz, Commanding General of the North West African Air Forces (NWAAF).
* Air Marshal Coningham: Arthur "Mary" Coningham, Air Officer Commanding of the North West African Tactical Air Force (NATAF).
* S.A.R.O.: South African Routine Order.
* G.R.O.: General Routine Order.
Operational Context
Squadron Routine Order No. 30/43, issued at El Djem Main on 30 April 1943, serves as an administrative summation of the unit’s status at the culmination of Operation Vulcan. This document reflects the transition of 21 Squadron SAAF from a period of high-intensity medium bombing—specifically the sustained strikes against Axis gun positions and motor transport (MT) in the Bou Ficha sector—to the final consolidation phase of the Tunisian Campaign.
Strategically, the Message of Appreciation from General Spaatz to Air Marshal Coningham acknowledges the critical role of tactical air power in shattering the final Axis defensive "crust" in northeastern Tunisia. The "systematic destruction of the enemy's resources" mentioned in the commendation refers to the interdiction of armored vehicles and airfields, which effectively paralyzed the German 90th Light Division and Italian First Army as they were compressed into the Cap Bon peninsula.
The administrative decisions in Para. 81 reveal the squadron's high morale and fiscal stability despite the "stern" nature of the recent fighting. The donation of surplus funds to the Red Cross for South African Prisoners of War highlights the unit's awareness of the broader human cost of the North African campaign, while the specific allocation to the Cape Corps Mess acknowledges the essential role of these support troops who sustained the squadron’s 18 Martin Baltimore aircraft under forward conditions. Finally, the relaxation of footwear regulations in Para. 83 suggests a shift toward administrative stability and unit welfare as the Desert Air Force (DAF) prepared for the final Axis surrender and the subsequent logistical reorganization for operations in the Mediterranean.

88
Phase 1: Verification & Extraction
Identity Check: No specific date is listed in a 'Date' column on this page; however, the document is identified as a continuation of "S.R.O. NO. 30/43," which was issued on 30th April 1943.
Phase 2: Technical Expansion
Glossary of Terms
* S.R.O.: Squadron Routine Order.
* S.A.A.F.: South African Air Force.
* S.A.O.A., S.A.A.F.: Senior Administrative Officer Air, South African Air Force.
* H.Q. R.A.F. M.E.: Headquarters, Royal Air Force, Middle East.
* G.R.O.: General Routine Order.
* A.R.O.: Air Routine Order.
* C.M.P.: Corps of Military Police.
Operational Context
Page 2 of Squadron Routine Order No. 30/43, promulgated at El Djem Main on 30 April 1943, addresses the regimental and security environment following the intense combat operations of late April. While 21 Squadron’s Martin Baltimore crews were resting after high-attrition sorties against Axis positions at Bou Ficha, the administrative command focused on maintaining unit discipline during the transition from active battlefield movement to semi-permanent encampment in Tunisia.
Strategically, the restriction on Foreign Language Lessons highlights the security concerns of the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces (MAAF) regarding potential Axis stay-behind agents or intelligence leaks within liberated Tunisian civilian populations. The "Out of Bounds" orders for Sfax and Sousse—critical logistical hubs for the Desert Air Force (DAF) following their capture earlier in the month—were designed to minimize friction between Allied personnel and the local population while the 18th Army Group prepared for the final assault on Tunis.
The directives concerning Looting and Handling of Firearms reflect the challenges of managing a large, recently mobilized volunteer force in a combat zone. The representations made by French authorities regarding stolen furniture emphasize the administrative complexity of operating on French sovereign territory during the liberation. These orders collectively underscore the infrastructure of regimental management required to sustain the operational readiness of the squadron's 18 aircraft and 582 personnel as the Tunisian Campaign reached its final, decisive weeks.

89
Phase 1: Verification & Extraction
Identity Check: 30th April 1943