[Routine Order] [Handwritten signature] W. Geary

Friday, 25 June 1943 Other

Document

[Handwritten signature] W. Geary
SQUADRON ROUTINE ORDER NO.45/43 No.21 Squadron S.A.A.F. "Q"
by 166
LIEUT.COL. C.S. COPPEN D.F.C.
Officer Commanding,
No.21 Squadron S.A.A.F.
Middle East,
25th June 1943.
Para.148: CARRIAGE OF PRIVATE CAMERAS IN SERVICE AIRCRAFT:
The carriage of private cameras in service Aircraft without the consent of
the commanding officer of the unit or formation is prohibited. In the event
of permission being granted, the camera must be handed to the captain of the
aircraft at the commencement of the journey and handed back to the owner at the
completion thereof. (M.E.R.O. Para.550)
Para.149: HEALTH AND HYGIENE:
The circumstances in which native made lemonade is manufactured and bottled
have been recently fully investigated and reveal the filthiest conditions.
A bacteriological report confirms that this lemonade is heavily contaminated
with sewage water and totally unfit for human consumption. In addition,
N.A.A.F.I. 'crown corks' from old bottles are being pilfered by natives and
re-used on their own bottles to create the impression that they are selling
N.A.A.F.I. goods.
All Ranks are reminded that it is strictly forbidden to purchase drinks, fruit
or sweetmeats from native hawkers in any circumstances whatsoever.
Drinks and food are to be purchased only from authorised establishments in
bounds to British personnel.
Strict supervision is to be exercised to ensure that all N.A.A.F.I. 'crown
corks' are collected and forwarded to salvage depots for disposal.
(M.E.R.O. Para.569)
Para.150: PARACHUTES:
The undermentioned parachutes have been lost. Any Unit holding any of these
items is to communicate immediately with Rear Air Headquarters R.A.F. Iraq
and Persia, quoting 3602/1/EQ/3:
Pilot Type: 102520 102535 50603 102530 102540 49978
Observer Type: 67900 6542 6463 69866 6589 67940
6418 6431 6427 6457 6506 6474
6509 6453 6585 67751 6496 67812
The undermentioned items are held surplus at R.A.F. Station Aqir. Owning Unit
to claim immediately, quoting CRV786 and LQ/3530/Acct:
Observer's pack. No. A.99439 No.2 Harness No.A99439. No.1 Travelling Bag.
Any unit holding on charge observer type parachute No.S17553 is to communicate
immediately with HQ.RAF.ME quoting S82408/EIC.
(M.E.R.O. Para.579)
Para.151: LEAVE:
With ref: to SAAF (MEF) GRO 752/43, personnel arriving on leave in Syria are
to report their arrival at the office of the D.A.P.M. R.A.F. Beirut, which is
located at No.7 Rue Rezkallah (near the Y.M.C.A.) telephone No.8747.
(G.R.O. Para.948)
Para.152: FIELD GENERAL COURTS MARTIAL:
942104 Cpl. Turner H.W. of No. 112 Squadron, was convicted by Field General
Court Martial on the 12th May 1943, and sentenced to be reduced to the ranks
and to undergo detention for a period of six months in respect of:-
a. Fraudulent mis-application of £E.4. entrusted to him for the purpose of
remitted through service channels to the International correspondence Schools.
b. Forging the name of an Officer to a receipt for the said sum.
c. On three occasions delivering to airmen who handed to him money for the
same purpose, a receipt purporting to be signed by an Officer knowing the
signature on such receipts to be false.
The sentence has been duly confirmed. (A.R.O. Para.218)
[Signature] Major.
Adjutant No.21 Squadron S.A.A.F.

Transcriber's Notes

Phase 2: Technical Expansion
Glossary of Terms
The document utilizes standard administrative and technical nomenclature pertinent to the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces. S.A.A.F. expands to the South African Air Force, an integral component of the Desert Air Force. LIEUT. COL. stands for Lieutenant Colonel, the rank of the Officer Commanding, C.S. Coppen, who is also cited with the D.F.C., or Distinguished Flying Cross. The handwritten annotation "Q" and number 166 serve as internal archival filing and sequence references. M.E.R.O. expands to Middle East Routine Orders, the theater-level administrative directives. N.A.A.F.I. denotes the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes, the official organization providing canteen and recreational services to British and Commonwealth personnel. R.A.F. expands to the Royal Air Force. MEF stands for Middle East Forces, and GRO denotes General Routine Orders. D.A.P.M. refers to the Deputy Assistant Provost Marshal, responsible for military police administration. Y.M.C.A. refers to the Young Men's Christian Association, which provided welfare services. In Para.152, £E.4 refers to four Egyptian Pounds, the regional currency. A.R.O. denotes Air Routine Orders.
Operational Context
This Squadron Routine Order, dated June 25, 1943, was issued from the Middle East during the significant operational pause following the capture of Pantelleria and Lampedusa during Operation Corkscrew. The strategic landscape at this time focused on the final logistical and administrative preparations for Operation Husky—the impending invasion of Sicily. For 21 Squadron SAAF, operating Martin Baltimore medium bombers, this was a period of consolidation, maintenance, and the management of personnel health and discipline.
The document highlights the severe environmental and hygiene challenges facing the Desert Air Force in the North African theater. Para.149 details a specific health threat regarding "native made lemonade" found to be contaminated with sewage water, illustrating the ongoing struggle to prevent water-borne illnesses like dysentery from degrading unit readiness. The mention of pilfered N.A.A.F.I. "crown corks" (bottle caps) used to deceive personnel further underscores the active local black markets and the necessity for strict military supervision over supplies.
Additionally, the orders manage logistical losses and personnel security. Para.150 logs a significant number of missing parachutes, specifically "Pilot Type" and "Observer Type," which were critical safety equipment for the four-man crews of the squadron's Baltimores. The mention of R.A.F. Station Aqir in Palestine (modern-day Israel) and Beirut, Syria (modern-day Lebanon) in Para.151 reflects the broad geographic footprint of the MAAF logistical and leave networks during the summer of 1943. Finally, the notification of a Field General Court Martial for a corporal from No. 112 Squadron—a famous P-40 Kittyhawk unit—serves as a disciplinary deterrent, emphasizing the theater commander's intolerance for financial fraud and forgery during the mobilization for the Italian Campaign.

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Phase 1: Verification & Extraction
Identity Check
The exact date found in the 'Date' column of the image is 27 JUN 43.