[Routine Order] 'V' — Orders & Appendices

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'V'
SQUADRON ROUTINE ORDER NO. 47/43 No. 21 Squadron S.A.A.F.
by 171
LIEUT. COL. C.S. COPPEN D.F.C.
Commanding Officer,
No. 21 Squadron S.A.A.F.
Middle East,
29th June 1943.
155: DISCIPLINE: PUBLIC & PRIVATE VEHICLES:
* Ref. is made to M.E.R.O. 382 of 1943.
* Personnel are forbidden to ride or travel on any part of the outside of
trains, trams, buses, W.D. or other public or private or service vehicles,
either by standing or sitting on the footboards or bumpers or other
external parts of such vehicles.
* Personnel are further forbidden to board or alight from any such vehicle
when it is in motion, and are to board and alight from any public
vehicle only at points permitted by traffic regulations.
(M.E.R.O. 582)
156: DRESS - VOLUNTEER RESERVE BADGE:
* It is notified for the information and attention of all concerned that
Air Ministry has decided to abolish the V.R. Badge for Officers, and that
an Air Ministry Order on the subject will be published in due course.
Air Ministry state that it is recognised that some Volunteer Reserve Officers
will deplore losing the badge and some regular and R.A.F.V.R. Officers will
regret that not wearing the badge will no longer be indicative of their
pre-war service. Nevertheless, it is felt that the policy actuating the
abolition of the badge should act as an impetus to efficiency and comrade-
ship and the furtherance of the purpose which is being equally pursued by
all.
* Air Ministry does not propose to issue any order regarding the wearing of
the V.R. Badge by airmen, except that it is not to be worn on the uniform
of Warrant Officers, and explain that for some years it has not been
possible to issue the badge to all volunteer reserve airmen and that it has
been difficult to buy. Consequently, the wearing of it has become in fact
optional and a matter of fancy rather than a mark of division in the service.
(M.E.R.O. 584)
157: MISUSE OF PETROL IN PRIMUS STOVES:
Recently two R.A.F. Personnel were killed and a cook house demolished by an
explosion caused by petrol being used in a primus stove. The practice of
using petrol in lieu of paraffin in a stove of the primus is dangerous and is
to cease forthwith. Disciplinary action will be taken against offenders.
(M.E.R.O. 585)
158: CORRECT POSTAL ADDRESS FOR PERSONNEL IN MALTA:
All Units in Malta are to adopt the Middle East Forces postal address forthwith
viz:- Service No.........Rank.....Name..........
Unit......... Royal Air Force.... Middle East Forces.
Except in the following instances:-
a. Air Headquarters, Malta. b. R.A.F. Station (Place Name) Malta.
c. Base Accounts Office, Malta. d. Base Personnel Office, Malta.
e. Meteorological Station, Malta. f. Inter Command W.T. Station Malta.
g. Royal Air Force Obs. Corps, Malta. h. Equipment Depot, Malta.
i. Communication Flight, (Place Name) Malta.
j. Administration Section, (Place Name) Malta.
Applications for authority to use a place name address for other units must
be made to H.Q. R.A.F. M.E. (M.E.R.O. Para 588)
[Signature] Major.
Adjutant No. 21 Squadron S.A.A.F.
NATIONAL SAVINGS CAMPAIGN
Remember National Savings for National Freedom.

Transcriber's Notes

Phase 2: Technical Expansion
Glossary of Terms
The archival documentation for this date utilizes standardized military administrative nomenclature relevant to the Middle East theater. S.A.A.F. refers to the South African Air Force, while R.A.F. and R.A.F.V.R. denote the Royal Air Force and the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, respectively. The handwritten annotation "V" and the number 171 indicate internal filing and archival sequence identifiers. LIEUT. COL. stands for Lieutenant Colonel, the rank held by the unit commander, C.S. Coppen, whose D.F.C. signifies his status as a recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross. M.E.R.O. expands to Middle East Routine Orders, the theater-level directives from which these specific squadron orders were derived. The term W.D. vehicle refers to War Department vehicles. The mention of the V.R. Badge pertains to the metal "V.R." insignia formerly worn on the lapels of Volunteer Reserve personnel. Administrative and navigational shorthand include W.T. for Wireless Telegraphy and H.Q. R.A.F. M.E. for Headquarters Royal Air Force Middle East.
Operational Context
This Routine Order, issued on 29th June 1943, reflects a period of intensive administrative and logistical reorganization for 21 Squadron SAAF as the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces (MAAF) shifted focus from the North African campaign toward the upcoming invasion of Sicily, Operation Husky. The strategic importance of the Middle East and Mediterranean locations mentioned, particularly Malta, was paramount during this window. Malta had transitioned from a besieged fortress to a primary forward staging base for the Allied offensive, necessitating the standardized postal and administrative procedures detailed in Para. 158 to manage the massive influx of personnel and units.
The orders regarding safety and equipment emphasize the persistent environmental and logistical hazards of the theater. Para. 157 highlights a critical safety concern—the misuse of volatile petrol in pressurized Primus stoves designed for paraffin. This practice, which resulted in fatal explosions and structural damage to cookhouses, illustrates the resource improvisation and subsequent dangers faced by ground crews and personnel in forward areas. Simultaneously, Para. 156 documents a theater-wide cultural shift within the air forces; the abolition of the "V.R." badge for officers was intended to minimize distinctions between regular and reserve personnel, fostering a unified "comradeship" as the MAAF mobilized for the sustained tactical operations required for the Italian Campaign. These administrative efforts, coupled with the "National Savings Campaign" reminder, underscore the transition toward total theater mobilization as the Allies prepared to launch the first major strike against the European mainland in early July.

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Phase 1: Verification & Extraction
Identity Check
The exact date found in the 'Date' column of the image is 30 JUN 43.