[Routine Order] S.R.O. 60/43 (Contd) — Orders & Appendices

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S.R.O. 60/43 (Contd)
Page 3.
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Para. 202. COST OF LIVING ALLOWANCE (Contd.)
4. Where Cost of Living Allowance is claimed in accordance with the above the relative application Form (Annexure "C" Treasury Circular 14 -- Amendment No 323 to "Extracts from Routine Orders, etc.") will be completed and forwarded to the Chief Paymaster, who will authorise the allowance and indicate whether the member's paybook and unit pay record must be amended.
5. Should the member's paybook and unit pay records require to be amended the Chief Paymaster's authority must be quoted, but no entry need be made in Unit Part II Orders.
6. In cases where no amendment to the member's paybook and unit pay record is to be effected, no action is necessary other than to advise the member that allowance is being paid to the Chief Paymaster.
7. Commanding Officers will ensure that these regulations are known by all concerned.
(Payable at Single Rates)
In addition to other ranks S.A.A.F.'s (see para, 104 A.D.O. 14/43) Application for Cost of Living Allowance at Single rates need not be submitted to the Chief Paymaster as from 1 June, 43 in respect of the following:
1. Unmarried other ranks S.A.A.F.
2. Unmarried Officers, S.A.A.F.
Cost of Living Pay in these three cases be entered in the paybooks automatically provided the members concerned are drawing Rations and Lodging Allowances in cash.
(ADO 30/43 para 187.)
Para. 203. UNION LOAN CERTIFICATES.
It is notified for the information of all ranks that facilities are available for buying Union Loan Certificates either by Special allotment or deductions from Daily Pay. Full information can be had at the Pay Office.
Para. 204. WEARING OF CIVILIAN CLOTHING BY MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES.
1. Reference is made to M.E.G.R.O. 625 of 1943.
2. It is notified, and must be impressed upon all personnel concerned that no member of the armed Forces, including those under the Order of the Chief of Combined Operations, should be sent on military operations, however hazardous, equipped with civilian clothing, except in the case of subversive activities for which civilian clothes are essential. In the latter circumstances, any members of the Armed Forces taking part should be volunteers and should be warned that if captured they are liable to be treated as saboteurs and guilty of war treason, and that the enemy are likely to shoot them without trial.
3. In the circumstances where airmen are required to undertake operations involving risk of capture by the enemy while wearing Khaki shirts and shorts or similar clothing which, while regulation, is not readily recognisable as uniform, they are to wear some clear mark of identification, preferably the Badge, Arm, Eagle, sewn on their shirt sleeves.
4. In order that all may have a clear understanding of what constitutes "service uniform", the following definition has been drawn up:—
DEFINITION OF UNIFORM
Any clothing uniformly worn by the Armed Forces by regulation provided that the distinctive signs customarily worn with such clothing have not been purposely removed. The fact that uniform necessarily varies in different climates and in varying circumstances does not alter the fact that it is uniform. For example, a British soldier or airman is not the less in uniform because he is wearing a greatcoat, a jacket without a greatcoat or shirt sleeves, each of these garments being regulation, distinctive and generally worn in his service. But if he takes off his service-dress or battledress and stands up in a suit not generally worn in the circumstances in which he is, he is in disguise and not in uniform.
Sheepskin coats, duffle coats, white ski clothing, airmen's suits, are just as much uniform as service-dress or battle-dress, provided they fulfil the conditions in the previous paragraph.
(ME/566/P.1.)
S.R.O. 60/43 (Contd).
Page 4.
para. 205. "SPEED LIMITS".
The following speed limits are not to be exceeded by drivers of Mechanical Transport.
| Type of Vehicle. | Open Road. | Towns or Villages. | Suburban Areas. |
|---|---|---|---|
| | m.p.h. | m.p.h. | m.p.h. |
| Group "A". | | | |
| Staff cars. | | | |
| Cars, passenger (heavy, light and utility). | 45 | 20 | 30 |
| Ambulances. | | | |
| Motor Cycles. | | | |
| Cars and vans (5-10 Cwt.) | | | |
| | | | |
| Group "B". | | | |
| Vans and Tenders (15 Cwt.). | | | |
| Other vehicles not exceeding one ton. | 35 | 20 | 20 |
| | | | |
| Group "C". | | | |
| All tenders over one ton up to ten tons. | | | |
| Armoured Vehicles. | | | |
| Coaches and buses. | 30 | 15 | 20 |
| Tenders, articulated. | | | |
| | | | |
| Group "D". | | | |
| Cranes, salvage. | 20 | 15 | 20 |
| Track Vehicles. | | | |
| | | | |
| DURING THE HOURS OF DARKNESS — ALL VEHICLES. | 20 | 12 | 20 |
Vehicles proceeding across country are not to exceed the speed laid down for suburban areas. Speed limits within station bounds and military areas, as laid down in standing orders or on notice boards, must be observed.
(Signature: J.F. Britz) Lt. Col.
Commanding Officer, No. 21 Squadron, S.A.A.F.

Transcriber's Notes

[AUTO-CLASSIFIED — VERIFY CATEGORY]
TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES
Abbreviations and Technical Terms Expanded
* S.R.O.: Squadron Routine Order.
* Contd: Continued.
* S.A.A.F.: South African Air Force.
* A.D.O.: Air Directorate Order.
* M.E.G.R.O.: Middle East General Routine Order.
Personnel and Operational Observations
* The "Spy" Risk (Para. 204): This paragraph addresses a critical legal and survival issue for aircrews. In the Mediterranean theater, where crews were frequently shot down over enemy territory or behind lines during reconnaissance, the distinction between a combatant and a spy was a matter of life or death.
* The SAAF "Orange" Shoulder Tabs: While not explicitly named, the "clear mark of identification" mentioned (Para. 204-3) in SAAF service often included the distinctive orange-red shoulder tabs. These were vital for South African personnel to ensure they were treated as lawful combatants under the Geneva Convention if captured, rather than being shot "without trial" as saboteurs.
* Chief of Combined Operations: The reference to personnel under the "Order of the Chief of Combined Operations" refers to units like the Special Air Service (SAS) or commandos who often operated in the same sectors as SAAF advanced airfields. The command was making it clear that even for "hazardous" operations, uniform was the mandatory standard.
Location and Tactical Intelligence
* August 24, 1943: At the time of this order, No. 21 Squadron SAAF had just concluded its intensive operations in the Sicily campaign. The unit was likely based in Malta (at Hal Far or Luqa) or was in the process of moving to captured airfields in Sicily.
* Logistical Stability: Para. 203 concerning "Union Loan Certificates" was part of a larger effort to encourage personnel to save their combat pay and support the South African home-front war effort. For crews flying the high-attrition night missions of early August, these financial arrangements were part of the grim administrative preparation for the possibility of not returning.
Historical Context: The Geneva Convention and Uniformity
* Defining the Combatant: The detailed "Definition of Uniform" was a direct response to the varying and often non-standard gear used in the desert and Mediterranean. Items like "sheepskin coats" or "duffle coats" were frequently salvaged or private-purchase items. By formalizing these as "regulation," the command sought to provide legal protection to aircrews who might be captured wearing unconventional cold-weather flying gear.
* The Transition to Italy: These routine orders served as the administrative "clean up" following the fall of Messina (August 17). While the unit waited for the next major leap—the invasion of the Italian mainland—command focused on pay, discipline, and legal status to ensure the squadron remained combat-ready for Operation BAYTOWN.

169
The date for this routine order, as noted on the first page of the sequence, is 24th. August, 1943.
TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES
Abbreviations and Technical Terms Expanded
* S.R.O.: Squadron Routine Order.
* Contd: Continued.
* m.p.h.: miles per hour.
* Cwt.: Hundredweight (a unit of weight equal to 112 pounds).
* S.A.A.F.: South African Air Force.
* Lt. Col.: Lieutenant Colonel.
Personnel and Command Observations
* Lieutenant Colonel J.F.. Britz, D.F.C.: The Commanding Officer (C.O.) of No. 21 Squadron SAAF who signed this order. His enforcement of strict speed limits reflects the critical need for vehicle conservation in the Mediterranean Theater.
* Logistical Discipline: The specific breakdown by vehicle weight class (Groups A through D) demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of mechanical wear and tear. Heavily laden "tenders" and "articulated" vehicles (Group C) were restricted to much lower speeds than light "staff cars" (Group A) to preserve tires and engines.
Historical Context: The Post-Sicily Lull
* August 24, 1943: This order was issued exactly one week after the Allied capture of Messina, which marked the end of the Sicilian campaign. At this time, No. 21 Squadron was based in Malta (likely at RAF Luqa) or transitioning to airfields in Sicily while preparing for the invasion of mainland Italy.
* The Importance of Mechanical Transport: For an advanced squadron operating in the wake of the front lines, "Mechanical Transport" (MT) was its lifeblood. Trucks and vans hauled the fuel, bombs, and spare parts required to keep the unit's Martin Baltimore bombers operational.
* Night Safety and Blackouts: The severe speed restriction of 12 to 20 m.p.h. during the "hours of darkness" was a realistic necessity. In August 1943, vehicles in forward areas operated under strict blackout conditions with "shuttered" headlights that provided very little illumination, making night driving on war-damaged roads extremely hazardous.
* The Transition to Italy: These administrative "housekeeping" orders (S.R.O. 60/43) were essential for resetting unit discipline after the high-stress bombing operations of early August. Preserving the squadron's limited vehicle pool was a vital prerequisite for the upcoming leap to the Italian mainland.

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The date written in the header of target file 276-1__170.jpg is 25th August, 1943.