[Routine Order] SQUADRON ROUTINE ORDER No. 19/44 continued. — Orders & Appendices

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SQUADRON ROUTINE ORDER No. 19/44 continued.
PAGE TWO.
Para. 78. M.T.
The attention of all ranks is directed to the following instruction:
The Transport Officer and Transport Sergeant ONLY are to be contacted in the event of repair work required on transport.
The practice of asking fitters and mechanics personally to do this must cease forthwith as essential work is thus often held up.
Para. 79. "Q" STORES - GAS MASKS.
Personnel not in possession of Gas Equipment must draw same from the "Q" Stores on Wednesday, 8th March, 1944.
Para. 80. CENSORSHIP.
"It has been observed that Green Envelopes are being utilised for correspondence with members of the French Forces and also civilians in Mediterranean Allied Air Forces and Middle East Commands.
Unless the writer certifies on the envelope that the addressee is his next-of-kin or a near relative, green envelopes may not be used to write to :-
(a) Civilian addressees in the Commands mentioned above.
(b) Members of Allied Forces".
C.R.O. Serial No. 10, para. 14. d.d. 9.2.44.
LT. COL.
COMMANDING, NO. 21 SQUADRON, S.A.A.F.

Transcriber's Notes

Transcriber's Historical & Tactical Notes:
* Motor Transport (M.T.) Discipline:
* Context: Para. 78 highlights a common friction point in field units: unauthorized "favors." Soldiers were bypassing the chain of command ("The Transport Officer and Transport Sergeant ONLY") to ask mechanics directly to fix vehicles.
* Implication: This suggests that mechanics were being distracted from "essential work" (likely repairing fuel bowsers, bomb trolleys, or critical transport trucks) to perhaps fix personal or non-critical vehicles (like the "scrounged" 15cwt Ford mentioned in later diary entries). By centralizing repair requests, the command aimed to prioritize operational readiness over personal convenience.
* Gas Equipment Readiness:
* "Q" Stores: "Q" stands for Quartermaster. This section managed general supplies (clothing, webbing, personal equipment) as opposed to "A" Stores (technical aircraft parts).
* Timing: The order to draw gas masks on Wednesday, 8th March, 1944, aligns perfectly with the "Chemical Warfare" section in the monthly narrative (file 269-3__31.jpg), which noted a renewed emphasis on anti-gas training and "pressure brought to bear" by higher command. This routine order was the mechanism for enforcing that sudden training push.
* Censorship & Operational Security (Green Envelopes):
* The "Green Envelope" System: In the British and Commonwealth forces, soldiers could use a special "Green Envelope" for letters they did not want their immediate junior officer to read (for privacy). These letters were liable to be opened only by base censors at random, rather than 100% unit censorship.
* The Violation: Troops were abusing this privilege to write to unauthorized persons ("French Forces," "civilians in MAAF," "Members of Allied Forces"). Writing to locals or foreign troops posed a higher security risk (leaking troop movements to potential spies or loose lips). The order restricts Green Envelope use strictly to "next-of-kin or a near relative" unless certified otherwise.
* C.R.O.: Combined Routine Order.
* Abbreviations:
* M.T.: Motor Transport.
* S.A.A.F.: South African Air Force.
* C.R.O.: Combined Routine Order.
* d.d.: Dated.

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Verification:
Target File Verification: The document is dated 7th March 1944 in the "DATE" field. It is a Sortie Report (No. 578) detailing a mission flown on March 7th, 1944.