[Routine Order] APPENDIX "J" — Orders & Appendices

Document

APPENDIX "J"
192
SQUADRON ROUTINE ORDERS. No. 32/44 21 SQUADRON, S.A.A.F.
By
LT. COL. A.C. JANDRELL, D.F.C.
Officer Commanding,
21 Squadron, S.A.A.F.
10th April, 1944.
Para. 117. AMBULANCE STRETCHERS.
Personnel in possession of the above stretchers
are to return them to the Squadron Sick Quarters immediately.
Para. 118. ARMS.
Personnel in possession of rifles are to hand them
in to the "Q" Stores immediately.
Para. 119. LETTER CARDS.
Letter Cards are NOT to be used for Inter-Command
correspondence.
Para. 120. BOUNDS.
The following places are out of Bounds to all
S.A.A.F. Personnel except on duty.
Ismailia. Outbreak of Plague.
Petit Coin De France, Sharia Adly Pasha, Cairo,
for period of 14 days from 1st April, 1944.
Jerusalem, Haifa and Tel Aviv out of bounds for
leave until further notice.
Personnel on duty within restricted area to be in
possession of permit signed by Commanding Officer or Adjutant.
(Extract E.A.L. No.5. d.d. 22.3.44).
Para. 121. M.T. TRAFFIC - PRECAUTION AGAINST OVERHEAD CABLES.
The railway line from Foggia to Benevento is now
being operated by electric traction and the overhead cables
are therefore live.
All M.T. drivers are to be warned that no part of
their vehicle or load should come into contact with the over-
head cable at level crossings. Signs are being errected on
either side of the crossings, but drivers must be on their
guard in case these signs are not prominent or visible.
(A.R.O. Serial No.13 Para.114 d.d. 31.3.44).
Para. 122. M.T. - DRIVING SIGNALS.
Some vehicles with a Right Hand drive have a notice
painted on the back stating that no driving signals will be
given. Although such a notice may exist it is the duty of
the driver to give all signals possible and where a passenger
is being carried the latter must at the request of the driver
give all usual signals.
(A.R.O. Serial No. 13 Para.116 d.d. 31.3.44).
Para. 123. MALARIA.
Malaria will be a serious problem this year when
we shall be operating from some of the most malarious areas
in Southern Europe. Last summer malaria put as many men into
hospital as did enemy action. These orders are made to
Continued Page 2/

Transcriber's Notes

Transcriber's Historical & Tactical Notes:
* Public Health & "The Plague" (Ismailia):
* Bubonic Plague: Paragraph 120 contains a startling medical notice: "Ismailia. Outbreak of Plague.". Ismailia is a city in Egypt on the Suez Canal. Even as late as 1944, bubonic plague was a genuine threat in the Middle East and North Africa. The fact that a squadron in Italy was receiving bounds orders for Egypt highlights the deep logistical connection; personnel were frequently rotating back to Cairo or the Delta for leave, training, or transit.
* Specific Establishments: The "Petit Coin De France, Sharia Adly Pasha, Cairo" being placed out of bounds for exactly 14 days suggests a localized quarantine (possibly typhus or venereal disease) or a disciplinary crackdown on a specific venue popular with troops.
* Political Instability (Palestine):
* Leave Restrictions: The order places Jerusalem, Haifa, and Tel Aviv "out of bounds for leave until further notice". While technically a British Mandate territory and a rear area, Palestine in 1944 was becoming increasingly volatile due to tensions between British authorities and Jewish paramilitary groups (like the Irgun and Lehi). These restrictions likely aimed to keep vacationing soldiers out of the crossfire of civil unrest.
* Infrastructure Hazards (Electrified Rail):
* Foggia to Benevento: Paragraph 121 warns that the rail line between Foggia and Benevento is now "operated by electric traction and the overhead cables are therefore live". This was a crucial supply artery supporting the Allied advance toward Cassino. The Italian rail system used 3,000V DC overhead lines.
* The Danger: The warning to M.T. (Motor Transport) drivers about level crossings was vital. Allied military trucks were often loaded high with supplies or troops. If a driver standing in an open cab or a soldier sitting on top of a high load touched the low-hanging catenary wires, the result was instant electrocution.
* Vehicle Safety (Right Hand Drive):
* Signals: Paragraph 122 addresses the confusion of mixed vehicle fleets. South African and British vehicles were Right Hand Drive (RHD), while American Lend-Lease vehicles were Left Hand Drive (LHD). In an era before electric turn signals were standard on military trucks, drivers used arm signals. The order mandates that even if a truck has a sign saying "No Signals Given" (common on armored or closed vehicles), the crew must "give all signals possible," even if the passenger has to lean out to do it.
* Medical Warfare (Malaria):
* Strategic Threat: Paragraph 123 explicitly states: "Last summer malaria put as many men into hospital as did enemy action". This is not an exaggeration. As the Allies moved into the marshy lowlands of Italy (like the Pontine Marshes south of Rome), malaria became a strategic threat capable of halting the offensive. The Germans had intentionally flooded parts of the Pontine Marshes to exacerbate this (biological warfare via mosquito breeding). The order prepares the men for the upcoming "mosquito season."
* Abbreviations:
* M.T.: Motor Transport.
* "Q" Stores: Quartermaster Stores.
* E.A.L.: Extract Army Orders (Local) or similar administrative reference.
* A.R.O.: Army Routine Order.
* d.d.: dated.

23
Verification:
Target File Verification: This document is Page Two of "SQUADRON ROUTINE ORDER No. 32/44 continued." It continues the orders from 10th April, 1944 (found in file 269-4__22.jpg) and serves as part of Appendix "J" to the War Diary.