[Routine Order] SQUADRON ROUTINE ORDERS No. 47/44. continued. PAGE TWO. — Orders & Appendices

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SQUADRON ROUTINE ORDERS No. 47/44. continued. PAGE TWO.
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Para. 175. DUTY FREE GIFT PARCELS TO UNITED KINGDOM.
Attention is drawn to Air Ministry Order A.194/44, which
provides for the sending of duty-free gift parcels to addresses in the
United Kingdom by officers and airmen serving overseas. No individual
may send more than four such parcels during any one year of his overseas
service, commencing from the date of his arrival overseas.
Each parcel must weigh not more than 5 lb. (including packing)
or exceed 30 shillings in value, or contain :-
(a) drinkable spirits.
(b) more than 1/2 lb. total weight of tobacco, including cigars
and cigarettes (200 cigarettes or 50 cigars equal 1/2 lb.);
(c) more than half a pint of scent;
(d) more than 2 lbs. of any one foodstuff;
(e) matches;
(f) any goods from Navy Army and Air Force Institutes which
originated in the U. K. or North America.
This concession in no way limits the number of ordinary parcels
which may be sent by personnel serving overseas, but those are subject
to U. K. Customs duty which is, in many cases, very high, especially for
tobacco, silk, silk stockings and luxury articles.
(A.R.O. Serial No. 19. para. 177. dd. 12.5.44)
Para. 176. SECURITY OF TECHNICAL INFORMATION.
The notice of all concerned is directed to the need for special
precautions for the preservation of the secrecy of equipment belonging
to the other Services.
Whenever S.A.A.F. personnel see or come into contact with new
types of military or naval equipment, it is of the utmost importance
that there should be no subsequent discussion with persons not directly
concerned.
When equipment of another Service is given a code name, steps
must be taken to ensure that publications, reports and correspondence
containing any information beyond the code name itself, are graded as
Top Secret. (C.R.O. Serial No. 27. Para. 5. dd. 6.5.44)
Para. 177. WORKING HOURS.
The following working hours will be observed by the under-
mentioned sections, w.e.f. 22. 5. 44:-
Admin. )
"Q" Stores. ) 08.30 hrs to 12.30 hrs.
"T" Stores. ) 13.30 hrs to 16.30 hrs.
M.T. Section. )
Para. 178. ADDRESSING OF CORRESPONDENCE.
Instances of misdirected correspondence are occurring due to
similarity in title of No. 3 Squadron (S.A.A.F.), No. 3 Squadron (R.A.A.F.)
and No. 3 S.A.A.F. Wing.
Units are to ensure that the letters "S.A.A.F.", "R.A.A.F.",
or "WING" are clearly shown where appropriate. (ADAP/MAAF/1201/3.)
(Signature illegible) Capt.
for LT. COL.
COMMANDING, 21 SQUADRON, S.A.A.F.

Transcriber's Notes

Transcriber's Historical & Tactical Notes:
* Customs and Contraband (The "Silk Stocking" Economy):
* The Rationing Reality: Paragraph 175 reveals the strict rationing and economic controls of wartime Britain. The specific limits—"more than half a pint of scent" or "2 lbs. of any one foodstuff"—highlight what was scarce on the home front. Soldiers in Italy, who had access to local markets (however depleted) and US PX stores, often tried to send luxuries home.
* Silk Stockings: The explicit mention of "silk stockings" as a high-duty luxury article is culturally significant. Nylon and silk stockings were effectively currency during the war, highly prized by women in the UK and US who faced severe clothing rationing.
* NAAFI Goods: The ban on sending goods from NAAFI (Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes) back to the UK prevented soldiers from arbitraging the subsidized prices of the canteen system against the inflated black market prices at home.
* Operational Security (Technological Secrecy):
* "New Types of Equipment": Paragraph 176 addresses the rapid technological evolution of 1944. As the Allies prepared for D-Day and the gothic Line, new equipment (like proximity fuses, new radar sets, or specialized tanks) was arriving in theater. The order emphasizes "Top Secret" grading for anything beyond the code name itself.
* Inter-Service Secrecy: The specific mention of "equipment belonging to the other Services" (Navy/Army) suggests that airmen might stumble upon sensitive ground or naval tech (e.g., at shared ports like Naples or Bari) and inadvertently leak details.
* Administrative Confusion (The "No. 3" Problem):
* Identity Crisis: Paragraph 178 highlights a bureaucratic nightmare caused by similar unit names. No. 3 Squadron S.A.A.F. (a fighter squadron), No. 3 Squadron R.A.A.F. (Royal Australian Air Force), and No. 3 S.A.A.F. Wing (the administrative wing to which 21 Squadron belonged) were all operating in the Mediterranean theater. Misdirected mail could delay vital orders or spare parts.
* Working Hours:
* The Schedule: The working hours (08:30–12:30 and 13:30–16:30) indicate a structured 7-hour administrative day for ground support staff (Stores, Admin, MT), allowing for a 1-hour lunch break (siesta) during the heat of the Italian afternoon.
* Abbreviations:
* A.R.O.: Army Routine Orders.
* C.R.O.: Command Routine Orders.
* w.e.f.: With effect from.
* "Q" Stores: Quartermaster Stores (clothing, rations).
* "T" Stores: Technical Stores (aircraft parts).
* M.T.: Mechanical Transport.
* R.A.A.F.: Royal Australian Air Force.
* NAAFI: Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes.

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Verification:
Target File Verification: The document is dated 22nd May, 1944 in the "DATE" field. It is a Sortie Report (No. 682) labeled APPENDIX "HH" (page number 266), detailing the mission flown on the morning of May 21st, 1944.