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

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APPENDIX "KK"
354
SQUADRON ROUTINE ORDERS. NO. 61/44 21 SQUADRON, S.A.A.F.
By
LT. COL. A.C. JANDRELL, D.F.C.
Officer Commanding,
21 Squadron, S.A.A.F.
28th June, 1944.
Para. 234 MALARIA
An erroneous impression has been created that the
Pescara area is non-malarious. It is hereby brought to the
notice of all ranks that this area is highly malarious,
therefore all ranks are warned that they must change into
long trousers and sleeves must be worn long by sunset. Under
no circumstances will swimming be permitted after sunset.
A very serious view will be taken of any person disregarding
anti malarial precautions.
Para. 235 INTERVIEWS.
All personal interviews with the C.O. or Adjutant
will be dealt with between 10.00 - 11.00 hrs. daily. Personnel
must report to the S.W.O. who will arrange the interviews.
Para. 236 M.T.
All vehicles leaving camp will not use the taxying
strip, or cross the runway at any point, but will adhere to
the roads.
G Alexander Capt
for LT. COL.
COMMANDING, 21 SQUADRON, S.A.A.F.

Transcriber's Notes

Transcriber's Historical & Tactical Notes:
* Medical Intelligence (The Malaria Myth):
* Pescara's Status: Paragraph 234 corrects a dangerous rumor circulating among the troops that the new base at Pescara was "non-malarious". Moving north from the mosquito-infested marshlands of southern Italy often gave soldiers a false sense of security. The command aggressively countered this, declaring the area "highly malarious."
* Discipline: The order enforces strict dress discipline: "long trousers and sleeves must be worn long by sunset" (when the Anopheles mosquito is most active). The specific ban on "swimming... after sunset" was not just about water safety, but about preventing soldiers from stripping down and exposing skin during peak feeding hours for mosquitoes.
* Airfield Safety (Traffic Control):
* Runway Incursions: Paragraph 236 highlights a common hazard on temporary wartime airfields where camp facilities were often situated right next to the flight line. Drivers, seeking shortcuts or avoiding muddy roads, would drive across the "taxying strip" or "runway." This posed a catastrophic risk of collision with aircraft taking off or taxiing. The order strictly mandates adherence to the roads.
* Chain of Command (Access):
* The S.W.O. Gatekeeper: Paragraph 235 dictates that anyone wishing to speak to the Commanding Officer (C.O.) or Adjutant must first go through the "S.W.O." (Squadron Warrant Officer). The S.W.O. acted as the disciplinary gatekeeper, filtering out minor issues that didn't require officer attention and scheduling the serious ones for the specific "10.00 - 11.00 hrs" window.
* Abbreviations:
* S.A.A.F.: South African Air Force.
* D.F.C.: Distinguished Flying Cross.
* S.W.O.: Squadron Warrant Officer.
* M.T.: Motor Transport.

66
Verification:
Target File Verification: The document is dated 29th June, 1944 in the "DATE" field. It is a Sortie Report (No. 739) labeled 355 in the bottom right (sideways) and generally located in the top right area.