APPENDIX "M" — Orders & Appendices

Document

APPENDIX "M"
COPY.
From : Medical Officer i/c 21 Squadron, S.A.A.F., U.D.F., C.M.F.
To : P.M.O., M.A.A.F., C.M.F.
Date : 6th January, 1945.
Subj. : MEDICAL HISTORY OF THE WAR - DECEMBER, 1944.
Movements and Appointments.
Squadron still operating from Iesi Aerodrome.
Communications.
Little difficulty is experienced now. The local lanes are being made serviceable. One-way traffic has been instituted. A Bailey Bridge has been reconstructed, and there is very little hold-up between the Camp and the aerodrome.
Accommodation.
Nissen huts are being erected to accommodate as many personnel as possible. The remainder will be made more comfortable in the extra tentage available.
Gumboots are still a problem. Supplies are coming in slowly, but there are still about 20% personnel without them.
Rations.
Stool examinations (microscopic and cultural) were done on all N.C. and Italian food handlers during the month. All were negative.
Sanitation and Hygiene.
Water is drawn from Iesi water point where it is chlorinated. The Squadron has been adding one additional scoop per 100 gallons, but investigations are under way to ascertain whether this is necessary.
F.F.I. inspection done on N.E.C. revealed only 3% with lice. No V.D. detected.
Medical Arrangements.
Two medical orderlies were posted R.T.U. during the month. So far only one replacement has arrived.
A Medical Officer was posted to the Squadron after it had been without one for five weeks. During the interval the work was done by Capt. Levin from 12 Squadron, S.A.A.F.
Seven cases of V.D. were admitted to No. 1 B.G.V.D. Expansion. Two of these were relapses following Penicillin therapy; one having been treated initially for gonorrhoea and later syphilis made itself manifest.
No epidemics have occurred. One case of Infective Hepatitis diagnosed and the patient was evacuated to Bari as he was R.T.U. in any case.
Two flying accidents occurred. One, an aircraft ran off the runway with a full load of bombs. No casualties occurred and all the crew are flying again. The other, an aircraft went into a spin. Two gunners baled out over the sea and have not been heard of since. Two of the remaining crew have been sent on leave in the hope that it will help them to regain their self-confidence. The two pilots have flown several times since.
PAGE TWO.
Flying Personnel.
Morale in the whole Squadron was boosted considerably when operations were restarted after a long period of inactivity.
(Signed) R.J. Pitchford. CAPT., S.A.M.C.

Transcriber's Notes

TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES
* Abbreviations Expanded:
* i/c: In command of.
* S.A.A.F.: South African Air Force.
* U.D.F.: Union Defence Force (South Africa).
* C.M.F.: Central Mediterranean Force.
* P.M.O.: Principal Medical Officer.
* M.A.A.F.: Mediterranean Allied Air Forces.
* N.C.: Non-Combatant (personnel).
* F.F.I.: Freedom From Infection (Inspection).
* N.E.C.: Non-European Corps.
* V.D.: Venereal Disease.
* R.T.U.: Returned to Unit (or South Africa).
* B.G.V.D.: British General (Venereal Disease) Hospital.
* Observations about Individuals:
* The Unnamed Medical Officer: The author of this report was a new arrival, ending a five-week period where the squadron lacked its own dedicated physician.
* Captain Levin: A medical officer from 12 Squadron S.A.A.F. who provided essential cross-unit support during the five weeks 21 Squadron was without its own doctor.
* The Survivors of Aircraft "T": The report mentions that two of the surviving crew from the Christmas Day spin accident were sent on leave to recover from the trauma, a rare acknowledgement of the "psychological casualty" in period documentation.
* Information about the Location:
* Iesi (Jesi) Aerodrome: Throughout December 1944, the squadron remained based at the Iesi Landing Ground in the Marche region of Italy.
* Modern Name: This historic airfield is the site of the present-day Ancona International Airport (Aeroporto di Ancona-Falconara).
* Environmental Challenges: The reference to "Gumboots" and the reconstruction of a Bailey Bridge illustrates the extreme saturation of the ground. The "sea of mud" that defined Iesi in early December necessitated these logistical fixes to keep the camp connected to the runway.
* Historical Theatre Context:
* The "Spin" Incident: The report provides a medical perspective on the Christmas Day 1944 tragedy (OPREP 888). While operational reports focus on the aircraft, this document focuses on the human loss—specifically that W/O Hamilton and Sgt. Evans were "not heard of since" after baling out over the freezing Adriatic.
* Medical Innovation and Relapse: The mention of "Penicillin therapy" relapses is historically significant. While Penicillin was a "wonder drug" in 1944, early dosages and protocols in the field were still being perfected, and doctors were learning that it could mask syphilis symptoms while treating gonorrhoea.
* Living Conditions: The transition from tents to Nissen huts (prefabricated steel structures) was a critical winter upgrade. By late December, the Italian winter was brutal; providing solid-walled housing was essential for preventing the "epidemics" the doctor feared.
* Food Safety: The screening of Italian food handlers for "microscopic and cultural" contamination reflects the high concern over the spread of diseases like Typhoid (Enteric Fever), which was endemic in the local population during the collapse of Italian civil infrastructure.

162
The target file 270-2_162.jpg is a continuation page of the medical memorandum issued on 6th January, 1945, as evidenced by the page numbering ("313" following "312") and the consistent subject matter regarding squadron morale.
TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES
* Abbreviations Expanded:
* PAGE TWO.: This page concludes the "Medical History of the War - December, 1944" report initiated on the previous document.
* CAPT.: Captain.
* S.A.M.C.: South African Medical Corps.
* Observations about Individuals:
* Captain R.J. Pitchford: Serving as the Medical Officer (M.O.) for 21 Squadron S.A.A.F., Pitchford was a new arrival to the unit in late December 1944. His arrival ended a five-week vacancy for the position, during which time medical oversight was provided by Captain Levin of 12 Squadron. Pitchford's assessment of morale reflects his professional focus on the psychological welfare of the aircrews.
* Information about the Location:
* Iesi (Jesi) Landing Ground: The squadron's operational base during this period was Iesi, located in the Marche region of Italy.
* Modern Name: This historic landing ground is the present-day Ancona International Airport (Aeroporto di Ancona-Falconara).
* Conditions at the Base: The "period of inactivity" mentioned by Pitchford was caused by the unserviceable state of the airfield. The unpaved portions of the base had become a "sea of mud" so deep that heavy Martin B-26 Marauder III bombers could not taxi safely until reinforced Hardstands were completed on December 13th.
* Historical Theatre Context:
* Psychology of Inactivity: Pitchford’s observation that morale was "boosted considerably" by the resumption of combat sorties on December 21st highlights a common phenomenon in WWII aviation. For elite aircrews, prolonged grounding due to weather often led to increased tension and psychological fatigue; the return to operations provided a sense of purpose and progress toward completing their required "tours".
* End of the "Great Stand-Down": The "long period of inactivity" refers to the twenty days between December 1st and 20th when zero combat missions were flown. The squadron finally broke this stalemate on December 21st, 1944, with a successful strike on the Treviso Engine Sheds.
* Winter Campaign Significance: Despite the boost in morale from flying again, the squadron immediately faced severe losses, including the Christmas Day tragedy where two gunners were lost at sea after an aircraft entered a spin. Pitchford’s medical oversight during this final week of the year was critical in managing the trauma of these losses while the unit maintained a high operational tempo.

163
The target file 270-2_163.jpg contains a narrative titled "CHRISTMAS IN THE FIELD" rather than a columned table; the date written at the top of the memorandum is 1944.