APPENDIX "Y" — Orders & Appendices

Document

The National Archives' reference AIR 27/271/3
APPENDIX "Y"
127
From : Medical Officer, i/c. 21 Squadron, S.A.A.F.
To : P. M. O. M.A.A.F. C. M. F.
Date : 7th April, 1945.
Subj. : MEDICAL HISTORY OF THE WAR : MARCH, 1945.
The Squadron is still operating from Jesi Aerodrome.

Sorties were carried out on targets in Northern Italy, Jugoslavia,

and Austria. Boxes of four were used, combined with anti flak and wind ships.
Targets consisted of Marshalling Yards and Ammo. dumps.
Rations continue to be adequate and cooking good. Food handlers

still having routine stool examinations done at 11. Br. Gen. Hosp. now situated
in Jesi.
One flying accident occurred when a plane was hit by flak over

Northern Italy. 4 of the crew baled and are all safe. 2 went down with
the plane. Two members returned to the Squadron and a third got back to Italy
and is awaiting posting after having appeared before a Board which found him
to be fit for full flying duties and not in any way affected by his experiences.
One of the gunners sustained a fracture of the his external malliolus before he
jumped and had to spend the first three days, hidden in a cave where he said he
suffered a bit from cold, probably due to inactivity. He was declared by the
Board to be fit for full flying duties. One member was sent R. T. U. He
however suffered no physical harm before returning. Neither of the other two
suffered from cold.
Food safes have arrived and will be found useful. A Nissen hut

has been erected as a Stores Room for the Airmens' Mess and kitchen. Previously
they were using a trailer and hut which will now be used by the N. M. C. in place
of an E.P.I.P now in bad repair.
CAPT.
R. J. Pitchford. S.A.M. C
MEDICAL OFFICER, 21 SQUADRON, S.A.A.F.

/AD.
Handwritten Marginalia / Stamps:
* Folio Number: 127 (Handwritten, Top Right).
* Reference Stamp:

Transcriber's Notes

Phase 2: Technical Expansion (The "Transcriber's Notes")
Glossary of Terms
* AIR 27 / 271: The United Kingdom National Archives (TNA) classification for Operations Record Books (ORBs); series 271 specifically catalogs the historical files for 21 Squadron S.A.A.F.
* Anti Flak: Specialized aircraft (often from 21 or 30 Squadron) tasked with suppressing German anti-aircraft batteries using fragmentation bombs immediately prior to the arrival of the main bombing formation.
* BA-BH (Martin Baltimore): The primary twin-engine tactical medium bomber (Marks IV and V) utilized by 21 Squadron S.A.A.F. throughout the Italian Campaign. In March 1945, these aircraft were utilized in conjunction with Marauders for high-altitude interdiction.
* C. M. F. (Central Mediterranean Force): The administrative designation for Allied forces operating in Italy and the surrounding Mediterranean theater.
* E.P.I.P. (European Pattern Indian Produced): A large, double-roofed ridge tent commonly used by British and Commonwealth forces for administrative or mess purposes.
* MC/GP (Medium Capacity / General Purpose): Standard Allied aerial ordnance classifications; while not explicitly in this medical file, they represent the "Ammo" referenced in target descriptions.
* MET (Meteorological Report): Weather intelligence; in the context of this document, "wind ships" were specialized aircraft dispatched to find and report real-time wind data for bombing precision.
* N. M. C. (Non-Medical Comforts): Likely a reference to unit amenities or the NAAFI (Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes) equivalent.
* P. M. O. (Principal Medical Officer): The senior medical authority at MAAF headquarters.
* R. T. U. (Returned to Unit): Military personnel sent back to their original command after medical clearance or completion of a specific task.
* S.A.M.C. (South African Medical Corps): The medical branch of the Union Defence Force, to which Captain R. J. Pitchford belonged.
Operational Context
Target File 271-3_51 provides a medical and administrative summary of 21 Squadron S.A.A.F. during March 1945 while operating from Jesi Aerodrome. By March 1945, the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces (MAAF) were executing Operation Bingo, a theater-wide interdiction campaign designed to achieve the total logistical paralysis of German Heeresgruppe C in Northern Italy by systematically severing rail lines and destroying supply depots.
The strategic importance of Jesi as a forward operating base was paramount for reaching targets deep in Northern Italy, Yugoslavia, and Austria. The document highlights the tactical maturation of Allied doctrine, noting the use of "wind ships" to ensure precision and "anti flak" ships to suppress German defenses established during the battles for the Bernhardt and Gustav Lines. Despite the Allied air superiority, German flak remained a lethal threat, as evidenced by the flying accident described involving a crew baling out over Northern Italy. The report details the survival of four crew members, including a gunner who hid in a cave with a fractured ankle (external malleolus) before returning to the unit. Additionally, the document reflects the administrative transition to more permanent structures, such as Nissen huts, to replace decaying E.P.I.P. tents, signaling the squadron's sustained presence and the consolidation of Allied logistical depth in the closing months of the campaign.

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Phase 1: Verification & Extraction
Identity Check: March 27th, 1945.