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

Document

The National Archives' reference AIR 27/271/7
APPENDIX "B"
258
SQUADRON ROUTINE ORDER NO. 45/45 21 SQUADRON, S.A.A.F.
By
LT. COL. D. ORD, D.F.C.
Officer Commanding,
21 Squadron, S.A.A.F.
8th July, 1945.
Para. 162. D. D. T. - TENTS.
Tents will be sprayed on Monday, 9th July, 1945 and
personnel must ensure that all foodstuffs or any eatables
or articles that can be damaged by paraffin must be removed.
Clothes and Beds etc. to be stacked away from the sides of
the tent and covered.
Para. 163. "Q" STORES.
The following periods for the exchange of clothing and
repair of boots will in future be strictly adhered to :—
Europeans — Tuesdays and Thursdays.
N. M. C. — Friday.
Boots or shoes for repair to be properly labelled with
number, rank, name and squadron and repairs necessary.
Para. 164. BARBER AND TAILOR CHARGES.
The barber will be paid for haircutting as follows :—
Officers — 30 lire.
Senior N.C.O.s — 20 "
Airmen — 15 "
The tailor will be paid as follows :

Minor Repairs — 20 lire.
Major " — 30 "
Personnel are to adhere to the above charges.
Para. 165. ORDERLY ROOM.
The Orderly Room will be closed for all routine enquiries
on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons. Urgent matters only will
be dealt with. Sunday will be observed as a holiday.
Para. 166. TRANSLATORS - FAR EASTERN LANGUAGES.
Urgent demand exists for personnel for employment as
speakers and translators in Far Eastern Languages.
Suitably qualified volunteers please hand in names to
the Orderly Room.
(RHQ. DAF. P.857 d.d. 2.7.45).
Para. 167. TELEPHONE SECURITY.
The fact that all telephone conversations may be overheard
should be borne in mind by all ranks.
The strictest security must be maintained, since many
switchboards and main repeater stations, through which military
telephone traffic is routed, are now manned by Italian civilians.
(GRO. 125 para. 323 d.d. 15. 6. 45).
[handwritten signature] D. Ord
LT. COL.
COMMANDING, NO. 21 SQUADRON, S.A.A.F.

Transcriber's Notes

Phase 2: Technical Expansion (The "Transcriber's Notes")
Glossary of Terms
* 21 SQUADRON S.A.A.F.: No. 21 Squadron, South African Air Force. During July 1945, the unit was based at Rivolto, Italy, engaged in "Air Trooping" and repatriation logistics following the cessation of hostilities in Europe.
* BA-BH (MARTIN BALTIMORE): The twin-engine medium bomber utilized by the squadron from its arrival in North Africa until its conversion to the Marauder in mid-1944.
* D.D.T. (DICHLORO-DIPHENYL-TRICHLOROETHANE): A potent synthetic insecticide used extensively by Allied forces in Italy to combat malaria-carrying mosquitoes and other pests in encampments.
* D.F.C.: Distinguished Flying Cross.
* G.R.O.: General Routine Order.
* MC/GP (MEDIUM CAPACITY / GENERAL PURPOSE): Standard high-explosive ordnance (250 lb and 500 lb) utilized by the unit's Martin Marauder III (B-26) aircraft during the final 1945 offensive against German bridgeheads and marshalling yards.
* MET: Meteorological data. Summer MET conditions in the Udine region in July 1945 were characterized by extreme heat and periodic thunderstorms, necessitating the hygiene measures (D.D.T. spraying) recorded in Para 162.
* N.M.C.: Native Military Corps. A non-combatant branch of the South African Army consisting of Black South Africans who provided essential labor, technical support, and logistical service to the SAAF squadrons.
* "Q" STORES: Quartermaster Stores, responsible for general equipment, clothing, and footwear.
* R.H.Q. D.A.F.: Rear Headquarters, Desert Air Force.
Operational Context
Target File 271-7_7, designated as Appendix "B", contains Squadron Routine Orders No. 45/45 issued by Lt. Col. D. Ord, D.F.C. on 8th July, 1945. This document originates from the squadron's base at Rivolto Landing Ground (near Udine) during the post-VE Day transition period.
The strategic significance of these orders lies in the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces (MAAF) shift from kinetic interdiction—such as the precision destruction of Po River ferries and marshalling yards—to occupational administration and potential redeployment. Para 166 (Translators - Far Eastern Languages) is particularly noteworthy; it reflects the Allied command’s urgent search for volunteers for the ongoing war in the Pacific theater, even as European units were being demobilized.
Furthermore, the document highlights the logistical and security realities of the occupation of Northern Italy. Para 167 warns personnel of the risk of overheard telephone conversations, as technical infrastructure like repeater stations and switchboards were now manned by Italian civilians. This security mandate was critical given the squadron's proximity to the diplomatically sensitive Trieste region and the Austrian border. Hygiene and camp maintenance remained vital; Para 162 mandates D.D.T. spraying of tents to prevent disease outbreaks, which was a high priority for the Medical Officer to ensure that the "Air Trooping" missions could continue without interruption. These orders ensured that despite the "Sundays as holidays" routine, the disciplinary and operational standards of 21 Squadron were maintained while awaiting eventual repatriation to the Union of South Africa.

8
Phase 1: Verification & Extraction
Identity Check: 10th July, 1945.