APPENDIX "D" — Orders & Appendices

Document

The National Archives' reference AIR 27/271/6
APPENDIX "D"
253
From : Medical Officer, 21 Squadron. S.A.A.F. C.M.F.
To : P. M. O. M. A. A. F. C. M. F.
Date : 11th July, 1945.
Subj. : MEDICAL HISTORY OF THE WAR : JUNE, 1945.
The Squadron is still operating from Rivolto Airfield transporting
personnel to Bari.
The camp is settled; the last members arriving from Jesi about
the last week in June, a party having been left there for cleaning up purposes.
Hygiene is satisfactory. The Latrines are all completed and the
kitchens working fairly well. They are having some difficulty with floor
cleanliness as there is apparently a shortage of cement in the area. So far
we have only managed to procure enough for one kitchen floor. Plans for a
camp laundry have been put through whereby all camp washing will be done by 12
Italians employed by the Squadron. This will do away with the present
system which was anything up to 30 Italian families and necessitates a continuous
stream of buxom wenches through the camp from sunrise to sunset daily.
Sports are played regularly in the evenings and afternoons.
Facilities are available for rugby, cricket and soft ball. Leave hotels have
been opened by the Wing and are proving very popular with all ranks.
Accommodation has been relieved slightly but unfortunately there
are still 6 N.M.C. personnel sleeping in one tent.
Sickness rate is low. One fresh case of G.C. occurred resulting
probably as the result of a last minute debauch in Jesi. One case of Infective
Hepatitis in an aircrew arriving fresh on the Squadron from Bari. Two cases
of malaria occurred - both relapses.
[handwritten signature]
LT. COL.
MEDICAL OFFICER, 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 June 1945, the unit completed its transfer to the Udine region, transitioning from its primary role as a medium bomber squadron to post-war logistical transport.
* BA-BH (MARTIN BALTIMORE): The twin-engine medium bomber utilized by the squadron until late 1943/early 1944. By June 1945, the squadron operated the Martin Marauder III (B-26), four of which had been converted to "troopers" for transport duties.
* C.M.F.: Central Mediterranean Force.
* G.C.: Gonorrhea. The medical officer attributes this specific case to "a last minute debauch in Jesi" prior to the unit's relocation.
* M.A.A.F.: Mediterranean Allied Air Forces.
* MC/GP (MEDIUM CAPACITY / GENERAL PURPOSE): Standard Allied high-explosive ordnance utilized by the unit's aircraft during the Italian Campaign. While no longer used in combat, the technical crews previously responsible for these munitions were engaged in camp infrastructure and aircraft conversion for trooping.
* MET: Meteorological data. The transition to summer in the Udine district brought high temperatures, necessitating the hygiene measures and anti-malarial precautions documented by the Medical Officer.
* N.M.C.: Native Military Corps. A non-combatant branch of the South African Army comprising Black South Africans who provided essential logistical support; the Medical Officer notes ongoing overcrowding in their accommodation, with six personnel sharing a single tent.
* P.M.O.: Principal Medical Officer.
Operational Context
Target File 271-6_13, designated as Appendix "D", provides the medical and sanitary overview for No. 21 Squadron SAAF during June 1945. The strategic significance of the unit's current location at Rivolto Airfield lies in its role within the post-hostilities administrative landscape of Northeastern Italy. Following the German surrender, the squadron’s primary mission shifted from precision interdiction to "Air Trooping," facilitating the high-speed movement of Allied personnel between Bari and the Udine sector using converted Martin Marauder III aircraft.
The report highlights the logistical difficulties of establishing a permanent camp in a resource-scarce environment, specifically citing a shortage of cement that prevented the sanitizing of kitchen floors. The Medical Officer also details a shift in local labor management; the squadron moved to centralize laundry services under the employment of 12 Italians, replacing a previous informal system involving approximately 30 local families. This administrative change was intended to regulate camp security and hygiene.
While the general sickness rate remained low, the presence of Infective Hepatitis and Malaria relapses reflects the ongoing health risks present in the Mediterranean theater even after the cessation of active combat. The document underscores that while the unit enjoyed recreational amenities like "Leave Hotels" at Lake Garda and organized sports (rugby, cricket, softball), the underlying infrastructure remained under pressure, particularly concerning the over-crowded living conditions for the N.M.C. personnel.

271-7

1
Phase 1: Verification & Extraction
Identity Check: JULY, 1945.