APPENDIX "G"

Undated Other pp. 244

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APPENDIX "G"
244
MEET 21's "JACKIE" WHO GETS HIS MEN.
This war has given "Mascots" a unique opportunity to show their worth as maintainers of morale and Esprit de Corps. 21 Squadron, S.A.A.F. is one of the most interesting and unusual mascots in the Services - an Egyptian Gazelle and pre El Alamein veteran. He daily hold fete in the Squadron lines. Faced with the problem of amusing himself, and, there being no female of his specie in Italy that he might court, he takes the direct and simple course of butting all and sundry with his horns. He is strictly impartial in regard to rank he aims at target and achieves remarkable success below unwary knees. "Jackie" is the infallible cure for boredom on "Stand Downs". The certain banisher of fear during raids. A naughty comic cigarette chewing wizard sublimely unconscious of his peccant disposition. His skill as a brazen autocrat, that is to all but our O.C., whose tent he chooses for sanctuary when hard beset by the hounds, seems to increase with every target he essays. The gentle art of disrobing from his tailor made winter jacket in public as expounded by him puts all American Vaudeville Strip Tease Artists to the blush. It is lively, quick moving, alert and desperately funny. With a propensity for looking for cigarettes and mischief, which is bound to get him into trouble some day, he finds merit and originality in the creation of embarrassing situations. He may indeed be superlatively funny. Often, though, this humorous tendency recedes into the background, and you find yourself in the midst of a swiftly moving situation with Jackie as a veritable battering ram and yourself as the target. And very entertaining it is - to the bystanders. Yes! You can always depend upon "Jackie" for a disturbingly cheerful moment.
During Jackie's two years with 21 Squadron his career has been extremely varied and interesting. He has in turn flown, travelled by road convoy, and, actually left Africa in an Invasion Barge. These and other activities have brought him into contact with soldiers of all ranks, from "Sprogs" to Brigadiers, and afforded him a unique experience of this Squadron's life and affairs.
Jackie's road convoy journey from Sicily to Italy is a unique saga of incident in the yet penned histories of military travel. Picture a 3 ton G.S. lorry jolting uneasily as it rumbles over the deserted, bomb scarred highway. The drizzle beats and swishes against the tarpaulin hood like wind blown spray. Officially 21 Squadron are on their way to advance landing grounds, to the "Erks" sitting on a pile of wet impedimenta, it seemed that their ultimate destination might be the lost land of Atlantis. The men huddled disconsolately on the floors of the lorries. They stared into space, inhaling deeply as they sucked their dampened issue Springbok cigarettes. More cigarettes are required at the Lager Point. A search was made in the kit presumed to be containing them. The "Erks" now reduced to a profane silence watched the searcher apprehensively. A terrific roar came from the throat of an exasperated soldiery as the searcher commenced to chuckle mirthlessly - Jackie had got in first. His favourite fruit is a graceful devouring of unlimited Springboks, issue pattern. Never again say the "Erks". "Sez you" says Jackie.
The Squadron cannot help but be fiercely proud, and, domestically fond of their Jackie for he is woven into the tapestry of their lives. These and other memories comes to mind as you stand waiting to interview the C.O. and you see Jackie guarding the one sunny spot of the O.C's field tent. The best is barely good enough for Jackie as usual.

Transcriber's Notes

TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES
* Abbreviations Expanded:
* S.A.A.F.: South African Air Force
* O.C. / C.O.: Officer Commanding
* G.S.: General Service
* "Erks": Low-ranking airmen or ground crew (RAF/SAAF slang)
* "Sprogs": New recruits or inexperienced personnel (RAF/SAAF slang)
* Observations about Individuals:
* The O.C. (Officer Commanding): At the time of this writing in November 1944, the O.C. was Lt. Col. D. Ord. Jackie’s use of the O.C.’s tent as a "sanctuary" suggests a high degree of tolerance from the command for the mascot's antics.
* "Jackie": A desert-born Egyptian Gazelle who became a legendary figure in 21 Squadron. His transition from the arid North African sands to the muddy Italian winter—complete with a "tailor made winter jacket"—is a testament to the resourcefulness of the ground crews in maintaining unit morale.
* Location and Modern Names:
* El Alamein: The site of the decisive 1942 desert battle in Egypt. Jackie was already a veteran of the squadron by this time.
* Sicily to Italy: This refers to the squadron's movement during Operation Baytown or Operation Avalanche in late 1943. The "Invasion Barge" mentioned was likely a landing craft (LCT or LST) used to ferry the squadron's equipment across the Strait of Messina.
* Pescara (Base): While not named in this specific appendix, 21 Squadron was based at the Pescara Airfield (now Abruzzo Airport) during the rainy November of 1944 described in the text.
* Historical Theatre Context:
* The Psychological Value of Mascots: During the "Stand Downs" caused by the torrential autumn rains of November 1944, boredom was a significant threat to discipline and morale. Mascots like Jackie provided a necessary distraction from the "sea of mud" that grounded the Martin B-26 Marauder III fleet.
* "Springbok" Cigarettes: These were the standard tobacco issue for South African troops. Jackie’s habit of "devouring" them reflects the extreme familiarity between the men and their mascot, even as cigarettes were a highly valued and sometimes scarce commodity at "Lager Points" (encampments).
* The "Lost Land of Atlantis": This evocative phrase used by the author describes the feeling of the ground crews moving through the flooded, bombed-out landscape of the Italian Romagna plains toward the end of 1944. The rains were so severe they fundamentally altered the geography of the campaign, halting the Allied push into the Po Valley.

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Target File Verification: While this specific appendix page consists of a newspaper clipping without a standard 'Date' column, the heading identifies it as APPENDIX "H" and the text within the clipping begins with "LONDON, Tuesday".