Monday, 20 March 1944 — War Diary

21 Squadron War Diary

Biferno, Italy

No operations to-day but practice flying was carried out. Lieut. Otto Greder and W.O.1. Greyling, two popular members of the Squadron, were cleared as R.T.U. Both have broken the Squadron record for the number of ops.A warning was received that paratroops were expected and the Adjutant instructed that a guard be put on the aerodrome.

Transcriber's Notes

W.O.1: Warrant Officer Class 1.
R.T.U: Returned to Union (South Africa).

Operational Security (The Paratroop Scare):

"Warning was received that paratroops were expected": This entry reflects the high state of alert and occasional paranoia behind the lines. While major German paratroop drops (like Crete) were a thing of the past by 1944, the threat of small commando raids (sabotage units like the Brandenburgers) on Allied airfields was taken seriously. The Adjutant's instruction to "put a guard on the aerodrome" suggests a doubling of sentries or a specific standby platoon.

Personnel Arrivals:

Operational Details (March 22nd - Popoli Raid):

Abbreviations: