Thursday, 4 March 1943 — War Diary

21 Squadron War Diary

Sertan Main

Middle East Command 123 "E1"

No. 21 Squadron S.A.A.F. Date. 4th March 1943..... DAILY CASUALTY RETURN *********************

S.A.A.F. PERSONNEL------------------

| | On Strength. | Casualties | Total on Duty ||---|---|---|---|| Officers. | 72 | --- | 72 || W/O's | 4 | --- | 4 || F/Sgts. | 64 | --- | 64 || S/Sgts. | 36 | --- | 36 || Cpls. | 65 | --- | 65 || L.A.M's | 4 | --- | 4 || A/M's | 147 | --- | 147 || TOTALS. | 392 | --- | 392 |ATTACHED PERSONNEL. i. S.A.---------------------------

| | On Strength | Casualties | Total on Duty ||---|---|---|---|| Officers. | 2 | --- | 2 || W/O's. | 5 | --- | 5 || Others. | 5 | --- | 5 || TOTALS | 12 | --- | 12 | ii. R.A.F. : R.A.A.F. ETC. --------------------------

| | On Strength | Casualties | Total on Duty ||---|---|---|---|| Officers. | 1 | --- | 1 || Sgts. | 17 | --- | 17 || Others. | 3 | --- | 3 || TOTALS | 21 | --- | 21 |ATTACHED CAPE CORPS-------------------

| | On Strength. | Casualties | Total on Duty ||---|---|---|---|| Cpls. | 9 | --- | 9 || L/Cpls. | 21 | --- | 21 || Ptes. | 124 | --- | 124 || TOTALS | 154 | --- | 154 | M E S S I N G S T R E N G H T --------------------------------

| Officers' Mess. | Sergeants' Mess. | Mechanics' Mess. | N.E.A.S. Mess. ||---|---|---|---|| Strength........ | Strength......... | Strength......... | Strength....... || S.A............ | Att.S.A.......... | Att.S.A.......... | || Att.S.A......... | Ors.............. | Ors.............. | || Ors............. | | | || TOTALS. | | | | )

PERSONNEL AT CASTEL BENITO: --------------------------- Sgts' Mess. 1. A/M's Mess: 4. Total. 5.

PERSONNEL FOR ADVANCE: (Road and Air) ------------------------------------- Officers Mess: 51. Sgts' Mess: 59. Total: 217. Airmen's Mess: 69. Cape Corps: 38.

RATION STRENGTH. ----------------

Strth Advance Castel Benito. Total. ----- ------- -------------- ------ Officers Mess 75 51 --- 24 Sgts. Mess: 126 59 1 66 A/M's Mess 224 69 4 151 Cape Corps 154 38 --- 116 --- --- --- --- Totals. 579 217 5 357

Transcriber's Notes

S.A.A.F: South African Air Force.
W/O: Warrant Officer.
F/Sgts: Flight Sergeants.
S/Sgts: Staff Sergeants.
A/M: Air Mechanic.
S.A: South African.
R.A.F: Royal Air Force.
R.A.A.F: Royal Australian Air Force.

No. 21 Squadron S.A.A.F.: No. 21 Squadron, South African Air Force.

F/Sgts. / S/Sgts. / Cpls. / L/Cpls. / Ptes.: Flight Sergeants, Staff Sergeants, Corporals, Lance Corporals, and Privates, respectively.

PERSONNEL AT CASTEL BENITO: Refers to a small rear-party detachment stationed at Castel Benito, a significant airfield and former Italian aeronautical center south of Tripoli.