Operational Order No. 10

Friday, 21 August 1942

1942-08-21

The National Archives' reference AIR 27/273/273 SQUADRON MOVEMENT ORDER NO. 10. No. 21 Squadron S.A.A.F. 27 by MAJOR M. BARNBY D.F.C. Actg. Officer Commanding, No. 21 Squadron S.A.A.F. Middle East Command. 21st August 1942. INTENTION: 1. No. 21 Squadron will proceed to Shandur in order to provide better dispersal facilities for aircraft and personnel. METHOD: 2. The Squadron will proceed to Shandur in three parties - Advance, Main and Rear. The movement of the Main Party will be completed by 12.00 hours on August 24th. The movement of the Rear Party (comprising servicing personnel) together with movements of aircraft shall be made at a later date on instructions of O.C. Squadron (Auth. A.H.Q. Egypt. Signal Q.752 of 19/8) ADMINISTRATION: 3. Capt. P.W. van Heerden will be O.C. Advance Party. The Advance party will leave Kasfareet on the morning of August 21st and will be responsible for the preparation of the camp at Shandur, and the erection of the necessary Messes. All available vacant tents will be struck by Advance Party before leaving for Shandur. * Representatives of Signals, Armoury, Transport, Photography, parachute, "T" and "Q" Stores Sections will accompany the Advance Party to arrange for sites for their respective sections. Sufficient Cape Corps personnel will accompany the Advance Party to erect tents and prepare the camp site for the reception of the Main Party. * The Main Party will proceed by Road Convoy on August 24th, 1942 and will leave Kasfareet at 10.00 hours, move to Shandur to be completed by 12.00 hours on the same day. * All personnel, other than those with the Advance Party or remaining with the Rear Party at Kasfareet, will proceed by Road Convoy. Capt. Potgieter will be O.C. Convoy. * All personnel proceeding with the Main Party will travel in the vehicles assigned to them (as per Annexure "A" attached hereto) and will be ready to move with kit and equipment at 10.00 hours on August 24th. * The Airman's Mess will remain standing; but other Canteen Stewards will be responsible for the packing, safeguarding on Convoy and unpacking at destination of all Canteen Stocks held by the Sgts. and Officers' Mess at the time of departure. * Immediately after breakfast has been served, N.C.O's in charge of Sgts. and Officers' Mess will see that all Mess Equipment is packed on the Transport provided and that Messes and surroundings are left in a clean and presentable condition. The Officers' Mess will close at 09.00 hours on the 24th August. Stock is to be taken. The Committee will meet and arrange as to the dispersal or storage of stocks. All Mess accounts are to be liquidated within seven days. * The Post Truck will leave at the normal hour for Cairo; but will return direct to Shandur. * Completion of the move of the Main will be signalled to Air Headquarters (R) H.Q. R.A.F. M.E. * Personnel remaining with the Rear Party will disperse as widely as possible over the area vacated by the remainder of the Squadron and all tents not being used will be struck. TO: S.A.O.A. S.A.A.F. M.E. (Handwritten signature: AM Barnby) Major A.H.Q. Egypt. ....................for.....Lieut. Col. O.C. Advance Party. Officer Commanding O.C. Main Party. War Diary (2) No. 21 Squadron S.A.A.F. O.C. Rear Party. File (2) O.C. 21 Squadron

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Original page(s): 27

Transcriber's Notes

Phase 2: Technical Expansion (The "Transcriber's Notes") Glossary of Terms: * MAJOR / MAJOR M. BARNBY D.F.C.: The rank and name of the Acting Officer Commanding (Actg. O.C.), Milton Barnby, who held the Distinguished Flying Cross. * S.A.A.F.: South African Air Force. * D.F.C.: Distinguished Flying Cross. * Shandur: An airfield in the Canal Zone of Egypt, utilized for training and dispersal. * O.C.: Officer Commanding. * A.H.Q. Egypt: Air Headquarters Egypt. * "T" and "Q" Stores: Technical and Equipment stores responsible for specialized aircraft parts and general squadron supplies. * Cape Corps: A South African unit primarily composed of personnel from the Western Cape, utilized here for labor-intensive tasks like erecting tentage. * Kasfareet: The location (L.G. 212) from which the squadron was departing. * N.C.O's: Non-Commissioned Officers. * H.Q. R.A.F. M.E.: Headquarters, Royal Air Force, Middle East. * S.A.O.A. S.A.A.F. M.E.: Senior Air Officer Administration, South African Air Force, Middle East. Operational Context: Movement Order No. 10, dated 21 August 1942, details the relocation of No. 21 Squadron SAAF from Kasfareet to Shandur. This move occurred during the critical buildup phase between the first and second battles of El Alamein. Following the stabilization of the Alamein line in July, the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces (MAAF) prioritized the security and dispersal of their light bomber assets to mitigate the risk of Luftwaffe air strikes on concentrated airfields. The move to Shandur was specifically intended to "provide better dispersal facilities," a tactical necessity as the Desert Air Force (DAF) prepared for high-intensity offensive operations. During this window, No. 21 Squadron was continuing its operational work with the Martin Baltimore, a type that proved vital for interdicting Axis supply lines across the Western Desert. The administrative complexity of the move—divided into Advance, Main, and Rear parties—underscores the logistical burden of maintaining a mobile combat unit. The "Rear Party" remained at Kasfareet to service aircraft until the final ferry flights to Shandur could be authorized. The handwritten signature of Major Milton Barnby, acting for the Officer Commanding, confirms the transfer of authority during this transitional period. The marginalia "27" identifies this document as a sequential entry in the squadron's permanent historical record. 37 Phase 1: Verification & Extraction Identity Check: No specific date is recorded in a 'Date' column on this specific image; however, internal cross-referencing with the related document, Movement Order No. 10, identifies the associated date as 21st August 1942.