Operational Order No. 11

Tuesday, 15 September 1942

1942-09-15

The National Archives' reference AIR 27/273/273 APPENDIX "B" 31 QUADRON MOVEMENT ORDER NO. 11. No. 21 Squadron S.A.A.F. by LIEUT. COL. A. D. IRVINE. Officer Commanding, No. 21 Squadron S.A.A.F. Middle East Command, 15th September 1942. INTENTION: 1. No. 21 Squadron S.A.A.F. will proceed to Landing Ground "Z" on instructions from Advanced 3 (S.A) Wing. METHOD: 2. The Squadron will proceed in two parties, Advance and Main. The advance Party will be under the command of Capt. van Heerden with sufficient labour to prepare messes and accommodation for the Main Party by the 16th instant. "T" Stores will accompany the Advance Party. ADMINISTRATION: 3. The Main Party will proceed by road convoy on the morning of September 16th and the move to L.G. "Z" is to be completed by 18.00 hours the same day. * All Personnel proceeding with the Main Party will travel in the vehicles assigned to them and will be ready to move with kit and equipment at 10.00 hours on September 16th. * Canteen stewards will be responsible for the packing, safeguarding on convoy and unpacking at destination of all canteen stocks held by the Officers' Sergeants' and Airmens' Messes at the time of departure. * Shandur camp will be left in a clean and tidy condition. Officers and N.C.O.'s in charge of sections will be held responsible that all permanent buildings and the precincts of their sections are vacated in this condition. Lines are to be cleared of all litter and the senior N.C.O. or Airman of each Nissan Hut will be responsible for the cleanliness of the lines in the vicinity of his hut. * Completion of the move will be signalled to Advanced No. 3 (S.A) Wing. * Lieut. J. R. Millar will be O.C. Convoy for the Main Party. * Squadron Aircraft and Crews will proceed to L.G. "Z" under instructions O.C. Squadron. * Vehicles assigned to various sections and squadron personnel are reflected in Annexure "A". (Handwritten signature: AD Irvine) Lieut. Col. Officer Commanding, No. 21 Squadron S.A.A.F. Copy to: S.A.O.A. S.A.A.F. A.H.Q. W.D. O.C. No. 3 (S.A) Wing, Advanced. O.C. Advance Party. O.C. Main Party. O.C. 21 Squadron War Diary (2) File (2)

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Transcriber's Notes

Phase 2: Technical Expansion (The "Transcriber's Notes") Glossary of Terms: * LIEUT. COL. / Lieut. Col.: Lieutenant Colonel, the rank of the Officer Commanding (O.C.) No. 21 Squadron, A. D. Irvine. * S.A.A.F.: South African Air Force. * Landing Ground "Z" / L.G. "Z": A coded geographical designation for a forward desert airfield, used to maintain operational security during signaled movements. * Advanced 3 (S.A) Wing: The forward-deployed headquarters of No. 3 (South African) Wing, which oversaw the SAAF light bomber squadrons. * "T" Stores: Technical Stores, responsible for the inventory and transport of specialized aircraft components and spare parts. * N.C.O.'s: Non-Commissioned Officers. * O.C. Convoy: Officer Commanding the road transport column. * S.A.O.A. S.A.A.F.: Senior Air Officer Administration, South African Air Force. * A.H.Q. W.D.: Air Headquarters, Western Desert. Operational Context: Movement Order No. 11, issued on 15 September 1942, formalizes the urgent forward displacement of No. 21 Squadron SAAF from Shandur to Landing Ground "Z". This order follows the "IMMEDIATE" signal received from Advanced 3 Wing the previous day. Strategically, this movement occurred during the final consolidation of the Desert Air Force (DAF) before the Second Battle of El Alamein. The shift from the rear-echelon airfield at Shandur in the Canal Zone to a forward desert strip (L.G. "Z") was essential for increasing the sortie rate of the squadron's Martin Baltimore light bombers. By positioning closer to the front lines, the squadron could more effectively execute "shuttle bombing" raids against Axis supply lines and armored concentrations. The order highlights the administrative discipline required during the transition, specifically the responsibility for clearing "all litter" from the permanent buildings and Nissan Huts at Shandur. This logistical "musical chairs"—where No. 21 Squadron moved to accommodate the repositioning of No. 223 and No. 55 Squadrons—was a tactical prerequisite for achieving the overwhelming air superiority necessary for the Allied October offensive. The handwritten signature of Lieut. Col. A. D. Irvine confirms the execution of this critical relocation, which is preserved as Appendix "B" (Folio 31) in the permanent historical record. 41 Phase 1: Verification & Extraction Identity Check: 16th September 1942.