A real quiet peaceful Sunday sees the end of the month of May. A month that opened with every prospect of our obtaining our Aircraft at an early date and that ended on the Kathleen Kavourneen key – “it may be for months…..”
General summary
The main difficulty that the squadron has to contend with is now is a psychological one – that of keeping the men busy and out of mischief when there is virtually nothing for the big majority of them to do. It is indeed a great pity to see such fine manpower being frittered away whereas they might, with some foresight, have been employed on something really useful.
Two hundred of our men employed on the assembly of Baltimores would probably have speeded up things to a great extent. Quite a few of our mechanics had experience in the assembly of the Marylands some eighteen months ago in Cape Town and with their experienced gleaned in the field added they would have been a more than useful contribution to any Glenn Martin Assembly Unit. The following remarks under the several headings are appended:
a) Health:
The general health of the squadron continues to be at a very high level. The incidence of even minor ailments is surprisingly low.
b) Recreation:
The main form of recreation and needless to say the most popular is swimming. A daily swimming parade has been organised to Alex. and a high percentage of the men avail themselves of this golden opportunity of having a dip in the briny. Cricket also features largely on our programme. The Squadron possesses a more than useful side and thus far its colours have not been lowered by any of the challengers who have come from far and wide to do battle. A league competition within the squadron itself is most popular and a match is in progress practically every day. Soccer is still played late in the afternoons when the heat has subsided somewhat and hockey matches are still indulged in. Those who are able to proceed to Alex. and enjoy the sporting amenities there have golden opportunities of playing squash and tennis.
c) Squadron amenities
To keep the large 21 family reasonably occupied requires a fair mood of organisation not to speak of perspiration. It speaks volumes for the keenness of those unnamed heroes who have thrown their energies into the task of organising the everyday life of their fellows within tolerable lines so that the all important morale and spirit should not through neglect sink to a low level, that the squadron morale is still at a very high level. Each mess has organised games on a competitive basis and chess, draughts, darts and bridge are an every feature of the squadron existence.
A Squadron “SAAFI” has been brought into being where a goodly supply of cool drinks and cakes are to be obtained. This SAAFI has solved to a great extent the problem of the teetotalers who do not want to spent their evenings in the wet canteen. They now have the opportunity of spending a pleasant evening, reading or playing games and listening to the radio far removed from the atmosphere of alcohol.
Finally it may be added that each of the Messes has purchased a radio from its own funds and thus even if we are not in the fighting lines, we are nevertheless getting to know each other far better than ever before.