APPENDIX "E" — Orders & Appendices

Document

The National Archives' reference AIR 27/271/2
APPENDIX "E"

FROM : S.I.O. 21 SQUADRON S.A.A.F.
TO : H.Q. M.A.A.F. ( ATTENTION OPERATIONS RECORDS)
H.Q. M.A.T.A.F. ( SCORU)
S.A.O.A. ADV. S.A.A.F. H.Q. C.M.F.
W.I.O. 3 SA WING S.A.A.F.
REF. : 21S/939
DATE : 21st FEBRUARY, 1945.
OPREP NO. 939 FOR THE PERIOD ENDING 1200 HRS. ON THE 21st FEBR. 1945.
REF. MAP ITALY 1:100,000 SHEET 63 - LEGNAGO

OPERATION NO. 149/21S/M.

A : 10 Marauders airborne from Jesi L/G at 0810 hrs to attack the
Sugar refinery at SERMIDE at F.869057, each a/c carrying
6x500 and 4x250 lbs GP ( [handwritten insertion: Demo] fused) bombs. Area cover was pro-
vided by 12 Spits. The Marauders bombed at 0916 hrs. from 10,000
to 11,000 feet. Bombs from the first box fell with a lateral
error to the right, scoring a d/h on road, and several direct hits
on buildings in Eastern portion of village. Bombs from 2nd Box
fell in two sticks having a slight lateral errors—one to the left
edge and the other to the right edge of the target. Direct hits
scored on buildings close to the target. Third box brought all
bombs back, Leader's bombs having hung up. One 250 lbs hang-up
in 1st Box was jettisoned in the sea. No enemy opposition. Visibi-
lity poor in thick haze. 16 Packets of pamphlets and 7 packets
of window dispensed. All A/C landed by 1018 hrs.
B : (i) 10 Marauders III (ii) Nil
C : (i) 8 (ii) Nil
D : (i) 20.00 hrs. (ii) Nil
L : (i) 34000 x .50 (ii) & (111) Nil
P : (i) 60 x 500 GP (ii) 42 x 500 GP (iii) 1 x 250 (iv) Nil
40 x 250 GP 27 x 250 GP
FUSED:- 27 - 49 Nose 30 - 36 Tail.
Note:- 16 Packets Pamphlets and 250 lbs of window dropped.
U to Z : Nil
S.F. Wyllie
LT. CAPT.
S.I.O. 21 SQUADRON S.A.A.F.

Transcriber's Notes

Phase 2: Technical Expansion (Transcriber's Notes)
Glossary of Terms:
* S.I.O.: Squadron Intelligence Officer.
* H.Q. M.A.A.F.: Headquarters, Mediterranean Allied Air Forces.
* H.Q. M.A.T.A.F. (SCORU): Headquarters, Mediterranean Allied Tactical Air Force (Statistical Control and Operational Research Unit).
* S.A.O.A. ADV. S.A.A.F. H.Q. C.M.F.: Senior Air Officer Administration, Advanced South African Air Force Headquarters, Central Mediterranean Force.
* W.I.O. 3 SA WING: Wing Intelligence Officer, 3 South African Air Force Wing.
* OPREP: Operational Report.
* Jesi L/G: Jesi Landing Ground, the squadron's base of operations in Italy.
* GP: General Purpose bombs.
* Demo: Demolition (refers to high-explosive impact settings for industrial targets).
* Spits: Supermarine Spitfire fighters used for area cover.
* d/h: Direct hit.
* hung up: A mechanical or electrical failure preventing bombs from releasing from the racks.
* Window: Chaff; aluminized strips dropped to interfere with enemy radar.
* Marauders III: British Commonwealth designation for the Martin B-26G Marauder medium bomber.
Operational Context:
The raid on 21 February 1945 targeted the Sermide Sugar Refinery (grid F.869057) as part of the Mediterranean Allied Tactical Air Force's (MATAF) broader interdiction campaign in the Po Valley. Sugar refineries were significant strategic targets because they were frequently used by the Wehrmacht for industrial alcohol production—a vital component in fuel and explosives—or as hardened supply depots during the defense of the Gothic Line.
The tactical execution of this mission mirrors the strategic requirements of November 1943 during the offensive against the Bernhardt Line. In 1943, 21 Squadron—then flying Martin Baltimores—conducted similar precision strikes against logistical and transit targets like the Mignano Gap and grid H055630 to isolate German forces of the 10. Armee. By February 1945, the use of superior Martin Marauder payloads allowed for concentrated strikes on industrial targets deeper in the rear-echelon to facilitate the final Allied spring offensive by inducing a total logistical collapse of German resources in Northern Italy.
Interpretations of Marginalia and Markings:
* Folio Number "63": Stamped archival index number in the upper right.
* "APPENDIX 'E'": Identifies this OPREP as a formal annex to the primary February 1945 war diary narrative.
* Handwritten Corrections: The term "Demo" was inserted by hand into subparagraph A to specify the fuse type.
* Officer Signature: Signed by Lieutenant S.F. Wyllie, acting S.I.O.. A strike-through appears over the printed rank "CAPT." with "LT." handwritten above, reflecting Wyllie's actual rank at the time.
* Tactical Abort: The note regarding the Third Box returning with a full bomb load due to a leader's "hang up" illustrates the vulnerability of formation-dependent bombing tactics in the Italian theater.

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The following archival entry constitutes a high-fidelity transcription and historical analysis of the specified document from the official war diary of 21 Squadron, South African Air Force (SAAF), currently held by The National Archives under reference AIR 27/271/2.
Phase 1: Verification & Extraction
Identity Check: The exact date recorded in the 'DATE' column of the image is 22nd FEBRUARY, 1945.