21 Squadron War Diary
1900 hrs Tortorella, Italy
The National Archives' reference AIR 27/269/2APPENDIX "B"72SORTIE REPORT(Part A)R.A.F. Form 541 A.| Sheet No. | Oprep. Ref. No. | Date | Squadron ||---|---|---|---|| 1 | 541 | 3 Feb 44 | 21 SAAF |Type of Aircraft | 12 Baltimores | Captain | MAJOR ORDAircraft No. | 1 Mk.3A, 11 Mk.4 | Crew | LT HODGESAircraft Letter | See over | Formation LeaderTime Up | 1348 A Hrs 1st a/c | Aerodrome or L.G. | TORTORELLATime Down | 1535 A Hrs last a/cTotal Time | 19.00 HoursType of Cloud | Cirrus and Cirrus Stratus | Map or Chart ReferenceAmount of Cloud | 1/10 - 2/10 | ITALY 1:100,000Base of Cloud | 20000/25000' | Sheet 147Visibility | 8/10 - 9/10 Cu over mountains inland. | LANCIANOGeneral Weather | GoodTask or Duty | MANOPPELLO RR STATION (G 051113)| Time | Height | Place | Narrative ||---|---|---|---|| 1348 | | BASE | A/B || 1404 | 2500 | BASE | S/c TERMOLI || 1422 | 11000 | TERMOLI | Made one circuit || 1426 | 11000 | TERMOLI | S/c CASOLI || 1437 | 14000 | CASOLI | S/c TARGET || 1441 | 10100 | TARGET | On bombing run 360° || 1442 | 10000 | TARGET | S/c CASOLI || 1443 | 10000 | CASOLI | S/c BASE || 1511 | 2000 | BASE | Over Base || 1520 | | | Landed || 1535 | | | Last a/c landed |(Signature) (Illegible) Capt.SIO 21 Squadron, S.A.A.F.PART B (on reverse) to be completed according to relevant pro-forma in H.Q. R.A.F. M.E. Instruction 34.P.T.O.The National Archives' reference AIR 27/269/272BA: MANOPPELLO RR STATION & Yds G051113BB: 1442/1445 A HrsBC: Medium level bombing attack 360°/010° 10100/10400'24 x 500 MC 49 Det 27 Pistol36 x 250 GP do doBD: Boxes bombed independently on their respective Leader, almost lineastern. Bombs from G051112 to G0521184 direct hits on Railway trackOne direct hit cross-roads G052116Good concentration of bombs on Rd and nearby buildingsBE: NILBF: NILBG: Verticals and Obliques of bomb burstsBH: 15/20 bursts H/A/A target area directed at 223 Sqdn5 Railway trucks stationary in S. VALENTINO4 " " " " C00205810/12 M.T. stationary facing NORTH on Rd GUARDIAGRELE - MANOPPELLO5 M.T. stationary CATIGNANOScattered M.T. on Rd facing NORTH C037135Some M.T. moving SOUTH C0501502 M.T. moving SOUTH B9905AIRCRAFT AND CREW LIST.643M MAJOR ORD LT HODGES F/SGT BOUCHER CAPT BAIZ441F LT FROST LT WHITE F/SGT CARTER A/SGT ALLAN576O LT MURMAN LT WILLIAMS F/SGT ODENDAAL A/SGT STEWART645J CAPT V.D RIET LT RIVE F/SGT SAVAGE A/SGT SCOTT412B LT HEWITT LT HORWITZ F/SGT KIDNEY A/SGT ECKEN637C LT ASHTON LT ROSE F/SGT HARMSE A/SGT BROUGH612T MAJOR DALLING DFC. LT McARAVEY F/SGT FORRESTER A/SGT BUCHLER467D LT HILL LT PEITERS F/SGT V.D. WESTHUIZEN A/SGT JENKINS437N LT BENNETT LT HARLE 2/LT STRYDOM F/O GILDON649U CAPT DE WET LT MELTZ 2/LT DU PREEZ A/SGT PEENS167S LT ASKEW LT LAMBERT F/SGT GELDENHUYS A/SGT CRAWHALL414P CAPT DIEU LT VANDE PUTTE F/SGT BAILEY F/SGT DU RANTPLYLBLVL