21 Squadron War Diary
2200 hrs Tortorella, Italy
The National Archives' reference AIR 27/269/2APPENDIX "D"74SORTIE REPORT(Part A)R.A.F. Form 541 A.| Sheet No. | Oprep. Ref. No. | Date | Squadron ||---|---|---|---|| 1 | 542 | 4 Feb 44 | 21 SAAF |Type of Aircraft | 12 Baltimores | Captain | LT/COL JANDRELL DFCAircraft No. | 1 Mk.3A, 11 Mk.4 | Crew | CAPT CARTERAircraft Letter | See over | Formation LeaderTime Up | 0924 A Hrs 1st a/c | Aerodrome or L.G. | TORTORELLATime Down | 1122 A Hrs last a/cTotal Time | 22.00 HrsType of Cloud | Alto.Stratus | Map or Chart ReferenceAmount of Cloud | 10/10 | ITALY 1:100,000Base of Cloud | 15000/17000'. 3/10-4/10 over mtns inland | Sheet 141Visibility | Good | CHIETIGeneral Weather | GoodTask or Duty | CELLULOID FACTORY AT C1118| Time | Height | Place | Narrative ||---|---|---|---|| 0924 | | BASE | A/B || 0942 | 1500 | BASE | S/c TERMOLI || 1000 | 10000 | TERMOLI | Rv with 223 Sqdn || 1010 | 11000 | TERMOLI | S/c TARGET || 1041 | 14600 | TARGET | Bombs dropped || ??? | | BASE | Landed || 1122 | | | 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.The National Archives' reference AIR 27/269/2BA: Celluloid Factory at C1118BB: 1030/1032 HrsBC: Medium level bombing attack 340°/360° 14000/1460018 x 500 MC 49 Det 27 Pistol136 x 30 IncendiariesNOTE: 4 x 500 MC 49 Det 27 Pistol ) Brought back, observer did32 x 30 Incendiaries ) NOT bomb2 x 500 MC 49 Det 27 Pistol ) Hung-up A/C J & G.24 x 30 Incendiaries )BD: Vics bombed independently on their respective leaders. Five a/c outof the 1st Box dropped short stick in target area (Hang-ups, a/cJ & G) The remaining a/c brought bombs back.2nd Box leader lost his bomb load when opening bomb doorsundershooting target C120167, two other a/c bombed on him. Two a/cdropped bombs on target C116184 to C117187. The last a/c broughtbombs back. Direct hits claimed on buildings C115187 (large cloudof white smoke)BE: H/A/A intense, accurate from NORTH of CHIETI and from around target.2 guns C1152032 guns C1051702 guns C1051782 guns C122202Guns along Rd C105179 to C113173NO enemy fighters encounteredBF: 4 a/c slightly holedBG: Verticals and Obliques of bomb burstsBH: 3 M.T. moving NORTH on bridge C148238. Some stationary M.T. atS. VALENTINO B9804AIRCRAFT AND CREW LIST.437N LT/COL JANDRELL DFC. CAPT CARTER 2/LT THOMPSON LT TE WATER POHL PL576O CAPT VISSER LT ELLIOTT LT POTGIETER LT V.D. WESTHUIZEN645J LT MUSGROVE LT GILDENHUYS LT V.SCHALKWYK A/SGT LEIPOLDT441F LT FROST LT WHITE F/SGT CARTER A/SGT ALLAN VL637C LT ASHTON LT ROSE F/SGT HARMSE A/SGT BROUGH467D LT LONGMORE LT KENDAL F/SGT THEUNISSEN A/SGT MACKAY649U CAPT DE WET LT MELTZ LT DU PREEZ A/SGT PEENS BL445U LT V.D. MERWE LT JORDAAN F/SGT VERITY A/SGT PIENAAR167S LT ROWE LT JANSEN 2/LT HEYNS A/SGT PECKITT612T LT BENNETT LT HARLE 2/LT STRYDOM P/O GILDON VL387R LT RICHARDS LT RABINOWITZ F/SGT ROBBERTSE A/SGT McCRINDLE414P LT HILL LT PIETERS F/SGT V.D.WESTHUIZEN A/SGT JENKINSON