21 Squadron War Diary
1116 hrs Tortorella, Italy
The National Archives' reference AIR 27/269/2APPENDIX "G"SORTIE REPORT(Part A)R.A.F. Form 541 A.77| Sheet No. | Oprep. Ref. No. | Date | Squadron ||---|---|---|---|| 1 | 548 | 10 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 | 0859 A Hrs 1st a/c | Aerodrome or L.G. | TORTORELLATime Down | 1116 A Hrs last a/cTotal Time | 24.00 HrsType of Cloud | 4/10 Strata.Cu. Base 7000' over target | Map or Chart ReferenceAmount of Cloud | 9/10 St.Cu over SIMBRUINI Mtns. | ITALY 1:100,000Base of Cloud | Fine to EAST | Sheet 150Visibility | Much haze over target area | ROMAGeneral Weather | GoodTask or Duty | PALESTRINA TOWN G0860| Time | Height | Place | Narrative ||---|---|---|---|| 0859 | | BASE | A/B || 0920 | 2500 | BASE | S/c LUCERA || 0936 | 5000 | LUCERA | XX Made one circuit [Note: "XX" likely indicates a correction or specific maneuver] || 0941 | 7400 | LUCERA | S/c CAMPOBASSO || 0953 | 12000 | CAMPOBASSO | S/c PALESTRINA || 1023 | 14000 | PALESTRINA | On bombing run Co.245° M. || 1025 | 12000 | PALESTRINA | S/c ROCCARASO || 1046 | 13000 | ROCCARASO | S/c BASE || 1100 | 2000 | BASE | Over Base || 1116 | | | Landed || 1116 | | | 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.QP/1,500,000/4-42 P.T.O.The National Archives' reference AIR 27/269/2BA: PALESTRINA TOWN G0860BB: 1013 A HrsBC: Medium level bombing attack 240°/260° 12000/12400'24 x 500 MC 49 Det 27 Pistol36 x 250 GP do doBD: Boxes bombed in line astern on leader. Medium stick starting fromN.E. of town across G081604 across Northern part of town toG077601. Two fires were seen to be burning in town, one with brownsmoke, the ether with yellow smoke.BE: NILBF: NILBG: Verticals and Obliques of bomb burstsBH: 20 + MET stationary on Rd ALAKRI to GUARCINO and in ALAKRI. Rd clearof snow.10 + MET moving both ways G22733 + MET moving both ways G1372MT on Rds from GUARCINO to PALESTRINA and FROSINONE to VALMONTONEat 2 miles interval moving WEST.18 + MET stationary on Rd between S.VINCENZO and SORAAIRCRAFT AND CREW LIST.643H MAJOR ORD LT HODGES F/SGT BOUCHER CAPT HALL FL467D LT LONGMORE LT KENDAL F/SGT THEUNISSEN A/SGT MACKAY637C LT WITTE LT RUSHFORTH F/SGT EATON A/SGT MARAIS441F LT FROST LT WHITE F/SGT CARTER A/SGT ALLAN VL576O LT MURMAN LT WALTERS F/SGT ODENDAAL A/SGT STEWART545A CAPT V.D.RIET LT RIVE F/SGT SAVAGE A/SGT SCOTT412B CAPT VISSER LT ELLIOTT LT POTGEITER LT V.D.WESTHUIZEN BL383W LT GREDER LT KIRBY F/SGT GREYLING A/SGT AIREY167S LT V.D.MERWE LT JORDAAN F/SGT VERITY A/SGT PIENAAR612T CAPT JOB LT NAUDE F/SGT GRATTON A/SGT LEISCHING VL414P LT ROWE LT JANSEN 2/LT HEYNS A/SGT PECKITT649U LT RICHARDS LT RABINOWITZ F/SGT ROBBERTSE A/SGT McCRINDLE