21 Squadron War Diary
1450 hrs
WAR DIARYOF21 SQUADRON, SOUTH AFRICAN AIR FORCEPESCARA1st23 Marauders airborne from Pescara to attack an Enemy strongpoint about three miles west of Pesaro. Combining with other units six formations well covered the target area with 500 and 250 lbs fragmentation bombs and thousands of 20 lbs frag. bombs. Only the last formation encountered slight inaccurate heavy A.A. Last aircraft down by 14.50 hours.Sortie Report No. 814. Appendix "A"12 Marauders airborne from Pescara in three boxes of four at 10.00, 10.40 and 11.20 hrs. respectively to attack an irregular area of strongpoints about 14 miles west of Pesaro. Due to similarity in features and bad visibility the pattern of the first formation fell about 2500 yards east of the briefed target. However, photographic results show that bombs of one aircraft straddled what appears to be a concentration of gun-positions. The pattern of the second box crossed the southern portion of the briefed target, with all bombs in the target area. Third box had a left error of about 1000 yards. Moderate, accurate heavy AA. encountered in target area, four aircraft being holed.Sortie Report No. 815. Appendix "B"12 Marauders in three boxes of four aircraft each airborne from Pescara between 16.03 and 16.20 hrs. to attack Cesena Marshalling Yards. The whole formation bombed at about 17.30 hours, boxes bombing individually on leaders. Both undershot with patterns (1 & 3) which commenced in open country north of the target and finished box about 100 yards short of the Marshalling Yards. Second box did not bomb due to the leader experiencing trouble with bomb doors, but one aircraft released five bombs with unobserved results. Moderate, accurate, heavy A.A. during run-up with eight aircraft holed. All aircraft down by 18.52 hours.Sortie Report No. 816. Appendix "C"Squadron Routine Order No. 79/44 Appendix "D"The following aircrews reported for duty to-day: Sgts. Howden and Evans. F/Sgt. Jones, W.Os. Livingston & Wilson (W/T/AGs). W.Os. Fletcher & Venter, F/Sgt. Kruger (A.G.s.).2nd & 3rd.Nil operations and nothing of importance to report.4th14 Marauders in four boxes set off at intervals from Pescara to attack an enemy strongpoint area 2 miles S.W. of Rimini. One aircraft returned early after jettisoning bombs out at sea. First two boxes - all bombs in target area; third and fourth boxes undershot due to difficulty in identifying the target, bombs falling in open country east of briefed area. Moderate, heavy A.A. encountered over the target, ten aircraft holed (two Cat.2) Last aircraft down by 16.10 hours.Sortie Report No. 818. Appendix "E"The following officers reported for duty: Capt. Hatswell DFC (Observer) Lieut. Earnshaw, D.F.M. (WT/AG, previously with this Squadron). Lieuts. Jones and Stubbs (A.Gs).5th.23 Marauders in five boxes of four and one of three aircraft airborne from Pescara during the day to attack an enemy strongpoint area two miles S.W. of Rimini. Photographs by each box taken at the time of bombing show that, with the exception of one aircraft which released early, all bombs of all boxes fell in the area within the pinpoints briefed. Intense to moderate heavy A.A. encountered by all formations, but due to each box adopting different evasive tactics which seems to puzzle the enemy, only two aircraft were slightly damaged. Last aircraft down by 16.40 hours.Sortie Report No. 819. Appendix "F"Squadron Routine Order No. 80/44. Appendix "G"6th - 8thNil Operations.page 2.1628thThree R.A.F. WT/AGs reported for duty - Sgts. Overee, Foster and McHugh. Twelve aircrews were posted O.T.E. - Capt. Adam, pilot; Capt. Elliott, Lieuts. Kotzé, le Roux, Roos, observers; Lieuts. Case, Bender, Lombard, W.Os. Elliott and Rautenbach (WT/AGs); Capt. te Water-Pohl and W/O Foster (A.Gs).9th22 Marauders in boxes of four aircraft and two boxes of three aircraft each attacked an Enemy strongpoint on the S.E. outskirts of Rimini. Pattern of first box inside along southern portion of the target; second box just outside briefed area, but direct hits on large buildings and road to the N.W. 3rd, 4th and 5th boxes straddled northern half of area with majority of bombs within the briefed pinpoints; 6th box overshot badly, all bombs in the sea. Two aircraft did not bomb, jettisoned 2 x 250 delays at sea, remainder of the load was brought back. Moderate, fairly accurate heavy A.A. from the target area (six aircraft slightly damaged). Last aircraft down by 17.00 hours.Sortie Report 823 Appendix "H"Immediately prior to start up one aircraft briefed for the raid exploded in the dispersal area, presumably during fusing operations.Casualties :- Killed - Lt. Brall (pilot) W.O. L. Botha, A/Cpl. Kimbrey, A/Cpl. Cheesman, A/M. Naeder, A/M. Viret, A/M. Andrews. A/Sgt. Smit and A/M. v.d. Westhuizen were injured and A/M. v.d. Merwe sustained superficial scratches. The aircraft was completely destroyed.Sgts. Cook, Smith, Sandelands, Bell, Gilbank, Heale (all R.A.F. WT/AGs) and W.O. Peckitt, A.G. The last named left us at Campomarino as O.T.E. and has now returned on a second tour.10th24 Marauders briefed to attack Enemy strongpoints in the Rimini area. The bombs of the first and second boxes fell in the centre of the target, with numerous direct hits on buildings and what appeared to be dug-in positions. Third box undershot, pattern commencing outside but finishing just inside the target area. One aircraft returned early due to engine trouble. Moderate, heavy A.A. from the target area - mostly at the 3rd box - no damage. Next three boxes attacked an area 5 miles S.S.W. of Rimini. Fourth box undershot badly due to U.S. bombsight; fifth and sixth boxes undershot slightly, patterns finishing in target area. No enemy opposition. Last aircraft down by 17.22 hours.Sortie Report No. 824. Appendix "I"2/Lt. Vande Putte, observer, who left us as O.T.E. at Campomarino, reported for duty on a second tour.11th23 Marauders airborne from Pescara to attack enemy strongpoints in the Rimini sector. First box's pattern through the centre of target; results of second box not observed due to cloud; third box undershot, pattern finishing just short of target area. 7 x 250 hung-up and brought back. Moderate, inaccurate, heavy A.A. from area. Next three boxes attacked another strongpoint. Pattern of all three boxes well inside the eastern half of the target. Accurate, heavy A.A. moderate encountered, three aircraft holed. W.O.1. P.M. Bastard (WT/AG) was wounded by flak and sustained a compound fracture of right elbow. On landing he was taken to 30 M.F.H. Last aircraft down by 18.10 hrs. S.R.825 Append. "J"12thA formation of 12 Marauders in boxes of four aircraft attacked an enemy strongpoint with its centre at R.743927. First box undershot slightly, but majority of bombs finished in target area. All the bombs from the third and second boxes fell within the briefed pinpoints. Moderate, heavy A.A. from target area, four aircraft being holed. One aircraft landed at Falconara with a damaged engine (cat.11) but no personnel casualties. Crew - Lieut. Kent, F/O Hanna, (pilots); Lieut. Buchanan, observer; W/Os. Crafford, Joubert and Sgt. Overee, gunners.Sortie Report No. 826. Appendix "K"13th24 Marauders in boxes of four aircraft each airborne from Pescara during the day to attack Enemy strongpoints near Rimini. First box straddled northern portion of the target with an excellently spaced pattern; 2nd box all bombs in N.E. section. 3rd box bombed an area about 1000 yards N.W. of briefed pinpoint by mistake - direct hits on large buildings. Slight, inaccurate heavy A.A. from target area. Two aircraft returned with load due to bomb door trouble.page 3.16313th (Cont).The next three boxes attacked an area around R.835950. All bombs in northern portion of target. Moderate, accurate, heavy A.A. encountered, and eight aircraft were holed. Leader of last box hit over target immediately after bombing and aircraft started spinning, eventually crashing in sea 5 miles S.E. of Rimini. It was subsequently confirmed by Greek troops that three chutes left the aircraft. One failed to open and fell in the sea. One fell about 4 miles out to sea and nothing further was seen of it. The third fell about 50 yards off shore on the enemy side of the line and the occupant of the chute was seen to be rescued by presumably enemy troops. See copy of attached report by investigating officer. Crew :- Lieut. G. v.d. H. Whitehouse and F/Sgt. J.E. Carter (pilots); Lieut. C. van Trotsenburg (observer); W.Os. N.H. Swale, H. E. Horscroft, and J. Wilson (Air Gunners).Sortie Report No. 827. Appendix "L"W.O. Paxton (gunner) reported for duty.14thTwelve Marauders in three boxes off from Pescara by 11.25 hours to attack a strongpoint area near Rimini. One aircraft returned with load after 25 minutes due to engine trouble. Remaining eleven bombed from 11,000 feet and covered an area about 1000 yards square with well dispersed patterns within the briefed pinpoints. Slight, inaccurate heavy A.A. from target.Sortie Report No. 828 Appendix "M"15th12 Marauders in three boxes of 4 aircraft each, briefed to attack an Enemy strongpoint, with its centre at R.808933. One aircraft of the first box returned early with all bombs, having lost sight of formation due to cloud en route to target. The pattern of the first box fell 500 to 800 yards N.E. of briefed pinpoints. Second box returned with all bombs due to encountering 10/10 cloud before reaching Ancona. The majority of the bombs of third box fell in target. Slight to moderate heavy A.A. from target area, three aircraft holed. Last aircraft down by 18.21 hours.Sortie Report No. 829 Appendix "N"16thThree boxes of 4 aircraft each briefed to attack an enemy strongpoint area centre, patterns overlapping. First two boxes straddled target area centre, patterns overlapping. One aircraft of the third box returned early with all bombs owing to intercomm. and upper gun turret U.S. Remaining three aircraft undershot slightly, pattern finishing in target area. No enemy opposition encountered. Last aircraft down by 10.27 hours.Sortie Report No. 830. Appendix "O"Squadron Routine Order No. 84/44 Appendix "P"Squadron Routine Order No. 85/44 Appendix "Q"17thTwelve Marauders in three boxes of four aircraft each airborne from Pescara at 13.30 hours to attack an enemy strongpoint S.W. of Rimini. The first box had a left error - pattern across extreme S.W. corner of target area. Moderate, accurate heavy A.A. encountered - four aircraft holed. The second and third boxes straddled western portion of target. One aircraft returned with all bombs owing to bomb door U.S. The last aircraft down by 15.30 hours.Sortie Report No. 831. Appendix "R"The C.O., Lt. Col. A.C. Jandrell, D.F.C. was posted O.T.E. together with the following - Lieut. MacKay (pilot); Capt. R.R. Farrant, D.F.C. (observer); Lieut. J. Thompson and W.O.1. D.C. Jackson (WT/AGs); W.O.11. Sheppard (A.G.).The following new arrivals reported for duty :- Lieuts. du Plessis and Fraser, F/Sgt. Richardson (RAF), P/O Hickle (pilots); Sgt. Jenner (RAF) (WT/AGs); F/Sgts. Richardson and Barrow (A.Gs).18th24 Marauders off from Pescara during the day to attack enemy positions near Rimini. The first twelve aircraft in boxes of four attacked an area 2000 x 4000 yards with its centre at R.730930. Boxes bombed individually from 12,000 feet. First and third boxes, all bombs in centre of western half of targetarea; 2nd box along the N.E. edge of target. Slight, heavy A.A. encountered, fairly accurate for third box and two aircraft were holed.The second 12 aircraft, in boxes of four, briefed to attack 60 Gun positions. All three formations straddled centre of target area scoring direct hits on buildings, roads and railway lines. One aircraft returned early