Friday, 16 March 1945 — War Diary

21 Squadron War Diary

0900 hrs Iesi, Italy

The National Archives' reference AIR 27/271/316621 Squadron S.A.A.F. Raid on Gorizia M/Yards. 16th March, 1945Oprep No. 967 Operation No. 169/21S/M. T/Off:- 0900 Hrs.513 Hv: Lt. Col. Ord Wells Hodges Smit Forster BellinganMARLE535 J : Lt. Reyneke Cordell Teague Hennessey Cleete TennantDu Plessis550 C : F/O Hanna Gillam Dickenson Oldfield v.d. Berg Ras543 K : Lt. Fraser Jandrell Johnstone Jenner Barrow Richardson.537 YY : Lt. Ackermann McDonald RJ Steenkamp Steyn Malan Stephens.557 U : Lt. Quail Louwrens Kres Douglas Wilson Solomon.CERONIO583 V : Lt. Cloete Callangen Winn Paxton Venter Greijbe561 B : Lt. Napier McDonald T Benade Jordaan Stubbs Moir429 T : P/O Long Markham Naude Goodwin McHugh Dodson572 D : Lt. Gough Horne Ryan Overee Smith TR MathewWind Finding A/C:-575 P : Lt. Isted Williams Gelb Deane Bedford Botha Collins.TIMES:- Formation 2.40 Hrs.A/C Windfinding A/C 2.50 hrs.REMARKS:-

Transcriber's Notes

S.A.A.F: South African Air Force.
T/OFF: - 0900 Hrs: Time of Take-Off, 09:00 hours.
L.T: Local Time.
Lt. Col: Lieutenant Colonel.
Col: Colonel.
F/O: Flying Officer.
P/O: Pilot Officer.
A/C: Aircraft.

MC/GP (Medium Capacity / General Purpose): Standard Allied aerial ordnance classifications for high-explosive bombs. For tactical interdiction of railway targets like the Gorizia marshalling yards, Marauders typically utilized 500 lb or 250 lb GP bombs to ensure the destruction of trackage and rolling stock.