Sunday, 18 July 1943 — War Diary

21 Squadron War Diary

2110 hrs Ben Hagen

R.A.F. Form 441 A.War Diary 63SORTIE REPORT(Part A.)Sheet No. 1Oprep. Ref. No. 343Date. 17/18 Jul 43Squadron. 21 SAAFType of Aircraft. Baltimore Mk IIIAAircraft No. 195Aircraft Letter. GCaptain Lt. A’BEAR.Crew. Lt. OWEN-HUGHES2/Lt. HARRISON2/Lt. PICKUP.Time Up. 2110 hrs LTTime Down. 2350 hrs LTTotal Time. 2 hrs 40 minsAerodrome or L.G. Ben HagenType of Cloud. ---Amount of Cloud. ---Base of Cloud. ---Visibility. GoodGeneral Weather. Slight hazeMap or Chart Reference.SICILIA1:500,000NE 36/12Task or Duty. Roads leading WEST TROINA.In error went to PALERMO.| Time | Height | Place | Narrative ||---|---|---|---|| 2110 | | Ben Hagen | Airborne S/C KELIBIA || 2117 | 2000 | Ras el Fortass | Set course CAPE BIANCO 068°M ETA 2205. || 2127 | 5000 | KELIBIA | || 2204 | 6000 | | Arrived at point considered to be CAPE BIANCO (evidently CAPE S MARCO) and set course for target road 034°M (approx ETA saw PALERMO). || 2224 | 7500 | Palermo | Over PALERMO. Dropped stick on buildings at 2225 — evasive action taken. || 2227 | 5000 | | Set course CAPE BIANCO || 2248 | 8000 | Kelibia | Set course NABEUL → C. BIANCO → S/C KELIBIA || 2330 | 6000 | Nabeul | Set course BASE || 2348 | | Ben Hagen | Landed. |(Signature: G.W. Thompson) Lt. for Capt.SIO. 21 SQUADRON. SAAF.BA. Movement roads WEST TROINA - in error went to PALERMOBB. From 2224 to 2227 hrs LTBC. Medium level bombing 7500'6 x 250 GP Rods 43 Det30 x 4 lb IncendiariesBD. PALERMO seen clearly - long buildings seen SW of townconsidered to be RR or stores buildings - bombed. Bombsin stick seen to straddle buildings - NO results observed.(Target map shows to be Military Barracks). Incendiariesalso dropped.BE. ± 30 bursts HAA accurate and picked up by one of 4 S/Ls.Evasive action taken, and S/L shaken off.BF. NILBG. NILBH. Target well chosen and definite decision taken againstindiscriminate bombing of town.

Transcriber's Notes

R.A.F: Royal Air Force.
S.A.A.F: South African Air Force.
L.T: Local Time.
2/Lt: Second Lieutenant.
Time Up: 13:48 A (Local).
Total Time: 22.00 hours represents the aggregate flight time for all 12 aircraft (approx. 1 hour 50 mins each).
L.G: Landing Ground.
Ben Hagen: The location of the Rear Party (Soliman, Tunisia).

Abbreviations and Technical Terms Expanded:

Individuals Mentioned:

Location and Historical Context:

Abbreviations and Technical Terms Expanded:

lb: pounds (weight of incendiaries).

Individuals Mentioned:

The crew for this specific sortie, though not named on this sheet, is identified in the corresponding Part A report as Lieutenant A’Bear (Pilot), Lieutenant Owen-Hughes (Observer), Second Lieutenant Harrison, and Second Lieutenant Pickup.

The narrative reflects a high level of airmanship and ethical discipline. Upon realizing they were off-course over a major civilian center (Palermo), the crew made a "definite decision" against "indiscriminate bombing," choosing instead to target a specific complex of long buildings they believed to be military or logistical in nature.

Location and Historical Context: