VIRANATI – TORRE – CUCCARO – O.1049 – AULETTA – LARGONEGRO 2) AULETTA – POTENZA – CORLETO –… — Operations

Operational Record

Target: 1) VIRANATI – TORRE – CUCCARO – O.1049 – AULETTA – LARGONEGRO 2) AULETTA – POTENZA – CORLETO – MONTESANO – LARGONEGRO 3) EBOLI – CALABRILLO
Duty: ARMD RECCE RDS - CENTRAL ITALY.
Committed: 8 Glenn Martin Baltimore
Time of attack: From 0204 Hrs LT to 0435 Hrs LT
Airborne: 2250 hrs
Returned: 0350 hrs
From: Cuticchi
Map: SICILIA 1:500000 NE36/12, MESSINA 1:500000 NE38/14, NAPOLI 1:500000 NE40/14
Day / night: Night
Casualties: One a/c force landed near base. Considerable damage, Cat. IIB.
Bombing: Medium level bombing from 7500/11500 feet on various courses. 48 x 250 G.P. 43 Det 27 Pistols with rods. 6 x 40 G.P. Frag. 120 x 41 lb. Incendiary.
Air defences: 4/5 H/A/A MONTESANO, inaccurate – 4 guns L/A/A O.0818, 6 bursts L/A/A BATTIPAGLIA both inaccurate.
Results: 10 MET O.1020. Many gun flashes near coast and in BATTIPAGLIA area. N.E. BATTIPAGLIA in mountains and 6/10 N. 9633. 4/6 brilliant white lights area T.1478 like German flares O.1517, O.0631 and CALORE RIVER VALLEY reported as krypton - 4 orange flares BATTIPAGLIA area. K 10 plus heavy bomb flashes at 0330 Hrs MARXX area (O.5000) 2 at O.2080 at 0335 Hrs. Fire O.1517, O.0230 large whitish fire surrounded by red.

2 a/c had taken off to first 2 targets when full effort was requested for diversion to third target. Little movement was seen on targets. 1) No movement. 2) and less than was expected on target 3) – 3 a/c patrolled road EBOLI – CALABRILLO twice in hope of obtaining good targets. 1) O.3011 6 x 250, 2x 40, Medium stick N.R.O.(No results observed) N.M.S. (No movement seen) 2) T.6495 6 x 250 on approximately 10 MET stationary. Fire started T5888 – 2 x 40 N.R.O. 3) N9727 – 6 x 250 on approximately 20 MET bursts 25 yards off rd. Hit on rd. 30 x 4lb incendiary. 10 hit rd. O.0632 – 6 x 250, 2 x 40 – near miss on rd. O.0632 – O. 0644 6 x 250 dropped singly, all within 50 yards of rd. N.R.O. O.1049 - 30 x 4 Incendiary. O.0428 – 6 x 250, 30 x 4 Incend. across "S" bend. 1 hit on road. Sparks close to road. 15/20 MET facing Northwards. N.9527 1 x 250, 30 x 4 Incend. on SOUTH side of road. Many sparks on NORTH side of rd immediately after bombing. O.0198 2 x 250 overshot rd. N.R.O. O.0426 3 x 250 overshot rd. N.R.O. One a/c followed by Beaufighter for 30 minutes causing evasive action, before being recognised. Due danger shortage fuel did NOT attack target. Long stick 6 x 250 T6394 N.R.O.