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Operation No. 375

ROAD BAGNARA - GIOIA (ITALY)

Friday, 13 August 1943

Over target: 2230 hrs 4 aircraft 16 aircrew

Operational Record

Target
Road BAGNARA - GIOIA (ITALY)
Duty
Bomb road BAGNARA-GIOIA (ITALY)
Committed
4 Glenn Martin Baltimore
Time of attack
2230 - 2331 hrs LT.
Airborne
1945 hrs
Returned
2305 hrs
From
Luqa
Map
MESSINA NE 38/14 1:500,000. SICILIA NE 36/12 1:500,000.
Day / night
Night
Casualties
Nil.
Bombing
Medium level bombing attack. 3/9000 ft. NORTHERLY courses. 120 x 40 lbs ( 8 x 40 lbs Hung-up, brought back to base ) 200 x .5 Ground strafing. Height 500 ft above ground. 1000 x .3
Air defences
Three HAA bursts from MILAZZO inaccurate. Spasmodic bursts from SCILLA inaccurate.
Results
i) Unidentified aircraft seen by one aircraft NORTH of MESSINA at 2310 hrs. ii) At 0010 hrs LT when at 8000 ft near GELA Beaufighter followed a Baltimore for ten minutes. Evasive tactics did not seem successful. Beaufighter flicked identification lights and broke away.
The target area was located and attacked as follows:- 32 x 40 lbs SOUTH of GIOIA on EAST side of road; 24 x 40 lbs NORTH of GIOIA along road; 64 x 40 lbs in village of GIOIA two small fires started. This aircraft ground strafed the village with front guns and turret cannon; strikes were observed among buildings and streets and another fire was seen, but did NOT develop.

9,000ft.

Aircraft and crews