CONCENTRATION M.T. AT 365383 3 MILES NORTH OF BIR-HACHEIM — Operations

Operational Record

Duty: Bombing concentration M.T. at 365383 3 miles North of Bir-Hacheim.
Committed: 9 Glenn Martin Maryland
Airborne: 1340 hrs
Returned: 1530 hrs
From: L.G. 76
Map: Salum - Tobruk 1: 250,000
Day / night: Day
Casualties: –
Air defences: Heavy and accurate, heavy calibre and pom pom and onions.

At very short notice, 9 Marylands took off at 1534 and after collecting a large fighter escort at L.G. 122, set off for the target area. The target proved somewhat disappointing, there being only a small number of trucks really concentrated, near some large tents. This was bombed on the first run and direct hits were scored on tents. On returning for a second run a large Red Cross was seen in the vicinity, and the remaining bombs were aimed at individual M.T. Many near misses were recorded. Some 500 M.T. were well dispersed in the target area, many of them well dug in. Five heavy tanks were seen about 12 miles S.E. of the target, heading S.E. and a series of trenches 6 miles S. of the L.G., just East of the road. A Hurricane apparently intact was seen on the ground at 483313.