MT AND TROOPS FROM C735980 TO C740015 — Operations

Operational Record

Target: MT and TROOPS from C735980 to C740015.
Duty: Bombing attack on road from C735980 - C740015 (Latitude : 37° 42' 26'' N Longitude : 14° 50' 23'' E).
Committed: 12 Glenn Martin Baltimore
Time of attack: 1505 hrs LT.
Airborne: 1145 hrs
Returned: 1412 hrs
From: Hal Far
Map: 1:500,000 SICILIA NE 36/12. 1:100,000 PATERNO Sheet 269.
Day / night: Day
Casualties: 3 aircraft minor damage by HAA.
Bombing: Medium level bombing attack. Height 8800/8200 ft. Courses 025 / 345° 72 x 250 GP 43 Dets (Rods)
Air defences: About 12 HAA bursts fairly accurate for No. 2 Box. 3 guns at Sq. C7403 (Latitude :** 37.72067 ° **Longitude :** 14.83984 °**) 3 guns from SE of BRONTE on Mountain slope. Guns in Sq. C7102 (Latitude :** 37.7119 ° **Longitude :** 14.80569 °**).
Results: 4 SE unidentified aircraft seen soon after bombing flying EAST, three line abreast with leader. Spitfire escort went to investigate and did NOT return to formation.

Target are covered in cloud shadows. No. 1 Box bombed from C740002 (Latitude :** 37.69543° **Longitude :** 14.83955°**) to C740015 (Latitude :** 37.70715 ° **Longitude :** 14.83968 °**)and No. 2 Box from C745019 (Latitude :** 37.71071 ° **Longitude :** 14.8454 °**) to C730030(Latitude :** 37.72075 ° **Longitude :** 14.82849 °**). Both patterns good. A small square building and the main road received direct hits. Four MT were seen pulled off road dispersed. Bombs bursts within 100 yards of these and among small tracks leading off main road. One small fire started.