ARMD RECCE ROADS PELLARO PT. – LOCRI – BOVALINO – BAGNARA — Operations

Operational Record

Target: ARMD RECCE ROADS PELLARO PT. – LOCRI – BOVALINO – BAGNARA
Duty: ARMD RECCE ROADS PELLARO POINT – LOCRI – BOVALINO – BAGNARA
Committed: 6 Glenn Martin Baltimore
Time of attack: From 0041/0229 hrs LT.
Airborne: 2130 hrs
Returned: 0140 hrs
From: Luqa
Map: MESSINA NE 38/14 1:500,000. SICILIA NE 36/12 1:500,000.
Day / night: Night
Casualties: 2 aircraft slight damage from AA - Cat. I. 1 aircraft crashed on approach to land after engine trouble. Lt. SIMPSON - Pilot, Lt. HANDLEY - Observer, F/Sgt. ROBERTS – W/T A/G, F/Sgt. SHEPPERSON - A/G. - all killed.
Bombing: Medium level bombing 2/8500 ft. 160 x 40 lb frag dropped plus 32 x 40 jettisoned by aircraft which subsequently crashed.
Air defences: Slight HAA BAGNARA fairly accurate. Slight LAA from SALINE-MELITO fairly accurate.
Results: A number of fires scattered along SOUTH coast road and tracks across mountains. Ships seen firing LAA between C. RASOCOLMO – TORRE DI FARO. 2 aircraft seen, one on either side, unidentified over MESSINA STRAITS - evaded by steep dive. Train seen burning WEST of BOVA MAR.

1 MT seen WEST of MELITO DI PORTO SALVO. 8 x 40 dropped at MELITO near burning fire. Bombs dropped between BOVALINO and BAGNARA across road at well dispersed points. 8 x 40 dropped in BOVALINO MAR village, bursts seen among buildings. 8 x 40 in SINOPOLI village. NO results observed.