DISPERSED AIRCRAFT, LANDING GROUND GAZALA NO. 2 — Operations

Operational Record

Duty: High level bombing attack on dispersed aircraft, Landing Ground Gazala No. 2.
Committed: 9 Glenn Martin Maryland
Airborne: 1135 hrs
Returned: 1510 hrs
From: L.G. 021
Map: Target Map G.6 and G.8 (1) Ain-El-Gazala 1:100,000
Day / night: Day
Casualties: –
Air defences: –

Nine Marylands took off at 1330 hours, from haze and S/c from Fuka point to a point about 20 miles North of the target. The formation found 4/10 cloud for the first hour of Flight and 10/10 cloud after passing Bardia Coast. At a point about 20 miles North of the target the formation turned South to attack, but found the target area obscured by thick layers of heavy cloud. The inlet at Ain-El-Gazala was visible for a moment and also the bend in the road immediately North East of Landing Ground No. 2. The run up was made at 190 deg. The Leader's Observer aimed to drop his bombs along the Eastern boundary of the L.G. and the other Flights released at the same time. It thus appears after careful interrogation that three sticks fell in the area near or across the Eastern shelters. Three sticks along the Eastern boundary and the other three sticks about 100 - 150 yards inside the Eastern boundary across the L.G. It was impossible to observe bomb bursts. No enemy movement or concentration was seen on the return flight, which was made across land.