ARMD RECCE RDS: O.1049 – AVELLINO – GROTTAMINARDA – O.1049 — Operations

Operational Record

Target: ARMD RECCE RDS: O.1049 – AVELLINO – GROTTAMINARDA – O.1049.
Duty: ARMD RECCE RDS: O.1049 – AVELLINO – GROTTAMINARDA – O.1049
Committed: 8 Glenn Martin Baltimore
Time of attack: From 0301 Hrs LT to 0345 Hrs LT.
Airborne: 2225 hrs
Returned: 0255 hrs
From: Cuticchi
Map: SICILIA 1:500000 NE36/12, MESSINA 1:500000 NE38/14, NAPOLI 1:500000 NE40/14
Day / night: Night
Casualties: Nil.
Bombing: Medium level bombing from 7000/12000 feet on various courses. 48 x 250 G.P. 43 Det. 27 Pistols (rods) 9 x 40 G.P. 43 Det. 38 Pistols.
Air defences: Nil against own a/c. L/A/A and H/A/A seen AVELLINO and BENEVENTO. Flares seen BENEVENTO and one at MIRABELLA.
Results: 5/6 bright orange explosions with "umbrella" glows seen ALTAMUNXX area at 0440 Hrs. Arty flashes same area 15/20 per minute. Army beacons "A" O0635 and "Y" area N8901. SPERRO beacon NOT working, Krypton light CONTURSI area. MET movement in MONTESANO area Northwards.

20 / 30 MET, general movement N.W. at each of O0251, O1264, N9959 and suspected MET N9676. Fires reported O1049, N9363, O0634 and steady light at O0854. All these and various other points along roads were bombed. Another fire started at O1049, some direct hits and near misses on roads but otherwise N.R.O and N.M.S.