CONCENTRATIONS OF TANKS SW AND WEST OF ZANAT VILLAGE — Operations

Operational Record

Target: Concentrations of tanks SW and WEST of ZANAT Village.
Duty: Concentrations of M.T. and tanks SW and West of ZARAT
Committed: 12 Glenn Martin Baltimore
Time of attack: From 1605 to 1606 hrs.
Airborne: 1250 hrs
Returned: 1510 hrs
From: Zuara
Map: TUNISIA 1:200,000 Sheet 23 GABES
Day / night: Day
Casualties: Two A/C slightly holed.
Bombing: Medium level bombing attack from 6000 ft. 71 x 250 lb. GP 43 Det. (Rods) (1 hang-up)
Air defences: Heavy, fairly intense, but not too accurate. H.A.A. over target area. (To port and behind formation) 6 H.A.A. guns at Z 5110 2 H.A.A. guns at Z 5814 8 H.A.A. guns at a point 1/2 mile NW ZARAT. Approx. 12 guns WEST of ZARAT (is the area bombed)
Results: Fighter escort appeared in a dogfight over target. One of our fighters were seen going down with smoke pouring from the engine at approx. Z 5610 at 1600 hrs. Heavy artillery fire seen in area Z 6508. XXX vehicles (approx. 6) seen on GABES main Road. Navigation aid (smoke signal) clearly seen from X 6411.

Formation bombed on leader. Bombs of the leader's box fell from the edge of ZARAT Village in a long stick due WEST. The bombs of No. 2 box fell on and to the WEST of the Village. Bombs were seen to drop among approximately 12 guns firing in the area WEST of ZARAT. Two medium fires started. (No MT or tanks seen in target area.)