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Operation No. 337

FLARE DROPPING AND MEDIUM LEVEL BOMBING TERMINI SHIPPING ON HARBOUR

Monday, 12 July 1943

Over target: 2302 hrs 1 aircraft 4 aircrew

Operational Record

Target
Flare dropping and medium level bombing Termini Shipping on Harbour.
Duty
Flare dropping and medium level bombing TERMINI Shipping or Harbour.
Committed
1 Glenn Martin Baltimore
Time of attack
From 2302 to 2304 hrs LT.
Airborne
1954 hrs
Returned
2207 hrs
From
Soliman Ben Hagen
Map
SICILIA 1:500,000. Sheet No. NE 36/12
Day / night
Night
Casualties
Aircraft holed in several places - minor damage. Personnel. NIL.
Bombing
Medium level 9000'. Course 275°M. 3 x 250 lbs GP 43 Det. 2 x 90 (4 lb) Incendiaries. 3 Flares Recce 4.5 No. 10.
Air defences
Fairly intense HAA and approx 20 S/Ls in rough circle around town.
Results
Large fires over PALERMO, S/Ls and HAA. 2 HAA SCIACCA LG area. Small fire seen SOUTH of CASTEL VETRANO. 4 Flares seen 1/2 mile to sea SE LICATA at 2325.
Two aircraft took off at 2150 hrs to drop flares over, and bomb TERMINI shipping, or alternatively, TERMINI HARBOUR installations. Bombing took place 2304/2315 hrs on courses 275°/170° from 9/11000'. Earlier aircraft encountered considerable opposition from ± 20 S/Ls, was picked up twice and evaded, and fairly intense HAA accurate, aircraft being holed in various places - slight damage. Bombs dropped in Western portion of town and flares thereafter. Later aircraft little opposition, LAA, flashes HAA and 6 S/Ls seen for few moments SOUTH of town - nothing accurate. Passed over target 4 times dropping 2 flares on NORTH-SOUTH run SOUTH of docks and SE of town, one flare on SW-NE run over central dock area. Bombed on NORTH-SOUTH run along docks and observed results on further SOUTH-NORTH run. Black smoke seen from explosion after first bomb and varicoloured fires seen where incendiaries dropped in dock area. (It is considered first aircraft attacked PALERMO harbour in error.)

Aircraft and crews