15 TH PANZER DIV. AT PP. 860295

Operational Record

Target

15 th Panzer Div. at pp. 860295.

Duty

15th Panzer Division at 860295.

Committed

12 Glenn Martin Baltimore

Time of attack

1142 hrs.

Airborne

0750 hrs

Returned

0917 hrs

From

L.G. 98

Map

1:250000 Egypt and Cyrenaica Sheet 14. El Daba.

Day / night

Day

Casualties

A/C 870 F (Pilot: Lt. Cumming) damaged in engine and landed at L.G. 172. Observer (Lt. Johnson) wounded.

Bombing

Medium level bombing attack. 66 x 250 G.P. 43 Det. with rods. (Baltimores) One Baltimore had 6 x 250 hang-ups - electrical failure.

Air defences

Only slight L.A.A. over target area. No E/A encountered.

Results

500 + MT well dispersed in El Taqa area, on plateau pp. 862253. Slight movement SW of pp 875282. 2 Fires at pp 870278. Only scattered MT in area 855300, 863300, 863280, 8552??, 875285 500+ MT stationary. Not well dispersed. No A/A/ 70 MT centre 870295 -- many burnt out. Shelling 870298. 848283 20 tanks not well dispersed. On ridge along 283 grid, between 840 and 850 dug-in positions, tents and MT very scattered. Some movement SE on road from this ridge. One Boston left formation escorted by fighter.