ARMD RECCE RDS:- I) CASALNUOVA – CASERTA – BENEVENTO – AVELLINO II) AVELLINO – GROTTAMINARDA… — Operations

Operational Record

Target: ARMD RECCE RDS:- i) CASALNUOVA – CASERTA – BENEVENTO – AVELLINO ii) AVELLINO – GROTTAMINARDA – VALLATA – JUNC. O.1049 iii) EMOLI - O. 1049 – POTENZA – BRIENZA iv) SAPRI - EBOLI and SAPRI AULETTA
Duty: ARMD. RECCE. RDS.
Committed: 8 Glenn Martin Baltimore
Time of attack: From 2208 Hrs LT to 2350 Hrs LT.
Airborne: 1839 hrs
Returned: 2245 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 on various courses from 6000/11000 ft. 32 x 500 G.P. 47 Dets. 27 Pistols. 10 4.5. Recce Flares Mk. v.
Air defences: 20 plus H.A.A. SALERNO and TORRE ANNUNZIATA. 5 H.A.A. AULETTA area. 12/16 H.A.A. BATTIPAGLIA. Slight H.A.A. and L.A.A. NAPLES area. NO A/A near own a/c. 2/3 S/Ls NAPLES. One unidentified a/c at 2359 Hrs. over FLORESTA – considered friendly. A/C used "BROAD" on I.F.F.
Results: 8 MET going N.E. on Rd SCALEA-MORMANNO. Many lights in ITALY along coast, one large and steady SAPRI – also large number LIPARI Is. 2 pairs red-ball flares 10 miles S.W. SAPRI, another 2 1/2 miles NORTH of STROMBOLI. 1 vessel with light 10 miles SOUTH of C.PALINURO. Naval firing WEST of NAPLES. Beacons working and correct.

Target: i) NMS Bombed AVELLINO - bursts in town. ii) O. 0965 4 bombs in stick across road, near ANDRETTA iii) O. 3812 stick 4 bombs across 4 plus lights – extinguished before bombing – bursts seen near rd. and position of lights. Stick of 4 bombs across POTENZA town – 3rd bomb started flash giving off orange, red and green explosions. Fair number MET O.1650 in light of flares – bombs previously expended. iv) Bombs as follows:- 1 - T0783, 2 – S9587, 1 – S8895, 3 – T9673 – Rd junction. Scattered MET seen stationary at different points in area.