Operational Order No. 4

Saturday, 27 September 1941

1941-09-27

S E C R E T. 21 SQUADRON OPERATIONAL ORDER NO. 4. COPY NO..7.... ( Ref. Medium Bomber Wing OP. Order No. "A" 38. ) DATE 27. 9. 41. MAP REF: Bardia Target B/5. LIST OF APPENDICES: "B" * INFORMATION. A fully large ship has been located in Bardia Harbour. This should not be confused with the wrecks lying in the Western Bay. An escort of 2 Squadrons of Fighters will be provided, rendezvous at Sidi Haneish at 1530 hours. * INTENTION. High level bombing Ship in Bardia Harbour. * EXECUTION. (a) List of Aircraft and crews see appendix "B" o/c "A" Flight will provide 6 Aircraft. o/c "B" Flight will provide 3 Aircraft. (c) Time of starting up: 1450 hours. (d) Time of take off: 1505 hours. (e) Formation: 6 Aircraft in Box and 3 Aircraft in "V" flying in Flights line abreast on No. 2 Flight. (f) Route: Seaward to 10 miles East of Bardia. (g) Attack: Approach by North East, by independent Flights, flying at 15, 16 and 17000 ft. respectively. Drop 4 bombs, turn and attack again from South East at 12, 13 and 14000 ft. (h) After release: Form up in Squadron formation and return over the sea. (i) Photography: 3 cameras to be taken. (j) Landing order: as per take off. ADMINISTRATIVE ARRANGEMENTS. (a) All Aircraft must carry full capacity fuel & oil (b) All magazines and pans to be fully loaded. (c) Each Aircraft will carry full bomb load i. e. 8 X 250 lbs. Fuse......... (d) All necessary desert equipment. INTER COMMUNICATION. W/T Officer. ACKNOWLEDGE. DISTRIBUTION LIST. * H. Q. RAF. ME. S. I. O. * 204 Intelligence * 204 Ops. * Medium Bomber Wing S. I. O. * S. A. Liaison Officer. H. Q. RAF. ME. * * * * War Diary. * File. [handwritten signature] L Saunders. Lt. for Officer Commanding 21 Squadron.

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Original page(s): 36

Transcriber's Notes

Phase 2: Technical Expansion (The "Transcriber's Notes") Glossary of Terms * 21 SQUADRON S.A.A.F.: No. 21 Squadron, South African Air Force. During September 1941, this unit was a key medium-bomber component of the Western Desert Air Force (WDAF). * BA-BH (MARTIN BALTIMORE): A twin-engine light/medium bomber manufactured by the Glenn L. Martin Company. While the squadron converted to this type in 1942, in September 1941 they were equipped with the Martin Maryland (e.g., the 9 airframes in this order), the Baltimore's direct technical predecessor. * BARDIA TARGET B/5: A specific tactical map used for the coordination of air strikes against the fortified Axis port of Bardia, Libya. * MC/GP (MEDIUM CAPACITY / GENERAL PURPOSE): The classification for standard Allied high-explosive demolition bombs. The order specifies a full load of 8 x 250 lbs munitions per aircraft. * MET: Meteorological data. Precise MET conditions were required for the planned high-altitude approach (17,000 ft) and subsequent lower-level re-attack (12,000 ft). * O/C: Officer Commanding. * S. I. O.: Squadron Intelligence Officer. * SIDI HANEISH: A major Allied airbase complex in Egypt used for the assembly and rendezvous of bomber and fighter formations. * W/T: Wireless Telegraphy (Morse code radio communications). Operational Context Target File 272_36, Operational Order No. 4 dated 27th September 1941, details a specific tactical strike against a "fully large ship" identified in Bardia Harbour. The strategic importance of the Bardia sector during this period centered on its role as a primary logistical bottleneck for Axis supplies intended for the Egyptian frontier. Neutralizing Axis shipping was critical to the broader Allied interdiction campaign meant to degrade Rommel’s Afrika Korps prior to the launch of Operation Crusader. The mission profile utilized 9 Martin Marylands in a complex, multi-stage attack. Unlike the morning strike on the Bardia dumps, this afternoon sortie was provided with a significant escort of two fighter squadrons to counter anticipated Luftwaffe interception. Execution Constraints The order specifies a sophisticated tactical approach intended to maximize target saturation. The squadron was directed to approach from the North East and perform independent flight attacks from 15,000 to 17,000 feet, dropping half the bomb load (4 bombs). This was to be followed by a turn and an immediate second attack from the South East at lower altitudes ranging from 12,000 to 14,000 feet. This two-pass technique was likely designed to refine aiming after the initial strike and overcome the "battle fog" or smoke obscuration common in horizontal bombing. Technical discipline was emphasized, with a handwritten signature by Lt. L. Saunders (S.I.O.) acting for the Officer Commanding, ensuring all 9 aircraft carried full fuel, oil, and a 100% magazine/bomb load. The explicit instruction to distinguish the primary target from existing wrecks in the Western Bay illustrates the intelligence-driven nature of these sorties to avoid wasting munitions on non-viable hulls. This document reflects the technical maturity and aggressive tactical posture of 21 Squadron's Martin-built aircraft in the maritime interdiction role during the 1941 desert campaign. 37 Phase 1: Verification & Extraction Identity Check: 27. 9. 41.