Operational Order No. 10

Sunday, 12 October 1941

1941-10-12

21 SQUADRON S. A. A. F. OPERATIONAL REPORT NO. 10. COPY NO...4.... ( O.O. Nos: Medium Bomber Wing Op. order No. "A" 90 and Squadron Operational order No. 10 attached hereto.) DATE: 12.10.41. MAP REF: Target Map D./8 DATE OF OPERATION. 12th. October 1941. NUMBER AND TYPE OF AIRCRAFT. 9 Marylands. DUTY. (1) High level bombing Derna Landing Ground. (2) Test of Maryland range under Service and formation conditions NARRATIVE. 9 Marylands took off at 1034 hours, and after flying on the indicated course towards Derna, turned to attack from the North. The Landing ground was found without difficulty, and the three Flights dropped their sticks [handwritten insertion] (just) [strike-through] in [handwritten insertion] (before) quick succession. The first bursts being [handwritten insertion] (were) Just North of the Landing ground, and the last stick off the Landing ground, but on the Satellite. Photos show a direct hit on a large aircraft East of the hangar, and two bursts right amongst a group of about six aircraft near by. Considerable damage must have been done to these, and also, to other more dispersed aircraft, by other bombs. Approximately sixty aircraft were reported on the Landing ground and the Satellite. Most Observers reported a large cloud of dust in the direction of Martuba, but it is uncertain whether this was from aircraft taking off, or transport on the road. (2) TEST OF RANGE. A full report on this matter has been submitted separately. WEATHER. Fine, Slightly hazy. A/A. A few inaccurate bursts were seen well above our aircraft, and a good deal of light A/A was seen to burst many thousands of feet below. TIMES. Airborne 1034 hours. attack 1233 " Landed 1425 " Total hours flown. 34 hours 30 min. PHOTOGRAPHY. 5 cameras were used, and the excellent results claimed were well substantiated by several series of photos. APPENDIX "A" ANALYSIS OF BOMBING. On Landing ground 48 North of Landing ground 4 Satellite 12 64 = 16000 lbs. Jettisoned 8 72 = 18000 lbs. APPENDIX "B" /2.

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Original page(s): 76

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 the late 1941 Western Desert Campaign, the unit operated as a medium bomber force within the Desert Air Force (DAF), primarily utilizing the Martin Maryland twin-engine bomber. * A/A: Anti-Aircraft artillery fire (Ack-Ack). The report distinguishes between heavy A/A (bursting above the formation) and light A/A (bursting thousands of feet below). * DERNA LANDING GROUND / SATELLITE: The primary target for the mission was the main Axis airfield at Derna, including its secondary (Satellite) airfield. Derna served as a major forward operating base for German and Italian air forces (GAF/IAF). * MARTUBA: An Axis airfield complex located near Derna; observers noted dust clouds here, suggesting either vehicle movement or aircraft scrambles. * MARYLANDS: The Martin Maryland (Model 167) medium bomber. This mission specifically included a technical evaluation of the airframe's range under combat formation conditions. * O.O.: Operational Order. Operational Context Operational Report No. 10, dated 12th October 1941, documents a major high-level strike against the Axis air hub at Derna. Strategically, Derna was critical as the principal advanced base for the Luftwaffe and Regia Aeronautica, housing approximately sixty aircraft at the time of the raid. Neutralizing these assets was a prerequisite for Allied air superiority during the build-up to Operation Crusader, intended to relieve the Siege of Tobruk. The mission achieved significant results, with 48 bombs impacting the main landing ground and 12 on the satellite field. Photographic evidence confirmed direct hits on an aircraft near the hangar and damage to a cluster of six additional airframes. This raid also served as a critical "Test of Range" for the Maryland, assessing its fuel endurance over the long-distance route to Derna under combat load. Execution Constraints The mission was executed as a high-level horizontal bombing run, with 9 aircraft delivering 16,000 lbs of ordnance. Formation discipline was maintained during the 3-hour and 51-minute sortie, though 8 bombs (2,000 lbs) were jettisoned rather than dropped on the primary target. Technical constraints were highlighted by the inaccurate Axis A/A fire; heavy batteries failed to find the formation's altitude, bursting above them, while light A/A was ineffective against the high-level approach. Environmental factors included slight haze, which did not prevent the successful use of five cameras to substantiate the bombing results. The marginalia in the Narrative section—specifically the correction of "in" to "before" quick succession and the addition of "were"—clarifies the rapid timing of the bomb release by the three flights. This report, documenting a total of 34 hours and 30 minutes of flight time across the formation, stands as a successful example of long-range interdiction and technical evaluation. 78 Phase 1: Verification & Extraction Identity Check: There is no specific 'Date' column on this page. However, this document serves as Appendix "B" to Operational Report No. 10, which is dated 12.10.41..