Operational Order No. 3

Saturday, 27 September 1941

1941-09-27

S E C R E T. 21 SQUADRON OPERATIONAL ORDER NO. 3. COPY NO..7.... (Ref. Medium Bomber Wing OP. Order No. "A" 37. ) DATE: 27. 9. 41. MAP REF: Tobruk 1:500000 LIST OF APPENDICES: "B" * INFORMATION. 2 Dumps "A" & "B" on Target sketches, consisting of M.T. and stores. No Fighter escort, but our Fighters patrolling in indicated area, which should be avoided. A/A will probably come from the East, and may be troublesome unless avoiding action taken. Briefing by Commanding Officer and S. I. O. in Operations tent at 0510 hours. * INTENTION. To attack Dumps "A" & "B" near Bardia. High level bombing by 9 Marylands. Bardia town not to be attacked. * EXECUTION. (a) List of Aircraft and crews see appendix "B" O/C "A" Flight will provide 3 Aircraft. O/C "B" do do 6 do (b) Time of starting up: 0600 hours. (c) Time of take off: 0615 do (d) Formation: 6 Aircraft in box and 3 Aircraft in "V" flying in Flights line abreast on No. 2 Flight. (e) Route: Seaward, cross coast North of Bardia. (f) Attack: Approach Target from seaward at 20000 ft. 5 miles before reaching Coast. No. 1 Flight will dive and turn to port approaching Target from North East at 18000 ft. No. 2 Flight will dive and turn to starboard and approach Target from North West at 19000 ft. No. 3 Flight will approach Target from North at 20000 ft. *** If Fighters are spotted leader will signal as arranged and Target will be attacked in Squadron Flights line astern. (g) After release: Each Flight will turn to left and right to avoid Ack - Ack then fly straight to photograph Target and formate on No. 1 Flight in Squadron Flights line astern as soon as possible. (h) Photography: Four cameras, verticals to be taken of bombing, obliques of results, if possible, and any M.T. etc. seen. (i) 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. 6.7.8.9. War Diary * 204 Intelligence 10 File * 204 Ops. [handwritten signature] L Saunders. * Medium Bomber Wing S. I. O. [handwritten] for O. C. 21 Sqdn Lt. col. * S. A. Liaison Officer H. Q. RAF. ME.

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Original page(s): 20

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. In September 1941, the unit operated under the Desert Air Force (DAF) from Landing Grounds in Egypt, primarily performing medium-altitude horizontal bombing. * A/A (ACK-ACK): Anti-Aircraft artillery fire. Intelligence anticipated "troublesome" opposition from Axis batteries located east of the target. * BA-BH (MARTIN BALTIMORE): A twin-engine light/medium bomber manufactured by the Glenn L. Martin Company. While the squadron became synonymous with the Baltimore in 1942, in September 1941, they were equipped with the Martin Maryland (e.g., Serial No. 1669), the Baltimore's technical and operational predecessor in SAAF service. * M.T.: Motor Transport. * 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 or section. Precise MET conditions were critical for the high-altitude approach (20,000 ft) and the acquisition of vertical/oblique reconnaissance photography. * O/C: Officer Commanding. * S. I. O.: Squadron Intelligence Officer. * W/T: Wireless Telegraphy (Morse code communications). Operational Context Target File 272_20, Operational Order No. 3 dated 27th September 1941, details a tactical strike against Axis logistical infrastructure near Bardia, Libya. The strategic importance of the location centers on Dumps "A" & "B", which served as vital supply nodes for Axis fuel and munitions near the Egyptian-Libyan frontier. Neutralizing these assets was part of a broader Allied interdiction campaign intended to degrade Rommel’s Afrika Korps prior to the launch of Operation Crusader. The mission profile utilized 9 Martin Marylands in a coordinated high-altitude approach from seaward. To saturate the target and complicate Axis defense, the squadron was split into three flights performing staggered dives from 20,000 feet to attack from different bearings (North East, North West, and North) at altitudes ranging from 18,000 to 20,000 feet. This multi-axis approach was specifically designed to mitigate the effects of localized anti-aircraft fire. Execution constraints were strictly defined: Bardia town was explicitly excluded as a target to prevent non-combatant casualties or unnecessary infrastructure damage. Additionally, because the squadron operated without a direct fighter escort, the order included contingency instructions to adopt a "line astern" defensive formation if intercepted by Axis fighters. The technical requirement for four cameras (vertical and oblique) underscores the dual role of 21 Squadron's Martin airframes in providing both strike capability and the reconnaissance data necessary for the Air Historical Branch to assess the efficacy of the Desert Air Force's offensive operations. 21 Phase 1: Verification & Extraction Identity Check: 27. 9. 41.