Sortie Report (Form 541)
BA: 250 Ft long M/V(reported smoking) in position 43º 30 N. and 16º 30 E.near SPLIT (YUGOSLAVIA)BB: 1618 A HrsBC: Medium level bombing. 11,000' Course 040º Speed 210 IAS62 x 250 G.P. 47 Dets. 27 Pistols2 x 500 M.C. 47 Dets. 27 Pistols3 x 250 G.P. 47 Dets. 28 Pistols(1 x 250 G.P. 47 Det. 27 Pistol, hung up)BD: Formation leader sighted vessel lying close in to the shore in thebay immediately NORTH WEST of SPLIT. The vessel was smoking. Theattack was delivered by individual Box Leaders in pattern. FirstBox overshot target but scored hits on jetty and buildings on shore.The second Box scored two hits on vessel causing flames and anincrease in the volume of smoke coming from ship.BE: L/A/A from SPLIT and SOLIN. Moderate inaccurate for height.One observer noticed trailer of white smoke coming up from TROGIRdid NOT see explosion in air.BF: NILBG: Verticals taken of bomb bursts during bombing run.BH: In U7825 (ORONOTE) 10,000 Naval? vessel stationaryAt Z7908 M/V of 7000 Tons stationary. One ship NORTH WEST of townOne half submerged hulk? immediately NORTH WEST of target withprevious Squadron's bomb bursts around it.AIRCRAFT AND CREW LIST.356Z L/COL BRITZ DFC. LT BOOYSE 2/Lts HARRISON & PICKUP426J LT MURMAN LT WALTERS F/SGT ODENDAAL SGT STEWART341L LT WILLMOTT LT BORCHERDS F/SGT LOOTS F/SGT WALBRIDGE586B CAPT SAUNDERS P/O SMALLMAN LT POTGIETER SGT EARP-JONES441F LT FROST LT LAMBERT F/SGT CARTER SGT ALLEN387R LT RICHARDS LT DE CONNICK F/SGT ROBBERTSE SGT MCCRINDLE467D CAPT SMIT LT KAY 2/LT PURDON SGT SCHOOMBIE181Y MAJ. COULL LT ROSE F. F/SGT PERKINS F/SGT VAN ROOYEN445U LT HARGRAVE LT REES F/SGT JENSEN F/SGT VALENTINE240O CAPT DUGMORE LT MASTERS F/SGT MAASDORP F/SGT ROGERS383W LT GREDER LT MCARAVEY F/SGT GREYLING F/SGT LEISCHING181T LT BENNETT LT HARLE F/SGT STRYDOM SGT JENKINSON
Transcriber's Notes
- M/V
- Merchant Vessel.
- IAS
- Indicated Air Speed.
- L/A/A
- Light Anti-Aircraft fire.
Expanded Abbreviations
Lieutenant Colonel J.F. "Jack" Britz, D.F.C.: The Officer Commanding (OC) of No. 21 Squadron. Britz led this long-range strike into Yugoslavia personally in aircraft 356Z. This was the squadron's second operational mission of the day, following a morning strike in Italy, demonstrating his tireless leadership style.
Split, Yugoslavia (Modern Split, Croatia): A major port city on the Dalmatian coast. In late 1943, Split was a critical logistics hub for German forces attempting to suppress the Yugoslav Partisan resistance and maintain control of the Adriatic.