Number of own aircraft: Escort if any: "R"
POSTAGRAM
TO: HQ RAF ME
FROM: 21 SQDN. SAAF.
SERIAL NO: 298/21/Sqd.
DATE: 16 May 1943
OPREP NO 298 as at 1800 hrs on 16 May 43
A TO K NIL
COMMUNICATION: 2 Hours.
TOO. 1800 Hrs.
[Handwritten Signature]
........................Capt.
SIO. 21 Squadron, SAAF
SECRET COMBAT (BOMBER) REPORT Sub: Form 13
REFERENCE Pilot: Observer:
/CB/ Squadron: [Handwritten] 21
Duty on which engaged:
Place:
Number of own aircraft: Escort if any:
Date: : / /
Own formation when attacked
Time: hrs.
Height: feet.
(1) Type of enemy aircraft
or description:
(2) Number of enemy aircraft
and preparatory formation:
"R"
POSTAGRAM
TO: HQ RAF ME
FROM: 21 SQDN. SAAF.
SERIAL NO: 298/21/Sqd.
DATE: 16 May 1943
OPREP NO 298 as at 1800 hrs on 16 May 43
A TO K NIL
COMMUNICATION: 2 Hours.
TOO. 1800 Hrs.
[Handwritten Signature]
........................Capt.
SIO. 21 Squadron, SAAF
SECRET COMBAT (BOMBER) REPORT Sub: Form 13
REFERENCE Pilot: Observer:
/CB/ Squadron: [Handwritten] 21
Duty on which engaged:
Place:
Number of …
__o_O_o__
Form 541 Transcriber's Notes Phase 2: Technical Expansion
Glossary of Terms
* HQ RAF ME: Headquarters, Royal Air Force, Middle East.
* SAAF: South African Air Force.
* OPREP: Operational Report.
* A TO K: Standardized headings in an OPREP covering tactical data such as Target (A), Number of Aircraft (B), Type of Attack (C), and Results (D).
* TOO: Time of Origin.
* SIO: Squadron Intelligence Officer.
Operational Context
The "NIL" return for Operational Report No. 298 on 16 May 1943 documents the continued operational stand-down of 21 Squadron SAAF following the total cessation of hostilities on the Tunisian mainland on 13 May 1943. Based at El Djem Main, the squadron had transitioned from intensive tactical interdiction of the 90th Light Division to a state of administrative maintenance and logistical preparation for future Mediterranean operations.
Strategically, this pause allowed for the assessment of aircrew strength and aircraft serviceability after weeks of high-tempo missions. While combat sorties against North African targets had concluded, the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces (MAAF) were concurrently analyzing intelligence from recent strikes on Pantelleria to refine the blockade strategy of Operation Corkscrew. The specific entry for "COMMUNICATION: 2 Hours" likely refers to the operational readiness status or a specific window of signal activity during this period of relative inactivity. This archival entry captures the squadron during the brief celebratory and reorganization phase immediately following the final Allied victory in North Africa.
143
Phase 1: Verification & Extraction
Identity Check: [Handwritten] : / / [No date specified in the 'Date' fields]
Phase 2: Technical Expansion
Glossary of Terms
* SECRET: High-level security classification for military documents containing information that could cause serious injury to national security if disclosed.
* COMBAT (BOMBER) REPORT: A standardized technical debriefing document used by aircrews to record engagements with enemy aircraft.
* Sub: Form 13: A specific sub-category or variant of the standard combat reporting forms used by Allied air forces.
* REFERENCE /CB/: Combat Report reference prefix.
* Squadron: 21: 21 Squadron, South African Air Force (SAAF).
Operational Context
Target File 275__143.jpg represents a blank Combat (Bomber) Report template, specifically Form 13, utilized by 21 Squadron SAAF during the Mediterranean campaign. This document was the primary mechanism for collecting high-fidelity tactical intelligence regarding enemy fighter capabilities and tactics.
While this specific sheet is unpopulated, its inclusion in the squadron’s operational records reflects the high intensity of aerial opposition encountered by the squadron's Martin Baltimore formations. For instance, during the May 1943 period, 21 Squadron was heavily engaged in strikes against Pantelleria (Operation Corkscrew), where they faced consistent attacks from Luftwaffe and Regia Aeronautica interceptors, including Messerschmitt Bf 109 Fs and Macchi C.202s.
The fields on this form were designed to capture critical technical data points:
* Duty on which engaged: The specific mission type (e.g., medium-level bombardment).
* Own formation when attacked: To analyze if tactical formations like the "Vic stepped down" provided adequate mutual defense.
* Type and Number of enemy aircraft: To track the presence of specific units and aircraft types (e.g., FW 190s or Mc 202s) in the theater.
The archival significance of this template lies in its role as a precursor to the detailed combat narratives found in operational reports (OPREPs), such as the engagement on 8 May 1943, where 21 Squadron aircrews successfully destroyed one Macchi C.202 and damaged two others while under attack from five enemy fighters.
144
Phase 1: Verification & Extraction
Identity Check: 17 May 1943
