Operation

BA: MANOPPELLO RR STATION & Yds G051113 BB: 1442/1445 A Hrs BC: Medium level bombing attack 360°/010° 10100/10400' 24 x 500 MC 49 Det 27 Pistol 36 x 250 GP do do BD: Boxes bombed independently on their respective Leader, almost line astern. Bombs from G051112 to G052118 4 direct hits on Railway track One direct hit cross-roads G052116 Good concentration of bombs on Rd and nearby buildings BE: NIL BF: NIL BG: Verticals and Obliques of bomb bursts BH: 15/20 bursts H/A/A target area directed at 223 Sqdn 5 Railway trucks stationary in S. VALENTINO 4 " " " " C002058 10/12 M.T. stationary facing NORTH on Rd GUARDIAGRELE - MANOPPELLO 5 M.T. stationary CATIGNANO Scattered M.T. on Rd facing NORTH C037135 Some M.T. moving SOUTH C050150 2 M.T. moving SOUTH B9905 AIRCRAFT AND CREW LIST. 643M MAJOR ORD LT HODGES F/SGT BOUCHER CAPT BAIZ 441F LT FROST LT WHITE F/SGT CARTER A/SGT ALLAN 576O LT MURMAN LT WILLIAMS F/SGT ODENDAAL A/SGT STEWART 645J CAPT V.D RIET LT RIVE F/SGT SAVAGE A/SGT SCOTT 412B LT HEWITT LT HORWITZ F/SGT KIDNEY A/SGT ECKEN 637C LT ASHTON LT ROSE F/SGT HARMSE A/SGT BROUGH 612T MAJOR DALLING DFC. LT McARAVEY F/SGT FORRESTER A/SGT BUCHLER 467D LT HILL LT PEITERS F/SGT V.D. WESTHUIZEN A/SGT JENKINS 437N LT BENNETT LT HARLE 2/LT STRYDOM F/O GILDON 649U CAPT DE WET LT MELTZ 2/LT DU PREEZ A/SGT PEENS 167S LT ASKEW LT LAMBERT F/SGT GELDENHUYS A/SGT CRAWHALL 414P CAPT DIEU LT VANDE PUTTE F/SGT BAILEY F/SGT DU RANT PL YL BL VL

1944-02-03

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Form 541

MAP

Transcriber's Notes

Transcriber's Notes: * Operational Tactics: * "Almost line astern": The bombing tactic described ("Boxes bombed... almost line astern") indicates the aircraft were flying one behind the other (or in a very steep echelon) rather than in a broad "vic" formation. This was often done in narrow valleys or to ensure a precise "train" of bombs along a linear target like a railway track. * H/A/A (Heavy Anti-Aircraft): The report notes "15/20 bursts H/A/A target area directed at 223 Sqdn." This confirms that No. 223 Squadron (RAF) was operating alongside 21 Squadron on this raid. The fact that the flak was directed at the sister squadron suggests 21 Squadron may have benefited from the distraction. * Bombing Accuracy: The report claims "4 direct hits on Railway track" and a "Good concentration," verifying the success described in the War Diary entry for Feb 3rd. * Intelligence Sightings (Section BH): * M.T. (Mechanical Transport): The crews were actively scouting for German road movement. Sightings of trucks "stationary" or "moving SOUTH" provided HQ with clues about German supply flows. * Locations: * S. Valentino: San Valentino in Abruzzo Citeriore, a town southwest of the target. * Guardiagrele: A key town on the eastern slopes of the Maiella massif. Seeing trucks here indicated activity on the secondary roads supplying the Winter Line. * Catignano: A town to the north. * Personnel Observations: * Captain Baiz (Aircraft 643M): It is highly unusual to see a Captain listed in the fourth crew slot (typically the dorsal/ventral gunner position), which was usually manned by a Flight Sergeant or Air Sergeant. This could be Captain Baiz flying as a "passenger" to gain combat experience, or potentially a Gunnery Leader observing the mission. * F/O Gildon (Aircraft 437N): Flying Officer Gildon is listed here as a gunner. The diary entry for Feb 11th notes him as the "only R.A.F. aircrew member still with the Squadron" and that he departed R.T.U. (Returned to Unit/UK) shortly after this mission. * Major Dalling DFC (Aircraft 612T): The leader of the morning raid (Appendix A) is flying as a wingman/box leader in this afternoon raid, showing the high operational tempo for senior officers. * Capt. v.d. Riet (Aircraft 645J): Captain T.A.B. van der Riet flew this mission safely; he would be killed in action three weeks later on Feb 28th. * F/Sgt Geldenhuys (Aircraft 167S): This gunner would later lose his "Tin Trunk and Gas Mask" during the move to Biferno (as per the notice in Appendix R). * Capt. Dieu (Aircraft 414P): The pilot with the possibly Belgian/French connection mentioned in previous notes. * Codes (PL, YL, BL, VL): * The handwritten letters in the right margin (PL, YL, BL, VL) likely refer to Photographic Leader, Yellow Leader, Blue Leader, etc., designating the specific aircraft carrying cameras or leading sub-sections of the formation. 22 Verification: Target File Verification: The document is an "APPENDIX 'C'" containing "Squadron Routine Orders No. 7/44" dated 3rd February, 1944.