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Operation No. 360

JUNCTION OF ROADS IN PATERNO VILLAGE

Sunday, 1 August 1943

Over target: 1154 hrs Time: 11:54 hrs

Sortie Report (Form 541)

BA. JUNCTION OF ROADS IN PATERNO VILLAGE.BB. 1154 hrs LTBC. Medium level. Height 11000ft. Course 330°57 x 250 GP 47 Det 27 Pistol (Nose fused)10 x 250 GP 39 Det 37 Pistol (Tail fused)5 x 250 GP 35 Det 28 Pistol (Tail fused)BD. Formation attacked in two boxes of six each. No. 1 Box bombed SOUTH of SE Corner of village. Some bombs burst in village. No. 2 Box straddled target in good pattern. Buildings were hit and direct hits scored on road. A fire was started in village. The 11 sec delay bombs exploded as formation left target.BE. NIL.BF. NIL.BG. Obliques and Verticals of bomb bursts. Height 11000 ft. Course 330°. IAS 210.BH. (i) Rows of railway trucks and coaches from SFERRO-GERBINI in sidings, totalling approx. 150.(ii) Approx. 40 trucks and coaches in PATERNO NORTH Siding. One engine steam up.(iii) In station at ST MARIE DI LICODIA a train with engine steam up.(iv) Fires burning in NICOLIA area.LIST OF AIRCRAFT AND CREW.226H Capt. ORD, Lt. HODGES, F/Sgts. WALKER & DEVENISH. (FL)341L Lts. WILLMOTT & BORCHERDS, F/Sgts. LOOTS & WALBRIDGE (RAF)271F Lts. GUARD & WEBBER, F/Sgts. GREEN & 2/Lt. DE VILLIERS. (VL)195G Lts. A'BEAR & OWEN-HUGHES, 2/Lts. HARRISON & PICKUP. (VL)136M Lts. MURMAN & WALTERS, F/Sgt. ODENDAAL, Sgt. STEWART.179A Lts. ASKEW & LAMBERT, F/Sgt. GELDENHUYS, Sgt. CRAWHALL.167S Capt. SMIT, Lt. KAY, 2/Lts. PURDON & WRIGHT. (BL)291U Lts. HARGRAVE & REES, F/Sgts. JENSEN & BEDFORD.356Z Lts. SIMPSON & HANDLEY, F/Sgts. ROBERTS & SHEPPERSON.221Y Lts. EATON & McDERMOTT, F/Sgts. FREESTONE (NZAF) & VAN ROOYEN.387R Lts. RICHARDS & DE CONNICK, F/Sgt. ROBERTSE, Sgt. McGRINDLE.383W Lts. SMYTH & HANNING, F/Sgt. de PIESANIE, Sgt. LEISCHING.

Transcriber's Notes

LT
Local Time.
GP
General Purpose (bombs).
Det
Detonator.
SE
South-East.
IAS
Indicated Air Speed.
SFERRO-GERBINI
Sferro-Gerbini (rail line segment).
FL
Formation Leader.
RAF
Royal Air Force.
VL
Vic Leader (leader of a three-aircraft sub-formation).
BL
Box Leader (leader of a six-aircraft section).

Abbreviations and Technical Terms Expanded

ft: feet.

sec: second.

ST MARIE DI LICODIA: Santa Maria di Licodia.