Operation

BA : Create Road Block - B250235 - 252232 - (ANTRODOCO) BB : 1155 A Hrs. BC : Medium level bombing - 330º/13500' 24 x 500 M.C. 47 Dets 28 Pistols 36 x 250 G.P. " " " BD : Target well identified. Most bombs fell across Rd ANTRODOCO-RIETI with direct hit on and near misses on RR, and into S.W. corner of village. One explosion caused. One report states direct hits on RR and Rd ANTRODOCO-AQUILA, half mile S.E. of village. BE : 50/60 bursts H/A/A inaccurate from AQUILA (B5016) area - 5 flares seen near to large hospital, B4218 BF : NIL BG : Verticals of bombs bursts only BH : Large hospital B4218 20 + MET moving EAST on Road ANTRODOCO - AQUILA 11 MET moving NORTH OF ANTRODOCO 10 + MET moving North B9760 8 MET moving EAST B8343 Scattered MET elsewhere AQUILA aerodrome in good condition, grass surface, 3 unidentified A/C in S.E. corner One large Biplane on aerodrome N.W. TORTORELLA STAZ (89371) AIRCRAFT AND CREW LIST. * 437H11 MAJ. ORD LT HODGES F/SGT WALKER F/SGT DEVENISH * 341L LT WILLMOTT LT BORCHERDS F/SGT LOOTS F/SGT WALBRIDGE * 467D LT LONGMORE LT KENDALL F/SGT THEUNISSEN A/SGT MACKAY * 426J LT MURMAN LT WALTERS F/SGT ODENDAAL A/SGT STEWART * 356Z MAJ. STUART LT PAWSON F/SGT FREESTONE LT HALL * 181Y MAJ. COULL LT ROSE F. F/SGT PERKINS F/SGT van ROOYEN * 445U LT RICHARDS LT DE CONNICK F/SGT ROBBERTSE A/SGT McCRINDLE * 383W LT GREDER LT HANNING F/SGT GREYLING A/SGT LEISCHING * 586B CAPT SAUNDERS LT POTGIETER A/SGT EARP-JONES * 441F LT FROST LT NEL F/SGT CARTER A/SGT ALLEN * 181T LT BENNETT LT HARLE F/SGT STRYDOM P/O GILDEN * 167P CAPT DIEU P/O EDMEADES F/SGT OSWALD A/SGT JENKINSON

1943-11-01

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Form 541

MAP

Transcriber's Notes

Transcriber's Notes * Expanded Abbreviations: * BA / BB / BC / BD / BE / BF / BG / BH: Standardized Royal Air Force (R.A.F.) reporting codes for Target, Time, Weapons, Narrative, Enemy Opposition, Own Losses, Photography, and General Observations. * M.C. / G.P.: Medium Capacity / General Purpose bomb types. * Dets / Pistols: Detonators and mechanical firing mechanisms (Pistols). * Rd / RR: Road / Railroad. * S.W. / S.E. / N.W.: Southwest / Southeast / Northwest. * H/A/A: Heavy Anti-Aircraft fire (Flak). * MET: Motor Enemy Transport. * A/C: Aircraft. * MAJ. / CAPT / LT / P/O / 2/LT: Major / Captain / Lieutenant / Pilot Officer / Second Lieutenant. * F/SGT / A/SGT: Flight Sergeant / Acting Sergeant. * Observations on Individuals: * Major Ord: Acted as the Formation Leader in aircraft 437H. A recurring senior pilot in the squadron's operational records, he was responsible for leading this complex 12-aircraft strike into the Apennine Mountains. * Major Charles Stuart: Leading the second box in aircraft 356Z. Stuart was another mainstay of 21 Squadron leadership during the Italian campaign. * Captain Saunders: Leading a wing sub-formation in aircraft 586B. His crew includes Acting Sergeant Earp-Jones, who is frequently identified in the squadron's October 1943 missions. * Location Information and Historical Context: * Antrodoco, Italy: Located in the province of Rieti, Antrodoco was a vital strategic chokepoint where the Via Salaria met the road to L'Aquila. The mission successfully created a "Road Block" by hitting the intersection and the railroad lines, an essential tactic to stall German reinforcements moving towards the front. * L'Aquila (Aquila): The report identifies heavy but inaccurate anti-aircraft fire (50/60 bursts) originating from this major regional center. The observation of the "Aquila aerodrome" in good condition with unidentified aircraft in the corner (BH) provided valuable intelligence for future tactical strikes. * Tactical Interdiction: On November 1, 1943, Allied ground forces were pushing against the Bernhardt Line. Light bomber squadrons like No. 21 S.A.A.F. were tasked with destroying the infrastructure—bridges, roads, and rail lines—that the Germans relied on for their elastic defense. * Intelligence Gathering: The detailed observations of enemy vehicle movements (MET) on the roads around Antrodoco and the presence of a "large Biplane" at the Tortorella station highlight the secondary role of these bombing missions as high-altitude reconnaissance. 34 The date written in the 'Date' column to verify the document is 1st Nov 43.