Sortie Report (Form 541)
- Date
- 20th March, 1945
APPENDIX "P"118From : S.I.O. 21 Squadron S.A.A.F.To : H.Q. M.A.A.F. ( Attention Operations Records)H.Q. M.A.T.A.F.( SCORU)W.I.O. 3 Wing S.A.A.F.Ref. : 970/21SDate : 20th March, 1945.Oprep No. 970 for the period 1300 to 2100 Hrs on the 19th March, 1945Ref. Map Italy 1:100,000 Sheet 39 - PORDENONE.Operation No. 172/21S/M.A : 11 Marauders airborne from JESI L/G between 1530 and1820 hrs to bomb an Ammunition Dump at C 186092. AfterR/V at Bellaria at 8000' with an escort of 8 Spits,formation set course for target and bombed at 1704 hrs.from 11000'. Bombs from 1st and 3rd Boxes straddledthe dump with 70% of Bombs causing several large ex-plosions and fires with smoke to appx. 4000'. Secondbox had a slight left lateral error, stick fallingalong road on south end of the target. Target considereddestroyed. Moderate accurate H/A/A from Target area.General weather good and visibility fair.2 Marauders airborne between 1541 and 1812 hrs. tobomb gunpositions at C 133111 (4 Guns) and C 174063 (8 Guns)Bombs aimed at 1st position fell 100 to 150 yards east of [XXXX]target. Second A/C ran its stick right through the 8Gun Positions. There was no firing from this positionbefore or after bombing. Slight inaccurate H/A/A experienced.Bombing was at 1700 hrs. from 10,500' to 11000'.B : (1) 13 Marauders III (ii) NilC : (1) & (ii) NilD : (1) 35.15 hrs. (ii) NilE : (1) 44,200 x .50 (ii) NilF : (1) 66 x 500 Fused 30-51 Tail (Demo) (ii) as in (1)44 x 250 " " " " 432 lbs window384 x 20 Frag. 7 Packets Pamp.(iii) & (iv) NilG to V : NilW : (1) 3 Marauders III (ii) NilX : (1) 3.40 Hrs (ii) Nil.Y to Z : Nil.S.L. Boschoff [Signed]Capt.S.I.O. 21 SQUADRON S.A.A.F.Handwritten Marginalia / Stamps:
Folio Number: 118 (Handwritten, Top Right).
Reference Stamp:The National Archives' reference AIR 27/271/3
Transcriber's Notes
- S.I.O
- Squadron Intelligence Officer. Captain S.L. Boschoff was tasked with mission debriefing and OPREP compilation.
- JESI L/G
- Jesi Landing Ground, Italy; the operational base for 21 Squadron in March 1945.
- R/V
- Rendezvous; the tactical coordination point at Bellaria for formation assembly with the 8 Spitfire escorts.
- Spits
- Supermarine Spitfire fighter aircraft provided for top-cover and escort.
MC/GP (Medium Capacity / General Purpose): Standard high-explosive ordnance, typically 500 lb and 250 lb variants, carried by SAAF crews to destroy hardened tactical targets such as ammunition caches.