Operation

BA : STAZ DI PALENA H087682 BB: From 1545 A Hrs to 1550 A Hrs BC: Medium level bombing. 13200/15000' Co. 040º/030º 23 x 500 MC 43 Det 27 Pistol 31 x 250 GP do do (Rods) 3 x 250 GP 52 Det 37 Pistol ( 6 Hour Delay) 2 x 250 GP do do (12 Hour Delay) BD: Weather clear with haze over target and 1/10 cloud over mountain tops. Target identified and leader did dummy run owing to sun striking perspex on run up. Second box carried and bombed. First box bombed later. Bombs fell in short sticks, H088678 - 092677 - majority fell Just SOUTH of station with slight overshoot. Direct hits on RR. near Rd and RR junction. Bursts also seen WEST of RR Rd N.E. of station. BE: NIL BF: 1 A/C sustained small hole in Observers perspex at J0068 at 1604 A Hrs. Cause unknown. NO E/A visible. Spitfire cover still with formation BG: Obliques and verticals of bomb bursts BH: 6 MET moving NORTH on Rd N.W. PESCOCOSTANZO, 10 MET area H0969 close together facing NORTH - later moving. 6/10 MET moving SOUTH towards VILLA SAN MARIA. Fires seen in villages ATELETA, QUADRI, ALFEDENA, ROCCARASO, and CAPRACOTTA and 12 among hills WEST of QUADRI AIRCRAFT AND CREW LIST. 167S CAPT SMIT LT KAY LT PURDON A/SGT SCHOOMBIE 181T LT BENNETT LT HARLE 2/LT STRYDOM P/O GILDEN 356Z LT MURMAN LT WALTERS F/SGT ODENDAAL A/SGT STEWART 387R LT RICHARDS LT DE CONNICK F/SGT ROBBERTSE A/SGT McCRINDLE 181Y LT HILL LT PIETERS F/SGT V.D. WESTHUIZEN A/SGT JENKINSON 240O LT ROBERTSON LT HANNING F/SGT DU PIESANIE A/SGT LEISCHING 467D LT LONGMORE LT KENDAL F/SGT THEUNISSEN A/SGT MACKAY 426J CAPT JOB LT OWEN-HUGHES F/SGT JARVIS F/SGT JAKES 441F LT FROST LT NEL F/SGT CARTER A/SGT ALLAN 545A LT HEWITT LT HORWITZ F/SGT KIDNEY A/SGT BOWEN 916K LT WITTE LT RUSHFORTH W/SGT EATON A/SGT MARAIS