Sortie Report (Form 541)
BA: TROOPS AND GUNS — C353009.BB: 1330 Hrs LTBC: Medium level bombing, attack: Height 11500' Course 210º36 x 250 GP 43 Dets 27 Pistols (Rods)24 x 500 MC do doBD: Visibility was very good although smoke over target it wasclearly identified. Squadron attacked in boxes of six. No1 boxbombed from C364014 - 360011 scoring hits on a secondary road.No.2 box pattern started at C355014 where many direct hits wereobserved on the main road. TEN few bursts were seen in Target area.BE: NILBF: NILBG: Obliques and Verticals from 11500' on Course 210º. Speed 220 m.p.h.(I.A.S.)BH: 20 M.T. moving NORTH WEST on main Rds. at C 34401415 M.T. stationery facing SOUTH badly dispersed at C 345010At 1350 Hrs Ju.88 was observed at 20,000' over MANFREDONIA areaon approximately North-Westerly Course with two Spitfires afterit.AIRCRAFT AND CREW LIST.240O CAPT DUGMORE LT MASTERS 2/LT MAASDORP F/SGT ROGERS383W LT GREDER LT REES F/SGT GREYLING A/SGT AIREY167S CAPT V. BREDA LT NAUDE F/SGT GRATTON P/O GILDEN387R LT RICHARDS LT KIRBY F/SGT ROBBERTSE A/SGT McCRINDLE181T LT HILL LT PIETERS F/SGT V.D.WESTHUIZEN A/SGT JENKINSON181Y CAPT DIEU LT ROSE F/SGT BAILEY F/SGT DU RANT586B CAPT SAUNDERS P/O SMALLMAN LT POTGIETER A/SGT EARP-JONES545A LT ASKEW LT LAMBERT F/SGT GELDENHUYS LT V. SCHALKWYK426J LT WOOD LT NEL F/SGT JAMES A/SGT ROBERTSON578G CAPT JOB LT OWEN-HUGHES F/SGT JARVIS LT SHAW916K LT WITTE LT RUSHFORTH F/SGT EATON A/SGT MARAIS341L LT LONGMORE LT KENDAL F/SGT THEUNISSEN A/SGT MACKAY
Transcriber's Notes
- BA
- Target identification.
- BB
- Time of release.
- LT
- Local Time.
- BC
- Armament and release parameters.
- Rods
- Nose-extension rods utilized to trigger instantaneous detonation above ground level, maximizing fragmentation spread against personnel ("soft targets").
- BD
- Narrative strike assessment.
- BE
- Enemy air/ground opposition.
- BF
- Friendly losses/damage.
- BG
- Photographic parameters.
- I.A.S
- Indicated Air Speed.