Operation

List of Aircraft and Aircrew attached to Sortie Report No. 176, dated 22nd January, 1943. - 21 Squadron, S.A.A.F. * 949 AA Lt. Metcalf, Lt. Floor, F/Sgt. Forrest A., F/Sgt. Perkins. * 904 BB Capt. Budd, Sgt. Edmeades, P/O Cornelius, F/Sgt. Woods. * 940 V Lt. Col. Coppen, Lt. Farrant, F/Sgt. Bradfield, F/Sgt. Herbst. * 932 M Lt. Klette, Lt. Davies, F/Sgt. Carr, F/Sgt. Wisenberg. * 899 X Capt. Bell, Lt. Levi, F/Sgt. Kosviner, F/Sgt. Myburgh. * 176 YY Major Jandrell, Capt. Hatswell, F/Sgt. Morley, Lt. te Water Pohl. * 930 K Capt. Mouton, Lt. Simon, F/Sgt. Goodchild, F/Sgt. Champion. * 956 C Lt. Golding, Lt. Mulholland, F/Sgt. Green, F/Sgt. Pearce. * 942 G. Lt. Hotchkiss, Lt. Morrell, F/Sgt. Mamet, F/Sgt. Mills. * 916 SS Lt. Gardener, Lt. Kerr, F/Sgt. Lane, F/Sgt. Brown. * 920 O Capt. Cormack, Lt. Moore, F/Sgt. Finberg, F/Sgt. McGee. * 944 R Lt. Rich, Sgt. Smallman (R.A.F.) F/Sgt. Roberts, F/Sgt. Lovell-Wright.

1943-01-22

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Form 541

MAP

Transcriber's Notes

Phase 2: Technical Expansion (The "Transcriber's Notes") Glossary of Terms: * Sortie Report No. 176: The formal administrative record documenting the results of the squadron's nocturnal tactical operations conducted during the 24-hour cycle of 22–23 January 1943. * 21 Squadron, S.A.A.F.: No. 21 Squadron of the South African Air Force, a light bomber unit operating under the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces (MAAF) framework. * AA, BB, V, M, X, YY, K, C, G, SS, O, R: Tactical individual aircraft letters assigned to the Martin Baltimore light bombers of the unit. * R.A.F.: Royal Air Force. Personnel such as Sgt. Smallman were R.A.F. members integrated into S.A.A.F. crews to maintain operational strength. * Lt. Col. Coppen: Lieutenant Colonel Coppen, the Officer Commanding (OC) of 21 Squadron S.A.A.F.. * P/O: Pilot Officer. * F/Sgt.: Flight Sergeant. Operational Context: The manifest dated 22 January 1943 documents the personnel for a maximum-effort nocturnal interdiction mission conducted as the British Eighth Army finalized the liberation of Tripoli. Strategically, the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces (MAAF) were executing the final "road purification" of the Tripoli-Tunisia coastal artery to prevent the Afrika Korps from establishing a stable defensive line at the Tunisian border. The tactical objective for Sortie No. 176 involved twelve Martin Baltimore light bombers targeting Mechanical Transport (MT) concentrations on the road from Ras Agedir to Zuara. To reach these western sectors, the aircraft utilized the forward Landing Ground (L.G.) at Darragh North for refueling. The presence of the unit’s entire senior leadership—including the Squadron Commander (Lt. Col. Coppen), Major Jandrell, and several veteran Captains—underscores the critical nature of these final strikes to annihilate Axis mobility. During this operation, crews delivered 72 General Purpose bombs with nose rods ("daisy cutters") and 180 incendiaries, initiating seven massive fires. One fire southwest of Zuara was visible for 40 miles, signifying the destruction of significant fuel or ammunition stores. The return flight was marked by logistical hazards typical of the Western Desert, as eight aircraft were diverted to land at Landing Ground Chel due to multiple tyre bursts caused by the rocky surface of the primary airfield. This document, archived as Folio 59, provides the definitive personnel record of the crews that conducted the final tactical strikes in Libya prior to the transition into the Tunisian Campaign. 76 Phase 1: Verification & Extraction Identity Check: 23.1.43.