Sortie Report (Form 541)
- Date
- 15 March 1944
TO : H.Q. MAAF (attention 23rd SCORU)H.Q. NATAF (attention 2nd Command Unit 23rd SCORU)SAOA SAAFFROM : SIO 21 SQUADRON SAAFREF : 21S/590DATE : 15 March 1944OPREP No.590 for period ending 2100 Hrs on 15/3/44REF MAP ITALY Sheet 133 ASCOLI PICENO13 Baltimores were airborne at 1230 Hrs from BIFERNO L/G to bomb SAN BENEDETTO RR STN. One a/c crashed on taking off (Cat.11) and another returned with engine trouble after 35 minutes. After R/V over base with 223 Sqdn, formation set course at 1305 Hrs and attacked in two boxes at 1340 Hrs from about 15000' on a course of 200-240°. Formation was briefed to bomb on box leaders. Due to temporary failure of the leaders intercom. during the run-up (bomb doors consequently opening late) and 2nd box leader experiencing difficulty in fully opening bomb doors, the entire formation overshot. The majority of the bombs fell in salvoes from B-900831 - B900832, while others fell in the harbour, target area and sea after turn off. All a/c returned to base by 1420 Hrs.8 Spitfires provided area cover. Visibility and weather good over target intense and accurate H/A encountered during attack, particularly from B900805, 907802, 890868 880830 and from hills SOUTH of target. 4 a/c holedB: (1) 10 Balts IV(ii) NIL(1) 2 Balts IIIA(ii) NIL(1) 1 Balts V(ii) NILC: NILD: (1) 15.25 Hrs(ii) NIL(1) 2.20 Hrs(ii) NIL(1) 1.45 Hrs(ii) NILE: (1) 32000 x .303000 x .3037000 x .50(ii) & (iii) NIL(1) 6400 x .30600 x .3031400 x .50(ii) & (iii) NIL(1) 3200 x .30300 x .303700 x .50(ii) & (iii) NILF: (1) 20 x 500 MC30 x 250 GP(ii) 18 x 500 MC27 x 250 GP(iii) & (iv) NIL(1) 4 x 500 MC6 x 250 GP(ii) 2 x 500 MC3 x 250 GP(iii) & (iv) NIL(1) 2 x 500 MC3 x 250 GP(ii) As above(iii) & (iv) NILAll fuzed 47 Det 27 Pist (nose) 49 Det 28 Pist (tail)G: (i) 1 Mk.IV Cat.11. 4 Mk.IV Cat.1.to Z: NILW: (i) 1 Mk.4(ii) NILX: .30 Minutes (ii) NILZ: NIL.S.L. Boshoff Ltfor Capt.SIO 21 Squadron, S.A.A.F.
Transcriber's Notes
- SIO
- Squadron Intelligence Officer. 54 Verification: Target File Verification: The document is dated 17th March 1944 in the "DATE" field. It is a Sortie Report (No. 591) detailing a mission flown on March 16th, 1944 (as noted in the "period ending" line).
- RR STN
- Railroad Station.
- Cat.11
- Aircraft destroyed/Write-off.
- H/A
- Heavy Anti-Aircraft fire.
Operational Disaster (San Benedetto Raid #2):
Targeting Data:
Aircraft Losses:
In addition to the Cat.11 crash, 4 aircraft were holed by flak (Cat.1 damage). Combined with the 7 aircraft damaged in the morning raid, 21 Squadron had effectively had its operational strength hammered in a single day (12 aircraft damaged or destroyed out of ~18-24 daily serviceable).
Abbreviations: