TORTORELLA

R.A.F. Form 441 A. SORTIE REPORT (Part A.) Sheet No. 1 Oprep. Ref. No. 459 Date. 26 Nov 43 Squadron. 21 SAAF No. of Aircraft. 12 Baltimores (7 Mk. 4, 3 Mk. 3A, 2 Mk. 3) Aircraft No. ) Aircraft Letter. ) See over Captain. CAPT DUGMORE Crew. LT MASTERS Formation Leader Time Up. 1240 A Hrs 1st Aircraft Time Down. 1408 A Hrs Last Aircraft Total Time. 16.00 Hours Aerodrome or L.G. TORTORELLA Type of Cloud. Cu Amount of Cloud. 1/10 over mountains inland areas only Visibility. Very good General Weather. Good Map or Chart Reference. 1:500,000 NE/42/14 1:100,000 LANCIANO Sheet 147 Target or Duty. MEDIUM LEVEL BOMBING - GUNS AND TROOPS AT C353009 | Height. | Place. | Narrative. | |---|---|---| | — | BASE | A/B | | 3000 | BASE | S/c TERMOLI | | 9000 | TERMOLI | | | 11000 | PENNA PT | Circuit executed to enable formation to reach target at 1330 Hrs LT. | | 13000 | FOSSACESIA 7 Miles | Turning onto target | | 11700 | C353009 | Bombed 210º Approximately | | 9000 | PAGLIETA | S/c BASE Losing height | | 2000 | BASE | | | | | Landed | | | | Last aircraft landed | (Sgd) J.E. Bennett Capt. SIO 21 Squadron, S.A.A.F.

1943-11-26 TORTORELLA

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Form 541

MAP

Transcriber's Notes

Transcriber's Notes Expanded Abbreviations * R.A.F.: Royal Air Force * SAAF / S.A.A.F.: South African Air Force * Oprep. Ref. No.: Operational Report Reference Number * Mk.: Mark (designating the version of the Martin Baltimore aircraft) * CAPT / LT: Captain / Lieutenant * A/B: Airborne * L.G.: Landing Ground * Cu: Cumulus (cloud type) * S/c: Set course * PT: Point * Hrs LT: Hours Local Time * SIO: Senior Intelligence Officer * Sgd: Signed Observations on Individuals * Captain Dugmore: Acted as the Formation Leader for this 12-aircraft strike. Dugmore was a mainstay of the squadron's leadership during the Italian campaign, frequently tasked with coordinating complex tactical strikes against front-line German positions. * Lieutenant Masters: Served as the regular observer/navigator for Captain Dugmore. The Dugmore/Masters lead crew was responsible for the precision timing noted in the narrative, where they executed a circuit over Penna Point to ensure they reached the target at a coordinated "Zero Hour" of 1330. * Captain J.E. Bennett: Signed the report as the Senior Intelligence Officer (SIO). Bennett's role was critical for debriefing crews and compiling accurate tactical data for Wing and Desert Air Force (DAF) headquarters. Location Information and Modern Geography * Mozzagrogna (C353009): The target coordinate refers to the village of Mozzagrogna in the Abruzzo region. It sits on a strategic ridge overlooking the Sangro River valley. * Modern Name: Today, Mozzagrogna remains a prominent hilltop municipality. The ridge it occupies remains a significant geographic feature within the Costa dei Trabocchi. * Punta della Penna (Penna PT): A prominent headland near Vasto used by 21 Squadron as a primary navigational "gate" for strikes along the Adriatic coast. * Paglieta: A village used as an egress waypoint. Located across the Sangro valley from Mozzagrogna, Paglieta today is a thriving town known for its agricultural production and views of the Majella mountains. * Tortorella Landing Ground (Foggia No. 2): The home base for 21 Squadron. Now largely agricultural land, the site is located just east of the modern Foggia "Gino Lisa" Airport. Historical Context * The Battle of the Sangro: This mission on November 26, 1943, was a direct tactical strike supporting the British Eighth Army's major offensive to cross the Sangro River and break the German Bernhardt Line. * Tactical Coordination: The narrative entry for 11,000 feet ("Circuit executed to enable formation to reach target at 1330 Hrs LT") is highly significant. It indicates that this raid was part of a tightly coordinated air-ground "time on target" strike, likely synchronized with a major artillery barrage or a ground assault by the 8th Indian or 2nd New Zealand Divisions. * Operational Weather: Visibility was "Very good," a rare respite during the increasingly muddy and rain-swept Italian autumn of late 1943. This allowed the Martin Baltimore bombers to release their ordnance from the precise altitude of 11,700 feet while steering a course of 210º. * Interdiction Tactics: The focus on "Guns and Troops" at Mozzagrogna underscores the target's role as a primary defensive strongpoint that blocked the Allied advance toward Lanciano. Would you like me to proceed with the transcription of the reverse side of this report, 276-2__75.jpg? 75 The verification date for the target image 276-2__75.jpg is 26 Nov 43. This image serves as the reverse side (Part B) of the Sortie Report initiated on the previous page.