Sortie Report (Form 541)
BA: RIVISONDOLI (H055630)BB: 1031 A HrsBC: Medium level bombing: 14000'/240º.24 x 500 MC 49 Det 28 Pistol ) of which 2 x 500 and 3 x 250 were36 x 250 GP 49 Det 28 Pistol ) jettisoned at J7224 at 1035 A Hrs.BD: 5 A/C bombed 100/200 yards NORTH of target on course from H057633.NO bombs falling in village. 6 A/C hit target with compact stickonly 3/4 bombs falling outside village. One large red flash with alittle black smoke just NORTH of the centre of village. 3 columnsof blackish grey smoke from village seen on turn off.One A/C unable to catch up formation and jettisoned bombs at 1035A Hrs — J7224.BE: NILBF: NILBG: Obliques and Verticals of bomb burstsBH: GAMBERALE —> H173669 — seen burningGeneral MET movement in small numbers on main roads2 flashes as sheets of flame, NO smoke — H7267 at 1015 A Hrs.AIRCRAFT AND CREW LIST.437H MAJOR ORD LT HODGES 2/LT WALKER 2/LT DEVENISH916K LT FROST LT WHITE F/SGT CARTER A/SGT ALLAN426J CAPT JOB LT OWEN-HUGHES F/SGT JARVIS LT SHAW441F CAPT SAUNDERS XX P/O SMALLMAN LT POTGIETER A/SGT EARP-JONES240O CAPT DUGMORE LT MASTERS 2/LT MAASDORP F/SGT ROGERS181T LT ROBERTSON LT HANNING F/SGT DU PIESANIE F/SGT VALENTINE387R LT RICHARDS LT NEL F/SGT ROBBERTSE A/SGT McCRINDLE383W LT GREDER LT REES F/SGT GREYLING A/SGT AIREY445U CAPT VAN BREDA 2/LT NAUDE F/SGT GRATTON A/SGT ROBERTSON181Y CAPT DIEU LT ROSE F. F/SGT BAILEY F/SGT DU RANT
Transcriber's Notes
- A Hrs
- Army Hours (Standard military time used in the Mediterranean).
- A/C
- Aircraft.
- MET
- Motor Enemy Transport.
Expanded Abbreviations
Lieutenant Robertson and Lieutenant Hanning: Operating aircraft 181T. This veteran crew was a regular presence in the squadron's manifests. Tragically, they would be killed just ten days later in a takeoff accident at Tortorella on November 28, 1943. Location Information and Historical Context
Rivisondoli (H055630): A strategic mountain village (approx. 1,310 meters) in the Abruzzo region.