Sortie Report (Form 541)
BA: Movements Roads. AVELLINO – GROTTAMINARDA – AVELLINOBB: 0342 Hrs LT to 0402 Hrs LTBC: Medium level bombing, Height 9/10000’24 x 250 G.P. 43 Det. 27 Pistols (Rods)BD: Target area was difficult to identify as the moon was obscured by mist. NO movement seen. 6 x 250 were dropped at N.6659 and 6 x 250 at N.6659 across secondary road, where explosions or flashes took place 30 to 100 yards from bomb bursts. The rest of the bombs fell in area N.7060 and N.8060 where one direct hit on road was observed.BE: NILBF: NILBG: NILBH: Army beacons NOT seen and flashes observed from Beacon area at 0320 Hrs, and appeared as if Beacons were being bombed. Beacon at SFERRO NOT seen.AIRCRAFT AND CREW LIST.356Z MAJOR STUART LT PAWSON 2/LT SCHUMANN LT HALL290C LT WOOD LT NEL F/SGT JANES SGT ROBERTSON195G LT MURMAN LT HANNING F/SGT ODENDAAL SGT STEWART383W LT GREDER LT MCARAVY F/SGT GREYLING 2/LT GROENEWALD
Transcriber's Notes
- LT
- Local Time.
- G.P
- General Purpose high-explosive bombs.
Expanded Military Abbreviations:
Observations on Individuals:
Location and Geography:
Grid Coordinates (N.6659, N.7060, N.8060): These refer to locations in the vicinity of Ariano Irpino and the secondary roads between Avellino and Grottaminarda.
Historical Context: