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Operation No. 801

Aircraft: H Time: 21:00 hrs

Sortie Report (Form 541)

Date
21st AUGUST, 1944
APPENDIX "H"114TO : H.Q. M.A.A.F (ATTENTION SCORU): H.Q. TAF ITALY (ATTENTION SCORU).: SAOS S.A.A.F.FROM : S.I.O. 21 SQUADRON S.A.A.F.REF. : S9/21//801DATE : 21st AUGUST, 1944OPREP NO. 801 FOR THE 24 HOURS ENDING 2100 HRS. L.T. ON THE 20th AUGUST, 1944REF. MAP:- ITALY 1:100,000 SHEET 76 FERRARAOPERATION NO. 5/21/MA. : 12 Marauders airborne from PESCARA by 0845 Hrs. to attack thePORTO MAGGIORE M/YARDS at M.258698. Two A/C returned after1.45 & 1.00 hrs. respectively and meanwhile reserve was des-patched at 0915 hrs. which caught the formation at PESARO, atwhich point 14 puffs of inaccurate H/A/A were directed at thisA/C just prior to joining formation. Of the two U/S A/C onejettisoned bombs 12M-ANCONA-20 and the other brought bombsback. After R/V at FALCONARA with a close escort of 8 Spit-fires, main formation set course at 0949 hrs. and attacked inboxes line astern at 1023 from 11,000 feet on a course ofabout 260º. Stick of first box straddled S.E. portion ofyards, where explosions with orange coloured smoke resulted;bulk of bombs overshot along a road leading S.W. of target,where large explosions with black smoke was obtained in trees.Second box continued first's pattern into open country.9 x 1000 jettisoned 1 x 1000 brought back.No enemy opposition. Eleven A/C down by 1142 hrs.Visibility hazy, but clear over target (cloud)B. : (i) 13 Marauders 111 (ii) NilC. : (i) 4 (ii) NilD. : (i) 32.20 hrs (ii) NilE. : (i) 49400 x .50 (ii) & (iii) NilF. : (i) 52x1000 (ii) 38x1000 (iii) 9x1000 (iv) NilG) V : NilH. : (i) 2 Marauder 111 (ii) NilX. : (i) 1.10 hrs. (ii) NilY – Z : Nil(Signed) S.L. Boschoff w-for Capt.S.I.O. 21 SQUADRON S.A.A.F.

Transcriber's Notes

H.Q. M.A.A.F
Headquarters, Mediterranean Allied Air Forces.
SCORU
Special Central Operational Reporting Unit.
TAF
Tactical Air Force.
S.I.O
Squadron Intelligence Officer.
OPREP
Operational Report.
M/YARDS
Marshalling Yards.
A/C
Aircraft.
H/A/A
Heavy Anti-Aircraft fire.
U/S
Unserviceable.
R/V
Rendezvous.

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