Sortie Report (Form 541)
- Date
- 9th APRIL, 1945
APPENDIX "I"205FROM : S.I.O. 21 SQUADRON S.A.AF.TO : W.I.O. 3 WING S.A.A.F.H.Q. M.A.A.F. ( ATTENTION OPERATIONS RECORDS)H.Q. M.A.T.A.F. ( SCORU)REF. : 21S/994DATE : 9th APRIL, 1945OPREP NO. 994 FOR THE PERIOD ENDING 2100 HRS. ON THE 8th APRIL, 1945 REF. MAP ITALY 1:100,000 SHEET - 65 - ADRIA.
<u>OPERATION NO. 187/21S/M.</u>
A : 8 A/C in two boxes, plus 2 Anti-Flak A/C airborne between1610 hrs. and 1820 hrs. to attack the CAVANELLA Sugar Refinery atG. 544062. Both Boxes straddled centre of the target withexcellent patterns from 12000' at 1720 hrs. on a course of030º. One Anti-Flakship's pattern started with an undershoot,but finished in gunpositions; pattern of the other unobserved,but results presumed to be good due to good run-up and release.Slight fairly accurate H.A.A. from target area; one A/C hitin Starboard engine - landed at CESENATICO, ran off runway,extensively damaged - A/C Cat. II. Weather over the targetwas good with fair visibility.B : (1) 10 Marauders III (ii) NilC : (1) & (ii) Nil21. 35D : (1) 22.20 hrs (ii) NilE : (1) 34,000 x .50 (ii) & (iii) NilF : (1) 48 x 500 ANN/64 (ii) as in (1) : (iii) & (iv)32 x 250 ANM/57 48 Pkts Pamp. Nil384 x 20 Lbs clusters 684 Lbs Window DroppedG : (1) Nil (ii) 1 Marauder III - Cat. II.H to V: NilW : (1) 1 Marauder III (ii) NilX : (1) 0.30hrs (ii) NilY to Z: Nil S.L. Boshoff [handwritten signature] ___-------------------- Capt. S.I.O. 21 SQUADRON S.A.A.F.9702SA 21 | 531 8 APR 45 F14 || HH G 5406 11300 1721 B II P
Transcriber's Notes
- S.I.O
- Squadron Intelligence Officer, Capt. S.L. Boshoff.
- 3 WING S.A.A.F
- No. 3 Wing SAAF, the higher administrative and tactical formation overseeing the squadron’s Martin Marauder operations during the spring of 1945.
- SCORU
- South African Operations Records Unit.
- OPREP NO. 994
- Operational Report number 994, documenting activity for the period ending 21:00 hours on 8th April 1945.
- H.A.A
- Heavy Anti-Aircraft fire.
- 21 SQUADRON S.A.A.F
- No. 21 Squadron, South African Air Force, a medium bomber unit.
- F14
- Focal length of the camera lens (14 inches) used for high-altitude vertical strike photography.
- HH G 5406
- Map reference G. 5406 (specifically identifying the coordinates for the Cavanella Sugar Refinery) on the Adria 1:100,000 Sheet 65.
- B II P
- Box II, Pilot. Indicates the vertical strike photograph was captured from the pilot's aircraft in the second four-plane formation (Box II) during the bombing run.
MC/GP (Medium Capacity / General Purpose): Allied aerial ordnance classifications. The squadron utilized American GP fuzed bombs for this mission.
MC/GP (Medium Capacity / General Purpose): Standard Allied high-explosive ordnance. For this mission, the squadron utilized ANN/64 (500 lb) and ANM/57 (250 lb) GP fuzed bombs.