BARDIA

SECRET "X" BOMBING REPORT 14 16 Pilot : Observer : 2/Lt. Wolhuter 21 Squadron REFERENCE / Maj Britz A/Sgts. Earnshaw and Petterson Squadron : S. A. A. F. BR Details of Target : DUMPS A & B 5 MILES NORTH WEST OF Place : BARDIA BARDIA Date : 24 / 9 / 41 Time : 1305 hrs. Weather : 4/10 CLOUDS 9000 ft. Height : 20000 feet. (1) Bombs dropped : (2) Failures : 8 X 250 lbs. NIL (3) Observed effects : EXPLOSIONS ACROSS SOUTH WEST CORNER OF TARGET "A" (4) Details of photographs taken : NIL (5) Casualties to own aircraft and personnel : NIL (6) Casualties to enemy aircraft and personnel : UNKNOWN (7) Enemy A.A. ground defences encountered (a) location of defences (b) type (c) strength : NON OBSERVED (8) Hostile patrols encountered (a) position (b) type and number of aircraft (c) if engagement resulted : NO ENGAGEMENTS (9) Special comments : NOTED 24 X 250 lb. BOMBS ( FLIGHT 3 MACHINES ); OVERSHOOT TARGET ON COURSE X 220 ONE STICK 8 X 250 lbs. ACROSS TARGET SIGNED 2/Lt. Wolhuter. NOTE — (1) For intelligence purposes RECONNAISSANCE REPORT (A. M. FORM 401) must always accompany a BOMBING REPORT. (2) COMBAT (BOMBER) REPORT also to be completed if engagement with enemy aircraft occurred during flight.

1941-09-24 BARDIA

__o_O_o__

Form 541

20,000ft.

MAP

Baltimore

2/Lt. Wolhuter Observer

Transcriber's Notes

Phase 2: Technical Expansion (The "Transcriber's Notes") Glossary of Terms * 21 SQUADRON S.A.A.F.: No. 21 Squadron, South African Air Force. During late 1941, this unit was a premier light/medium bomber component of the Western Desert Air Force, operating from advanced landing grounds in Egypt to interdict Axis supply hubs in Libya. * A.A.: Anti-Aircraft artillery. * BA-BH (MARTIN BALTIMORE): A twin-engine medium bomber manufactured by Glenn L. Martin. While the squadron converted to the Baltimore in early 1942, during this September 1941 mission, they were equipped with the Martin Maryland (e.g., No. 1659 "X"), the direct technical predecessor to the Baltimore. * BARDIA: A strategic coastal fortress and logistical bottleneck in Cyrenaica, critical for the sustainment of the German-Italian frontier defensive line. * MC/GP (MEDIUM CAPACITY / GENERAL PURPOSE): Standard Allied demolition munitions. The aircraft in this mission carried a load of 8 x 250 lbs General Purpose bombs. * MET: Meteorological section or data. The report cites 4/10 cloud cover at 9,000 feet, which allowed for visual aiming from 20,000 feet but partially obscured the wider target area. Operational Context Target File 272_16 provides the technical Bombing Report for Martin Maryland "X," piloted by Maj. Britz, during the high-level horizontal bombing raid of 24th September 1941. The strategic objective was the destruction of Dumps "A" & "B", located 5 miles northwest of Bardia. These supply caches were vital logistical nodes for Rommel's Panzergruppe Afrika, and their degradation was a prerequisite for the success of Operation Crusader, the upcoming Allied winter offensive. The mission was executed from a high-altitude ceiling of 20,000 feet at 13:05 hours. Technical data indicates the successful release of the full stick of 8 x 250 lb. bombs with no mechanical failures. The observer, 2/Lt. Wolhuter, reported explosions concentrated across the southwest corner of Target "A". Notably, the "Special Comments" provide a wider tactical analysis of the three-machine flight, observing that while one stick successfully bracketed the target, other sticks (totaling 24 bombs) overshot the primary mark on a bearing of 220°. Execution constraints involved unescorted flight in the face of potential Luftwaffe interception. Although no hostile patrols or A.A. fire were observed by this specific crew, the 100% serviceability and lack of casualties across the nine-aircraft formation underscore the technical discipline maintained by 21 Squadron during this intensive interdiction phase. The signature of 2/Lt. Wolhuter authenticates this document as a primary record for the Air Historical Branch, contributing to the damage assessment of the 18,000 lbs of total ordnance dropped by the squadron during the day's operations. 17 Phase 1: Verification & Extraction Identity Check: 23. 9. 41.