All A/C

APPENDIX "F" 236 TO : HQ MAAF (attention 23rd SCORU) HQ NATAF (attention 2nd Command Unit 23rd SCORU) FROM : SIO 21 Squadron, S.A.A.F. REF : 21S/656 DATE : 4th May, 1944 OPREP No 656 for period ending 13.00 hrs on 4/5/44 MAP REF ITALY 1:100,000 Sheet 141 Chieti 12 Balts airborne by 11.10 hrs from Biferno to attack STORES DUMP between B990247 and C 001252 (near Loreto). After R/V with 223 Sqdn over base, formation set course at 11.44 (21 leading) and bombed on box leaders at 12.11 hrs from 12000 ft. Pattern of first box resulted in a right lateral error from B992246 to B996248; second box also right lateral error finishing in eastern portion of target. All A/C down by 12.46 hrs. No escort. No enemy opposition. Target clear, visibility good B: (i) 8 Balts 1V (ii) NIL (i) 4 Balts V (ii) NIL C: NIL: D: (i) 12.40 hrs (ii) NIL (i) 06.20 hrs (ii) NIL E: (i) 25600 x .30 2400 x .303 5600 x .50 (ii) & (iii) NIL (i) 12800 x .30 1200 x .303 2800 x .50 (ii) & (iii) NIL F: (i) 16 x 500 MC 24 x 250 GP (ii) as above (iii) & (iv) NIL (i) 8 x 500 MC 12 x 250 GP (ii) as above (iii) & (iv) NIL FUSED: 52 det 44 pist Nose 36 det 28 pist Tail G to Z: NIL S.L. Boshoff Lt for Lt Col O.C. 21 Squadron, S.A.A.F.

1944-05-04

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Form 541

MAP

Transcriber's Notes

Transcriber's Historical & Tactical Notes: * Precision Issues (Lateral Error): * The Attack: This mission targeted a "STORES DUMP... near Loreto". 21 Squadron led the formation ("21 leading"), guiding 223 Squadron to the target. * Drift: The report admits to a systematic accuracy failure: "Pattern of first box resulted in a right lateral error... second box also right lateral error". A "lateral error" usually implies that the bombardier or pilot failed to correctly compensate for crosswinds (drift) during the bombing run. Despite the clear visibility and lack of enemy opposition ("No enemy opposition"), the bombs drifted right of the aiming point. While the second box managed to hit the "eastern portion of target," the first box likely missed the main concentration. * Operational Context: * Tempo: This raid ("Airborne by 11.10 hrs") was the second of the day. It followed the morning raid (Sortie 655) which was marred by a failed fighter rendezvous. Interestingly, for this midday raid, the report explicitly states "No escort". This suggests that after the morning's confusion, command authorized the mission to proceed without fighters, perhaps because the target (Loreto on the Adriatic coast) was considered lower risk than the inland targets near Rome, or because fighter resources were simply unavailable. * Ordnance: * Payload: The aircraft carried a mix of 500lb MC (Medium Capacity) and 250lb GP (General Purpose) bombs. This standard mixed load was designed to blast open warehouses (500lb) and fragment soft supplies/vehicles (250lb). * Abbreviations: * R/V: Rendezvous. * A/C: Aircraft. * MC: Medium Capacity (High Explosive). * GP: General Purpose. * pist: Pistol (fuse mechanism). * det: Detonator. * O.C.: Officer Commanding. 24 Verification: Target File Verification: The document is dated 4th May, 1944 in the "DATE" field. It is a Sortie Report (No. 657) labeled APPENDIX "G" (page number 237), detailing the mission flown on the afternoon of May 4th, 1944.