(iii) 0402 hrs over FAVIGNANA IS., 0403/0409 hrs LT.

P O S T A G R A M. 40 To : HQ.RAF.ME. From : SIO. 21 SQUADRON. SAAF. Serial No : 21S/334. Date : 11 JUL 43. OPREP NO. 334 for period ending 1800 hrs 11 JUL 43. A. TRAPANI-MILO A/D (REF MAP SICILIA 1:500,000 NE 36/12) B. 3 BALTIMORES IIIA. C. (i) Level Bombing (ii) 6500' over FAVIGNANA IS., 9200/11000' over target. (iii) 0402 hrs over FAVIGNANA IS., 0403/0409 hrs LT. D. (i) 11 x 500 GP (6 x 11secs, 2 x 39 Det. 6 hrs, 3 x 37 Pistol 12hrs) tail fused. 200 Crowsfeet. (ii) NIL. (iii) One aircraft jettisoned 1 bomb in sea due to inability to gain height, then dropped 3 bombs over FAVIGNANA IS. and returned to base. Fire on slope of Mt. S. GUILIANO made raid target visible to one aircraft, other bombed on ETA. Crowsfeet dropped after last bomb. 2 bombs seen to explode. NO results observed. One Bomb NOT dropped. E.F.G. NIL. H. (i) 0255 hrs LT. (ii) 7 hrs 45 mins. J. Cumulus 4/10 scattered. Top 3000'. Hazy on route. Fair visibility over target. K. 3/4 HAA near target inaccurate. 6 S/Ls over LG for few minutes, 15/20 S/Ls and intense HAA over TRAPANI HARBOUR. Comm: 15 mins. TOO 1800 hrs 11JUL 43. (Signature: G.W. Thompson) Lt. for Capt. SIO. 21 SQUADRON SAAF.

1943-07-11

__o_O_o__

Form 541

MAP

Transcriber's Notes

TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES * Abbreviations and Technical Terms Expanded: * HQ.RAF.ME.: Headquarters, Royal Air Force, Middle East. * SIO: Squadron Intelligence Officer. * SAAF: South African Air Force. * OPREP: Operational Report. * hrs LT: hours Local Time. * A/D: Aerodrome. * FAVIGNANA IS.: Favignana Island. * GP: General Purpose (bombs). * Det: Detonator. * ETA: Estimated Time of Arrival. * HAA: Heavy Anti-Aircraft. * S/Ls: Searchlights. * LG: Landing Ground. * TOO: Time of Origin. * Route and Navigational Observations: * Waypoints: The formation used Favignana Island as a critical waypoint, crossing it at 0402 hrs LT at an altitude of 6,500 ft before climbing to 9,200–11,000 ft for the final run into the target. * Visual Aids: One aircraft was able to identify the target due to a fire burning on the slope of Mount San Giuliano (now Mount Erice), while the others were forced to bomb on a calculated ETA due to visibility conditions. * In-flight Issues: The report details a significant struggle for one aircraft which could not gain height, forcing it to jettison one bomb in the sea and drop the remaining three over Favignana Island before making a premature return to base. * Ordnance and Strike Analysis: * Complex Bomb Load: The three Baltimores carried a sophisticated mix of 11 x 500 lb GP bombs with varied fuzing: six with 11-second delays, two with 6-hour delays, and three with 12-hour delays. * Area Denial: The mission utilized 200 "Crowsfeet" (metal caltrops/spikes) dropped after the last bomb to puncture aircraft tires and impede ground movements. The combination of delayed fuzes and caltrops was specifically designed to keep the airfield out of action for the maximum duration following the strike. * Enemy Defenses: The crews faced intense opposition over the coast, reporting 15–20 searchlights and "intense HAA" specifically concentrated over Trapani Harbour, while defenses near the Milo airfield itself were described as inaccurate. * Location Information and Historical Context: * Trapani-Milo A/D: A primary Axis airbase on the western tip of Sicily. The area is known today as Trapani, with the historic Milo airfield site largely absorbed by urban development. * Favignana Island: The largest of the Egadi Islands, it remains a prominent landmark off the Sicilian coast. * Operation HUSKY Context: This mission occurred on July 11, 1943, the day after the Allied invasion of Sicily began. Grounding the Axis air force at Milo was a top priority to protect the vulnerable landing beaches and the naval fleet in the harbor. * Lieutenant G.W. Thompson: Thompson again signed for the SIO, Captain J.S. Bester, managing the heavy flow of operational data during the peak of the invasion. * The Martin Baltimore: The squadron used the upgraded Baltimore IIIA for this sortie, utilizing its high-speed performance to navigate the heavily defended Trapani coastline. 53 The date written in the 'Date' line of the postagram is 11 JUL 43.