Operation

APPENDIX "D" 200 FROM : S.I.O. 21 SQUADRON S.A.A.F. 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/987 DATE : 3rd April, 1945 OPREP NO. 987 FOR THE PERIOD 1300 - 2100 Hrs ON THE 2nd APRIL, 1945 REF. MAP ITALY 1:100,000 SHEET 77 - COMACCHIO.

<u>OPERATION NO. 184/21S/M</u>

A : 8 A/C in two Boxes airborne between 1501 and 1704 hrs. to create a roadblock and destroy buildings containing enemy personnel and equipment in an area with a central pp at M. 597669. Formation attacked from 11400' at 1624 hrs. on a course of 180º. First Box had a left error of about 200 yds, but scored many direct hits on buildings and road. Second Box also left error and slight undershoot in open country. No enemy opposition. Weather; target clear and visibility fair. B : (1) 8 Marauders III (ii) Nil C : (1) & (ii) Nil D : (1) 16.00 Hrs (ii) Nil E : (1) 27200 x .50 (ii) & (iii) Nil F : (1) 48 x 500) Demo (ii) as in (1) (iii) & (iv) Nil 32 x 250) Fused G to V : Nil W : (1) 1 Marauder IIIX (ii) Nil X : (1) 1.35 Hrs (ii) Nil Y to Z : Nil S.L. Boshoff [handwritten signature] ___-------------------- Capt. S.I.O. 21 SQUADRON S.A.A.F. 8-58 9040 SA 21 / 466 2 APR 45 F14 || HH M6067 11400 1625 B I N

1945-04-03

__o_O_o__

Form 541

MAP

Transcriber's Notes

Phase 2: Technical Expansion (The "Transcriber's Notes") Glossary of Terms * 21 SQUADRON S.A.A.F.: No. 21 Squadron of the South African Air Force, a medium bomber unit operating within the Desert Air Force (DAF). * 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. * AIR 27/271/4: The United Kingdom National Archives classification for Air Ministry: Operations Record Books (ORBs); Volume 4 contains the 1945 War Diaries for 21 Squadron. * BA-BH (Martin Baltimore): The twin-engine medium bomber utilized as the predecessor aircraft to the unit's current equipment. By April 1945, the unit was fully equipped with the Martin B-26 Marauder III (and variants such as the IIIX). * Demo Fused (GP Demo): General Purpose Demolition bombs. For this mission, 48 x 500 lb and 32 x 250 lb GP munitions were utilized to achieve structural destruction of enemy-occupied buildings. * H.Q. M.A.A.F. / M.A.T.A.F.: Headquarters, Mediterranean Allied Air Forces and Mediterranean Allied Tactical Air Force, respectively. * MET (Meteorological Report): Meteorological intelligence. Conditions for this strike were reported as clear with fair visibility, facilitating visual target acquisition. * OPREP NO. 987: Operational Report number 987, documenting activity for the afternoon period of 2nd April 1945. * SCORU: South African Operations Records Unit. * S.I.O.: Squadron Intelligence Officer, Capt. S.L. Boshoff. Operational Context Target File 271-4_17 documents Operation No. 184/21S/M, a tactical kinetic strike executed on the afternoon of 2nd April 1945. This mission was a direct continuation of the support provided for Operation Roast, the Allied commando assault targeting Axis positions around Lake Comacchio. The strategic objective was the creation of a roadblock and the destruction of buildings utilized for Axis personnel and equipment storage at Porto Garibaldi (Map Ref: Sheet 77 - COMACCHIO, pp M. 597669). This followed a successful morning raid against coastal gun positions in the same sector. By disabling these logistical nodes, the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces (MAAF) aimed to isolate German defenders and prevent the arrival of reinforcements from the German 10th Army (10. Armee) to the south. The eight Marauder III aircraft attacked from 11,400 feet, with the first box scoring many direct hits on the primary targets despite a slight left error. This concentrated bombardment supported the broader Allied effort to collapse the "Venetian Line" and achieve total logistical paralysis of Heeresgruppe C during the preliminary stages of the final spring offensive, Operation Grapeshot. The mission encountered "no enemy opposition," underscoring the absolute air superiority achieved by the MAAF during the final month of the Italian Campaign. 18 Phase 1: Verification & Extraction Identity Check: 2 APR 45. Phase 2: Technical Expansion (The "Transcriber's Notes") Glossary of Terms * 21 S.A.A.F. / SA 21: No. 21 Squadron, South African Air Force, a medium bomber unit operating under No. 3 Wing SAAF. * AIR 27 / 271: United Kingdom National Archives classification for the Air Ministry: Operations Record Books (ORBs); Volume 4 (AIR 27/271/4) catalogs 1945 War Diaries for 21 Squadron. * B I N: Box I, Nose. Indicates the photo was taken from the nose camera of the lead aircraft of the first four-plane formation (Box I). * BA-BH (Martin Baltimore): The twin-engine medium bomber utilized as the predecessor to the unit's current equipment. By April 1945, the squadron was fully converted to the Martin B-26 Marauder III. * F14: Focal length of the camera lens (14 inches) used for high-altitude strike photography. * HH M6067: Map reference M. 6067 (specifically pp. M.597669), identifying the coordinates for the target area at Porto Garibaldi on the Comacchio 1:100,000 Sheet 77. * MC/GP (Medium Capacity / General Purpose): Standard Allied high-explosive ordnance. For this mission, the squadron utilized 500 lb GP Demo and 250 lb GP bombs. * MET (Meteorological Report): Meteorological intelligence. Conditions for this afternoon sortie were reported as clear with fair visibility. * 11400 1625: Operational data indicating a bombing altitude of 11,400 feet and a strike time of 16:25 hours. Operational Context Target File 271-4_18 is a vertical aerial strike photograph documenting Operation No. 184/21S/M on 2nd April 1945. The image displays the kinetic results of Box I as 8 Martin Marauder III aircraft targeted Axis-occupied buildings and a road junction at Porto Garibaldi. This mission was a critical follow-up to the morning strike against gun positions in the same sector. Both raids were tactical components of Operation Roast, the preliminary phase of the final Allied spring offensive, Operation Grapeshot. The strategic importance of Porto Garibaldi lay in its position as a logistical bottleneck; by creating a roadblock and destroying buildings housing personnel and equipment, 21 Squadron sought to isolate the sand spit between Lake Comacchio and the Adriatic. The photograph confirms the OPREP narrative that the first box scored many direct hits on the primary targets, despite a slight left error of about 200 yards. Visible smoke plumes indicate the successful destruction of buildings and the obstruction of the main road. These strikes prevented the German 10th Army (10. Armee) from reinforcing the "spit" against British Commando landings, directly contributing to the eventual breakthrough of the Argenta Gap by the Eighth Army. 19 Phase 1: Verification & Extraction Identity Check: 5th APRIL, 1945.