Sortie — Tuesday, 3 April 1945

Sortie Report (Form 541)

Date: 3rd April, 1945

APPENDIX "D"200FROM : 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/987DATE : 3rd April, 1945OPREP 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. tocreate a roadblock and destroy buildings containing enemypersonnel and equipment in an area with a central pp atM. 597669. Formation attacked from 11400' at 1624 hrs.on a course of 180º. First Box had a left error of about200 yds, but scored many direct hits on buildings and road.Second Box also left error and slight undershoot in opencountry. No enemy opposition. Weather; target clear andvisibility fair.B : (1) 8 Marauders III (ii) NilC : (1) & (ii) NilD : (1) 16.00 Hrs (ii) NilE : (1) 27200 x .50 (ii) & (iii) NilF : (1) 48 x 500) Demo (ii) as in (1) (iii) & (iv) Nil32 x 250) FusedG to V : NilW : (1) 1 Marauder IIIX (ii) NilX : (1) 1.35 Hrs (ii) NilY to Z : Nil S.L. Boshoff [handwritten signature] ___-------------------- Capt. S.I.O. 21 SQUADRON S.A.A.F.8-589040SA 21 / 466 2 APR 45 F14 || HH M6067 11400 1625 B I N

Transcriber's Notes

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
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.
SCORU: South African Operations Records Unit.
OPREP NO. 987: Operational Report number 987, documenting activity for the afternoon period of 2nd April 1945.
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.
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).

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.