| TORTORELLA |

SORTIE REPORT (Part A) R.A.F. Form 441 A. U 45 | [Header Columns] | [Content] | |---|---| | Sheet No. | 1 | | Oprep. Ref. No. | 527 | | Date | 23 Jan 44 | | Squadron | 21 SAAF | | Type of Aircraft | 12 Baltimores 1 Mk.3A 11 Mk.4 | | Aircraft No. | See over | | Aircraft Letter | | | Captain | MAJOR ORD. | | Crew | LT HODGES | | | Formation Leader | | Time Up | 1500 A Hrs 1st a/c | | Time Down | 1656 A Hrs last a/c | | Total Time | 22.00 Hours | | Aerodrome or L.G. | TORTORELLA | | Type of Cloud | STRAT. Cu from POPOLI extending to the WEST and NORTH of target area | |---|---| | Amount of Cloud | 10/10 | | Base of Cloud | 10000' Tops | | Visibility | Good over target, hazy on the way | | General Weather | Good | | Map or Chart Reference | ITALY 1:100,000 Sheet 146 SULMONA | |---|---| | Task or Duty | Road and RR Defile N.E. of POPOLI | |---|---| | Time | Height | Place | Narrative | |---|---|---|---| | 1500 | | BASE | a/b | | 1525 | 3000 | BASE | S/c TERMOLI | | 1541 | 9000 | TERMOLI | S/c CASOLI | | 1553 | 14200 | CASOLI | S/c TARGET | | 1607 | 12300 | TARGET | On bombing run Co.080° M | | 1607 | 12000 | TARGET | S/c CASOLI | | 1613 | 11000 | CASOLI | S/c BASE | | 1634 | 2000 | BASE | Over Base | | 1644 | | BASE | Landed | | 1656 | | | Last a/c landed | [Signature Block] (Signed) [Signature unreadable - similar to "Lt Thompson"?] Capt. SIO 21 Squadron, S.A.A.F. PART B (on reverse) to be completed according to relevant pro-forma in H.Q. R.A.F. M.E. Instruction 34. HQP/1,500,000/4-42 P.T.O.

1944-01-23 | TORTORELLA |

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Form 541

MAP

Transcriber's Notes

Transcriber's Notes: * Sortie Report 527 (Popoli Defile - Afternoon Raid): This report details the second raid of the day on January 23rd, 1944. While the morning raid (Sortie 526) hit the Sulmona Marshalling Yards, this afternoon mission targeted the strategic "Road and RR Defile N.E. of POPOLI." This target was previously hit on Jan 22nd, indicating its continued importance as a bottleneck for German logistics. * Weather Deterioration: The weather report notes "STRAT. Cu [Stratocumulus] from POPOLI extending to the WEST and NORTH of target area" with "10/10" coverage and tops at 10,000 feet. However, it was "Good over target," suggesting a localized clearing or "hole" over the Popoli valley that allowed the raid to proceed visually despite the surrounding overcast. * Mission Leadership: Major Ord and Lt. Hodges led this mission. This crew maintained a remarkably high operational tempo throughout January, leading multiple strikes on difficult targets like Palena, Sulmona, and Popoli. * Flight Profile: The narrative shows a standard route: Base -> Termoli -> Casoli -> Target. The bombing run was executed on a heading of 080° M (Magnetic). This East-North-East approach aligns with the valley axis near Popoli, optimizing the bomb pattern for the road and rail line running through the defile. * Aircraft Mix: The formation consisted of 1 Mk.3A and 11 Mk.4 Baltimores. The inclusion of a single older Mark 3A in a formation of Mark 4s was becoming rarer as the squadron transitioned fully to the newer type. 62 Verification: Target File Verification: The document is a "SORTIE REPORT (Part A)" dated 24 Jan 44.