Sortie Report (Form 541)
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.
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.