Operational Report (Form 541)
- Date
- 17. 10. 41
- Aircraft
- 9 Marylands
- Duty
- High level bombing Gazala North Landing Ground
- Map reference
- Tobruk 1 : 500000
21 SQUADRON S. A. A. F. OPERATIONAL REPORT (ABANDONED) COPY NO...6....( O. O. Order No. 205 Group Operation order "A" 124)DATE: 17. 10. 41.MAP REF: Tobruk 1 : 500000DATE OF OPERATION. 17th. October 1941.NUMBER AND TYPE OF AIRCRAFT. 9 Marylands.DUTY. High level bombing Gazala North Landing Ground.NARRATIVE. The 9 Marylands set out on their usual sea course,but when some 30 miles North West of Mersa Matruh, theextraordinarily bad weather conditions caused the leaderto abandon the raid, and to return.After avoiding Shipping, bombs were jettisoned at31 deg. 16' N., 28 deg. 25' E., and the Aircraft returnedto base.WEATHER. Dust up to 10000 ft., blowing out to sea, fromRas-el-Kanayis onwards. Further West, heavy cumulus10/10 from 5000 ft. to 15000 ft., and visibility wasreduced to 20 - 50 yards.TIMES. Airborne 1207 hours.Landed 1320 hours.Total hours flown. 10 hours 57 min.APPENDIX "A" CREWS AND MACHINES.1st. Sub Flight. 2nd. Sub Flight. 3rd. Sub Flight.MACHINE NO. "M" 1664 "D" 1661 [strike-through] XXXXXXX [/strike-through] "L" 1668PILOT. Maj. Fowler Lt. A. Murray Capt. ThackwrayOBSERVER. Lt. Oberholzer 2/Lt. Garden 2/Lt. KileyOP. GUNNER. Sgt. Viljoen [strike-through] Sgt. [/strike-through] Sgt. Noakes Sgt. PhelanGUNNER. Sgt. Hattingh Sgt. Griffin Sgt. G. E. JonesMACHINE NO. "B" 1672 "J" 1645 "Y" 1612PILOT. Lt. Stuart 2/Lt. Long-Innes 2/Lt. HainesOBSERVER. 2/Lt. Booysen 2/Lt. Cheeseman 2/Lt. VermeulenOP. GUNNER. Sgt. Datlen Sgt. Cockin Sgt. BalcombGUNNER. Sgt. Fletcher Sgt. Rogers Sgt. BrandMACHINE NO. "C" 1652 "P" 1665 "K" 1653PILOT. 2/Lt. Cumming Lt. Reid Lt. WoodOBSERVER. 2/Lt. Elliott 2/Lt. Beddy 2/Lt. HarrisOP. GUNNER. Sgt. Cochrane Sgt. Papenfus Sgt. GreenbergGUNNER. Sgt. Blyth Sgt. Conn Sgt. Flemming.DISTRIBUTION.S. I. O. HQ. RAF. ME.Intelligence A. H. Q. Western DesertOperations A. H. Q. Western Desert261 WingW. D. War Diary.File.[handwritten signature] L Saunders. Lt.SQUADRON INTELLIGENCE OFFICER.
Transcriber's Notes
- O. O
- Operational Order.
- OP. GUNNER
- Operator Gunner. This aircrew member was responsible for wireless telegraphy (Morse code radio) and aerial photography in addition to manning defensive machine guns.
- S. I. O
- Squadron Intelligence Officer.
[AUTO-CLASSIFIED — VERIFY CATEGORY]
GAZALA NORTH LANDING GROUND: The intended target for the mission. Gazala served as a critical forward airfield complex for the Regia Aeronautica and the Luftwaffe supporting the Axis defense of Cyrenaica.