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Operation No. 25

BENGHASI VICINITY: HIGH LEVEL BOMBING, PUMPING STATION AND PETROL FILLING POINT ON TOARA…

Saturday, 8 November 1941

Time: 15:40 hrs

Operational Report (Form 541)

Date
8. 11. 41
Aircraft
6 Marylands
Duty
Benghazi vicinity: High level bombing, pumping station and petrol filling point on Tocra road - Point "A". Alternative target: Benina dumps and hangars
Map reference
Benghazi 1:100000 and Target map E1 - Coefia
7 [handwritten]21 SQUADRON S. A. A. F. OPERATIONAL REPORT NO. 25 COPY NO....(Ref. 261 Wing Operation order No. "A" 241 and SquadronOperation order No. 25). DATE: 8. 11. 41.MAP REF: Benghazi 1:100000 and Target map E1 - CoefiaDATE OF OPERATION. 8th. November 1941NUMBER AND TYPE OF AIRCRAFT. 6 MarylandsDUTY. Benghazi vicinity: High level bombing, pumping stationand petrol filling point on Tocra road - Point "A".Alternative target: Benina dumps and hangars.NARRATIVE. The six Marylands followed their previous route across thedesert, to the same area, crossing the coast 15 milesNorth of Benghazi, and recrossing at 190 deg. towardsthe target. Again cloud was troublesome, and the targetwas overshot by all sticks. Two fires were claimed byObservers, but are not visible in the photos. Noopposition of any kind was encountered.30 aircraft on Benina North - end.PHOTOGRAPHY 4 cameras, 2 failed, results affected by cloud.A/A NilTIMES. Left L. G. 21 1540 hours 7th. Nov. 41Landed L. G. 75 1830 doLeft L. G. 75 0845 hours 8th. Nov. 41Time over target 0910 hours doLanded base 1120 hours doDISTRIBUTION.
S.I.O. H. Q. R.A.F. M.E.
Intelligence A.H.Q.W.D.
Operations do
S.I.O. 261 Wing
War Diary
do
do
do
File[handwritten signature] L Saunders Lt.SQUADRON INTELLIGENCE OFFICER.

Transcriber's Notes

A/A
Anti-Aircraft fire (Flak).
L. G. 21
Landing Ground 21 (Fuka, Egypt), the primary operational base for the squadron.
L. G. 75
Landing Ground 75, a forward refueling strip essential for extending the operational radius of the Marylands for deep-penetration strikes into Libya.

21 SQUADRON S. A. A. F.: No. 21 Squadron, South African Air Force. During the 1941 Western Desert campaign, this unit operated the Martin Maryland, an American-built twin-engine medium bomber utilized by the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces (MAAF) for high-altitude daylight interdiction.

S.I.O. H. Q. R.A.F. M.E.: Squadron Intelligence Officer, Headquarters, Royal Air Force Middle East. Operational Context Operational Report No. 25, dated 8 November 1941, documents a specialized interdiction strike against Axis fuel infrastructure in the Benghazi sector. Strategically, the targeting of the pumping station and petrol filling point at Coefia on the Tocra road was intended to paralyze Rommel's land-based mobility during the final preparatory phase of Operation Crusader (commencing 18 November 1941). By neutralizing specific logistical nodes like Point "A", the MAAF sought to starve the Afrikakorps of the fuel required for its mechanized forces and air reinforcements. Execution Constraints The mission profile reflects the persistent environmental and technical friction inherent in long-range desert operations: