Sortie Report (Form 541)
R.A.F. Form 441 A.SORTIE REPORT(Part A.)E 98Sheet No.Oprep. Ref. No. 365Date. 5 Aug 43Squadron. 21 SAAF ADVType of Aircraft. 12 BALTIMORES (2 Mk 3, 9 Mk 3A, 1 Mk 4)Aircraft No. ) as per listAircraft Letter. )Leader of Formation.Captain MAJOR CORMACKCrew. LT. LOMBAARD.Time Up. 1345 hrs LT 1st aircraftTime Down. 1612 hrs LT last aircraftTotal Time. 27 hoursAerodrome or L.G. HALFARType of Cloud. Cu.Amount of Cloud. 8/10Base of Cloud. 10000 ftVisibility. 5/10 milesGeneral Weather. HazyMap or Chart Reference.1:500,000 SICILIA NE 36/12.1: 100,000 PATERNO SHEET 269Task or Duty. BOMBING ATTACK ON ROAD FROM 0735980 - 0740015| Time | Height | Place | Narrative ||---|---|---|---|| 1345 | | Halfar | Airborne || | 1500 | | S/c for rendezvous. || 1413 | 2000 | Pachino | Circuiting to pick up fighters. (6 Spits) || 1425 | 3200 | | S/C CATENANUOVA || 1501 | 9500 | Catenanuova | S/c TARGET || 1505 | 8850 | | Bombed on course 025° || 1508 | 6000 | | S/c PACHINO || 1528 | 2000 | Pachino | S/c BASE. || 1552 | 1500 | Halfar | || | | | Landed. || 1612 | | | Last aircraft landed. |(Signature: J. S. Bester) Capt.SIO. 21 SQUADRON SAAF.
Transcriber's Notes
- R.A.F
- Royal Air Force.
- Oprep. Ref. No
- Operational Report Reference Number.
- SAAF ADV
- South African Air Force Advanced (Headquarters).
- Mk
- Mark (referring to the aircraft variant).
- LT
- Local Time.
- L.G
- Landing Ground.
- Cu
- Cumulus (cloud type).
- S/c
- Set Course.
- Pachino
- A coastal town in southeastern Sicily. It served as a vital rendezvous point where the Baltimores "circuited" to pick up a protective escort of six Spitfires before heading inland over enemy territory.
- Spits
- Spitfire fighter aircraft.
Abbreviations and Technical Terms Expanded
ft: feet.