Sortie Report (Form 541)
BA: Celluloid Factory at C1118BB: 1030/1032 HrsBC: Medium level bombing attack 340°/360° 14000/1460018 x 500 MC 49 Det 27 Pistol136 x 30 IncendiariesNOTE: 4 x 500 MC 49 Det 27 Pistol ) Brought back, observer did32 x 30 Incendiaries ) NOT bomb2 x 500 MC 49 Det 27 Pistol ) Hung-up A/C J & G.24 x 30 Incendiaries )BD: Vics bombed independently on their respective leaders. Five a/c outof the 1st Box dropped short stick in target area (Hang-ups, a/cJ & G) The remaining a/c brought bombs back.2nd Box leader lost his bomb load when opening bomb doorsundershooting target C120167, two other a/c bombed on him. Two a/cdropped bombs on target C116184 to C117187. The last a/c broughtbombs back. Direct hits claimed on buildings C115187 (large cloudof white smoke)BE: H/A/A intense, accurate from NORTH of CHIETI and from around target.2 guns C1152032 guns C1051702 guns C1051782 guns C122202Guns along Rd C105179 to C113173NO enemy fighters encounteredBF: 4 a/c slightly holedBG: Verticals and Obliques of bomb burstsBH: 3 M.T. moving NORTH on bridge C148238. Some stationary M.T. atS. VALENTINO B9804AIRCRAFT AND CREW LIST.437N LT/COL JANDRELL DFC. CAPT CARTER 2/LT THOMPSON LT TE WATER POHL PL576O CAPT VISSER LT ELLIOTT LT POTGIETER LT V.D. WESTHUIZEN645J LT MUSGROVE LT GILDENHUYS LT V.SCHALKWYK A/SGT LEIPOLDT441F LT FROST LT WHITE F/SGT CARTER A/SGT ALLAN VL637C LT ASHTON LT ROSE F/SGT HARMSE A/SGT BROUGH467D LT LONGMORE LT KENDAL F/SGT THEUNISSEN A/SGT MACKAY649U CAPT DE WET LT MELTZ LT DU PREEZ A/SGT PEENS BL445U LT V.D. MERWE LT JORDAAN F/SGT VERITY A/SGT PIENAAR167S LT ROWE LT JANSEN 2/LT HEYNS A/SGT PECKITT612T LT BENNETT LT HARLE 2/LT STRYDOM P/O GILDON VL387R LT RICHARDS LT RABINOWITZ F/SGT ROBBERTSE A/SGT McCRINDLE414P LT HILL LT PIETERS F/SGT V.D.WESTHUIZEN A/SGT JENKINSON
Transcriber's Notes
- Incendiaries
- The loadout included 136 x 30lb Incendiaries, a specific choice for a flammable industrial target like a celluloid factory, differing from the standard high-explosive loadouts for rail targets.
- H/A/A
- Heavy Anti-Aircraft.
- M.T
- Mechanical Transport.
Target Damage Assessment:
Ordnance:
Flak Intel:
Personnel:
Lt. Musgrove & Lt. Gildenhuys (Aircraft 645J): This crew flew safely on this mission but would be involved in the fatal crash on Feb 28th (where Capt. van der Riet was killed). Interestingly, Capt. van der Riet is not piloting 645J on this day; Lt. Musgrove is the pilot.
Abbreviations: