Sortie Report (Form 541)
List of Aircraft and Aircrew attached to Sortie Report No. 174 dated the 20th January, 1943 - 21 Squadron S.A.A.F. --------------------------------------------------------------
1. 176 YY Major Jandrell, Capt. Hatswell, F/Sgt. Morley, Lt. te Water Pohl.
2. 920 O Capt. Cormack, Lt. Moore, F/Sgt. Finberg, F/Sgt. McGee
3. 944 R Lt. Rich, Sgt. Smallman (R.A.F.) F/Sgt. Roberts, F/Sgt. Lovell- Wright.
4. 918 T Lt. Metcalf, Lt. Floor, F/Sgt. Forrest A., F/Sgt. Perkins.
5. 108 B Major Barnby D.F.C., Lt. Blackman, Lt. Sandilands, F/Sgt. Lotter.
6. 930 K Capt. Mouton, Lt. Simon, F/Sgt. Goodchild, F/Sgt. Champion.
7. 904 BB Capt. Cumming, Lt. Evans, F/Sgt. Heyman, F/Sgt. Lyne.
8. 957 W Lt. Golding, Lt. Mulholland, B/Sgt. Green, F/Sgt. Pearce.
9. 949 AA Lt. Gardener, Lt. Kerr, F/Sgt. Lane, F/Sgt. Brown.
10. 932 M Lt. Klette, Lt. Davies, F/Sgt. Carr, F/Sgt. Wisenberg.
ooooooo "E1" 54
P O S T A G R A M -----------------
To: H. Q., R. A. F., M. E.From: S. I. O., 21 Squadron, S. A. A. F.Serial No. : 21 Squadron/175Date : 22nd January, 1943. OPREP No. 175 for period ending 0600 hours on 22nd January, 1943.
A. M. T. on Road from PISIDA to ZUARAB. 9 BaltimoresC. (i) Medium level(ii) 3500ft - 7000 ft.(iii) 2133 hours to 2155 hoursD. (1) 54 x 250 lbs (43 det) Rods.(ii) Nil(iii) Aircraft dropped bombs in long sticksand individually from P 2190 to pointfour miles west Of ZUARA. One fire wasstarted and three bombs fell among parkedM. T. Fair amount of M.T. going North onRoad from ~~XXXXXX~~ ZAUIA.One pilot saw ~~two~~ wing aircraft South ofTRIPOLI flying West to East. Huge firesburning in TRIPOLI area. Ammunition dumpexploding at CASTEL BENITO.Map reference 1:500,000 PISIDA, Sheet 21.E. NilF. NilG. NilH. (i) 2034 Hours (ii) 27 HoursJ. Fine over target, Haze over route.K. Comm. 15 Hours. (Aircraft landed at DARRAGH NORTHto refuel on way out.) (Handwritten Signature: [Illegible]) Capt. Senior Intelligence Officer, 21 Squadron, S. A. A. F.
Transcriber's Notes
- 21 Squadron S.A.A.F
- No. 21 Squadron of the South African Air Force, a light bomber unit operating under the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces (MAAF) framework.
- R.A.F
- Royal Air Force. Sergeant Smallman is identified as an R.A.F. member integrated into the S.A.A.F. crew of aircraft 944 R.
- D.F.C
- Distinguished Flying Cross, a military decoration awarded to Major Barnby for acts of valor while flying in active operations against the enemy.
- S. I. O
- Senior Intelligence Officer. The staff officer responsible for the synthesis of tactical data and mission results.
- OPREP No. 175
- Operational Report number 175, the administrative record for the 24-hour cycle ending 0600 hours on 22 January 1943.
- M. T
- Mechanical Transport. Specifically, German and Italian supply and troop vehicle concentrations retreating toward the Tunisian border.
- Baltimores
- Martin Baltimore Mark III light bombers, utilized for nocturnal tactical interdiction.
- CASTEL BENITO
- The primary Axis aerodrome for Tripoli, acting as a major logistical and aviation hub.
- Comm
- Communication flight. Refers to non-combat transport or ferry hours.
- DARRAGH NORTH
- A forward Landing Ground (L.G.) utilized for refueling to extend the operational range of the light bombers. Operational Context: OPREP No. 175, dated 22 January 1943, records operations conducted on the final night before the fall of Tripoli to the British Eighth Army. Strategically, the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces (MAAF) were focused on "road purification"—the systematic destruction of Mechanical Transport (M. T.) along the Pisida-Zuara coastal axis to prevent the Afrika Korps from establishing a stable defensive line at the Tunisian border. Tactically, the nine Martin Baltimores executed a nocturnal interdiction profile, delivering 54 "daisy cutter" bombs in "long sticks" to maximize coverage across the road network. The mission results indicate significant pressure on Axis logistics, with hits recorded among parked vehicles and the initiation of fires. Crucially, observations from this mission provide high-fidelity evidence of the definitive Axis collapse: pilots reported "huge fires burning in TRIPOLI area" and an ammunition dump "exploding at CASTEL BENITO". The landing at Darragh North to refuel "on way out" underscores the stretching of tactical reach to intercept retreating columns as they neared the border. This document, archived as Folio 54, represents the final administrative summary of the S. A. A. F.'s role in the strategic isolation and eventual liberation of Tripoli, which occurred on 23 January 1943. 69 Phase 1: Verification & Extraction Identity Check: 21 JAN 43.
Sortie Report No. 174: The formal administrative record documenting the squadron's nocturnal interdiction mission conducted during the 24-hour cycle of 20–21 January 1943.
H. Q., R. A. F., M. E.: Headquarters, Royal Air Force, Middle East.
S. A. A. F.: South African Air Force.
ft.: Feet, the unit of measurement for the release altitude ranging from 3,500 to 7,000 feet.
250 lbs (43 det) Rods: 250-pound General Purpose high-explosive bombs utilizing No. 43 tail pistols and nose extension rods. Colloquially known as "daisy cutters," these rods triggered detonation above the surface to maximize the lateral fragmentation blast against soft targets like vehicles.