Sortie Report (Form 541)
- Date
- 12th APRIL, 1945. 11 OPREP NO. 1000 FOR THE PERIOD ENDING 1200 HRS. ON THE 12th APRIL, 1945
APPENDIX "O"211FROM : S.I.O. 21 SQUADRON S.A.A.F.TO : W.I.O. 3 WING S.A.A.F.H.Q. M.A.A.F. ( ATTENTION OPERATIONS RECORDS)H.Q. M.A.T.A.F. ( SCORU)REF. : 21S/1000DATE : 12th APRIL, 1945. 11 OPREP NO. 1000 FOR THE PERIOD ENDING 1200 HRS. ON THE 12th APRIL, 1945. REF. MAP ITALY 1:100,000 SHEET 88 - IMOLA.
<u>OPERATION NO. 195/21S/M.</u>
A : 12 A/C in three boxes of four A/C each, airborne from JesiLanding Ground at 0825 hrs to attack an enemy Defence areawith a central pp. at M. 319520. Due to an advance andthe close proximity of our own troops the formation wasrecalled at 0945 hrs. Last A/C landed at 1030 hrs. Allbombs were brought back.B : (1) 12 Marauders III (ii) NilC : (1) & (ii) NilD : (1) 18.00 Hrs (ii) NilE : (1) 40,800 x .50 (ii) Nil (iii) NilF : (1) 2304 x 20 lbs. frag. (ii) Nil (iii) Nil (iv) NilG to V : NilW : (i) 1 Marauder III (ii) NilX : (i) 1.30 hrs (ii) NilY to Z : Nil S.T. Wrigill [handwritten signature] ___-------------------- LT. / Capt. S.I.O. 21 SQUADRON S.A.A.F.
Transcriber's Notes
- S.I.O
- Squadron Intelligence Officer, Lt./Capt. S.T. Wrigill. Operational Context Target File 271-4_38 documents Operation No. 195/21S/M, a tactical support mission aborted on the morning of 12th April 1945. This sortie occurred during a highly fluid phase of Operation Grapeshot, the final Allied spring offensive in Italy. The strategic objective was an enemy Defence area near Imola (Map Ref: Sheet 88 - IMOLA, pp. M. 319520). This sector was the focal point of the Eighth Army's push to collapse the German 10th Army (10. Armee) line along the Santerno River. The deployment of saturation levels of fragmentation bombs was intended to suppress Axis infantry and unarmored reserves contesting the Allied advance toward the Argenta Gap. The mission was terminated while the 12 Marauder III aircraft were in flight. The formation was recalled at 09:45 hours, approximately 80 minutes after takeoff, because ground advances by Allied troops had progressed more rapidly than anticipated. The "close proximity" of friendly forces to the designated bomb line posed an unacceptable risk of fratricide, particularly given the large-scale use of fragmentation munitions. This abort illustrates the rapid degradation of Axis defensive integrity as Heeresgruppe C began to collapse under the weight of coordinated Allied ground and air operations. 39 Phase 1: Verification & Extraction Identity Check: 13th APRIL, 1945.
- 21 SQUADRON S.A.A.F
- No. 21 Squadron, South African Air Force, a medium bomber unit operating under No. 3 Wing SAAF.
- 3 WING S.A.A.F
- No. 3 Wing SAAF, the administrative and tactical higher command for 21 Squadron during the spring 1945 offensive.
- SCORU
- South African Operations Records Unit.
- OPREP NO. 1000
- The 1000th Operational Report for the unit, documenting the morning period of 12th April 1945.
MC/GP (Medium Capacity / General Purpose): Standard Allied high-explosive ordnance classifications. For this tactical support mission, the formation was loaded with 2,304 x 20 lb fragmentation projectiles.