Sortie Report (Form 541)
SORTIE REPORT(Part A)R.A.F. Form 441 A.T 43| [Header Columns] | [Content] ||---|---|| Sheet No. | 1 || Oprep. Ref. No. | 526 || Date | 23 Jan 44 || Squadron | 21 SAAF || Type of Aircraft | 12 Baltimores 12 Mk.4. || Aircraft No. | See over || Aircraft Letter | || Captain | CAPT. W.T. DALLING DFC || Crew | LT McARAVEY || | Formation Leader || Time Up | 0915 A Hrs 1st a/c || Time Down | 1059 A Hrs last a/c || Total Time | 19.00 Hours || Aerodrome or L.G. | TORTORELLA || Type of Cloud | Cir.St. [Cirrostratus] St.Cu. [Stratocumulus] over target. St.Cu & Cu out to sea ||---|---|| Amount of Cloud | 1/10 In bank || Base of Cloud | 25000' 4500' Tops 6000' || Visibility | 20 miles || General Weather | Good - haze to TERMOLI || Map or Chart Reference | ITALY 1:100,000 Sheet 146 SULMONA ||---|---|| Task or Duty | SULMONA RR STN and M/Y [Marshalling Yards] ||---|---|| Time | Height | Place | Narrative ||---|---|---|---|| 0915 | | TORTORELLA | a/b [Airborne] || 0932 | 2000 | TORTORELLA | S/c [Set Course] TERMOLI || 0953 | 8000 | TERMOLI | Circling to Rv. [Rendezvous] with 232 Wing || 0956 | 8000 | TERMOLI | S/c CASOLI || 1006 | 12000 | CASOLI | S/c TARGET || 1013½ | 11300 | TARGET | Bombing from 11000 on course of 170° || 1015 | 9000 | | S/c BASE || 1049 | | TORTORELLA | Landed || 1059 | | | Last a/c landed |[Signature Block](Signed) [Signature unreadable - similar to "Lt Thompson"?]CaptSIO 21 Squadron, S.A.A.F.PART B (on reverse) to be completed according to relevant pro-forma in H.Q. R.A.F. M.E. Instruction 34.HQP/PMEJ - 200.000 - 3/43 P.T.O.
Transcriber's Notes
- Weather
- Conditions were ideal with "20 miles" visibility and only scattered cloud ("1/10") at high altitude, providing a perfect environment for visual precision bombing. 59 Verification: Target File Verification: This document is the reverse side (Part B) of the Sortie Report for January 23rd, 1944 (Sortie No. 526). Although there is no "Date" column on this side, the target "SULMONA RR STN and M/Y" and the "Time over Target" of 1013 Hrs match the Part A document from the previous image (269-1__58.jpg) dated Jan 23, 1944.
Wing-Level Coordination (Rv with 232 Wing): The narrative notes "Circling to Rv. with 232 Wing" at Termoli. This is a significant escalation in formation size. Previously, reports mentioned rendezvousing with individual squadrons (like 223 Sqn). Rendezvousing with an entire Wing implies a massive strike force, likely involving 36+ bombers (3 squadrons of 12) hitting the target area in waves to ensure total destruction.