Sortie Report (Form 541)
I 26R.A.F. Form 441 A.SORTIE REPORT(Part A)| [Header Columns] | [Content] ||---|---|| Sheet No. | 1 || Oprep. Ref. No. | 514 || Date | 13 Jan 44 || Squadron | 21 SAAF || Type of Aircraft | 12 Baltimores (3 Mk.3A, 9 Mk.4) || Aircraft No. | See over || Aircraft Letter | || Captain | MAJOR SMIT || Crew | CAPT CARTER || | Leader of Formation || Time Up | 1130 A Hrs 1st aircraft || Time Down | 1407 A Hrs Last aircraft || Total Time | 30.00 Hours || Aerodrome or L.G. | TORTORELLA || State of Cloud | St.Cu Battle area. St. PENNA PT to SANGRO ||---|---|| Amount of Cloud | 10/10 2/10 || Base of Cloud | 17000' 2000' || Visibility | 10/15 miles || General Weather | Good || Map or Chart Reference | ITALY 1:100,000 Sheet 141 CHIETI ||---|---|| Task or Duty | FACTORY AREA - LORETA - E985256 ||---|---|| Time | Height | Place | Narrative ||---|---|---|---|| 1130 | | BASE | A/B || 1218 | 10000 | PENNA PT. | Picked up fighter escort. S/c NORTH of SALINE RV. || 1232 | 14000 | SALINE RIV. | Crossed Coast. S/c Target area || 1240 | 13300 | TARGET | Bombs dropped || 1358 | | Base | Landed || 1407 | | | Last aircraft landed |[Signature Block](Signed) [Signature unreadable - similar to "Lt Thompson"?]Lt for 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/1,500,000/4-42 P.T.O.
Transcriber's Notes
- A/B
- Abbreviation for "Airborne". 33 Verification: Target File Verification: This document is the reverse side (Part B) of the Sortie Report for January 13th, 1944 (Sortie No. 514). Although there is no specific "Date" column on this side, the target "LORETA FACTORY AREA" matches the Part A document from the previous image (269-1__32.jpg) dated Jan 13, 1944.
Target Identification (Loreta/Loreto Aprutino): The target is listed as "FACTORY AREA - LORETA" with coordinates "E985256". The map reference "Sheet 141 CHIETI" places this squarely in the Abruzzo region. This is almost certainly Loreto Aprutino, located west of Pescara. The "factory area" was likely a dispersed industrial site or vehicle depot used by the German 10th Army for repairing armor behind the front lines.