Sortie — Thursday, 22 March 1945

Sortie Report (Form 541)

Date: 22nd March, 1945

APPENDIX "S"121From : S.I.O. 21 Squadron S.A.A.F.To : H.Q. M.A.A.F. ( Attention Operations Records)H.Q. M.A.T.A.F. ( SCORU)W.I.O. 3 Wing S.A.A.F.Ref. : 21S/973Date : 22nd March, 1945Oprep No. 973 for the period ending 1200 hrs on the 22nd March, 1945.Ref. Map. Italy 1:100,000 Sheet 39 - PORDENONE.-----------------------Operation No. 175/21S/M.-----------------------A : 12 A/C one of which was on windfinding airborne from JesiL/G between 0800 and 1125 Hrs. to attack St Veit M/Yards(Austria). The windfinding A/C ahead of the formation,found 10/10ths cloud at 12000' in target area and passeda message diverting the formation to attack the alternativetarget - Casarsa M/Yards at pp C. 103877. This the formationbombed at 1000 hrs. from appr. 12000' on courses between020° and 030°. Results: 1st Box had a 300 yards left lateralerror stick falling across tracks leading into M/Yards fromthe West. 2nd Box had a left lateral error of about 100 -150 yards pattern falling across a road and into open country.The 3rd Box had slight overshoot, pattern commencing 50 yardsbeyond target and running into village, scoring direct hitson buildings. The windfinding A/C bombed the same targetat 1015 hrs on a course of 310°, straddling the M/Yards.The formation received the wind from the windfinding A/Cto late and bombed on the Met. wind.Weather target clear, visibility fair ( 10 miles). Enemyopposition: 3 bursts H/A/A inaccurate. From Cervia the w/findingA/C was escorted by 4 Mustangs and the main form. by 8 Mustangs.B : (1) 12 Marauders III (ii) NilC : (1) & (ii) NilD : (1) 36.30 hrs (ii) Nil E.(1) 40800 x .50 (ii) & (iii) NilF : (1) 72 x 500 M.C./ Fused: (ii) as in (1) (iii) &48 x 250 G.P./ 30-51 Tail 32 Pkts Pamphlets. (iv) NilG to V: NilW : (1) 1 Marauder III (ii) NilX : (1) 1.00 Hr. (ii) NilY to Z: Nil S. L. Boschoff [Signed] Capt. S.I.O. 21 SQUADRON S.A.A.F.

Handwritten Marginalia / Stamps: * Folio Number: 121 (Handwritten, Top Right). * Reference Stamp:The National Archives' reference AIR 27/271/3

Transcriber's Notes

S.I.O: Squadron Intelligence Officer. Captain S. L. Boschoff was responsible for debriefing aircrews and compiling OPREP data.
W.I.O: Wing Intelligence Officer. Operational Context Target File 271-3_39 chronicles Operation No. 175/21S/M, a 12-aircraft strike launched on March 22, 1945, which was diverted to the Casarsa Marshalling Yards. By March 1945, the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces (MAAF) were executing Operation Bingo, a theater-wide interdiction campaign designed to achieve the total logistical paralysis of German Heeresgruppe C in Northern Italy by systematically severing all supply and escape routes through the Alpine passes and into Austria. Casarsa served as a vital strategic bottleneck for Axis materiel. This methodology represents the strategic maturation of interdiction principles established during the 1943 battles for the Bernhardt and Gustav Lines. In November 1943, 21 Squadron S.A.A.F. conducted high-intensity strikes on localized bottlenecks, such as location H055630, to paralyze German reserves attempting to reinforce the front. By March 1945, the emphasis had shifted to theater-wide strategic isolation. The Casarsa raid illustrates the technical sophistication of these operations, utilizing a dedicated "windfinding" aircraft to assess actual atmospheric conditions and target cloud cover. The report highlights the dynamic nature of tactical command: when the primary target at St. Veit (Austria) was found under 10/10ths cloud, the windfinder successfully diverted the main formation to the alternative at Casarsa. Despite bombing errors—where the third box overshot the target into a village—the operation integrated kinetic destruction (including hits on buildings) with non-kinetic psychological warfare (32 packets of pamphlets) to maintain relentless pressure on the crumbling Axis logistical depth. 40
Jesi L/G: Jesi Landing Ground, Italy; the operational base for 21 Squadron in March 1945.
Mustangs: North American P-51 Mustang fighter aircraft provided for close escort and top-cover.

MC/GP (Medium Capacity / General Purpose): Standard high-explosive ordnance, typically 500 lb and 250 lb variants, carried by SAAF crews to destroy physical industrial infrastructure and rolling stock.