Sortie Report (Form 541)
- Duty
- Medium level bombing attack on battery positions 19 & 19A PANTELLERIA. Time Height. Place
R.A.F. Form 441 A. SORTIE REPORT 'F' 147 (Part A.)
Sheet No. 1 Oprep. Ref. No. 307 Date. 7 JUN 43 Squadron. 21 SAAF.Type of Aircraft. 12 Baltimores Captain FORMATION LEADERAircraft No. (7 Mk. 111 & 5 Mk. 111A) Maj. CormackAircraft Letter. See reverse. Crew. Lt. Lombaard (Observer)See reverse.Time Up. 1824 hrs. L.T.Time Down. 2005 hrs. L.T. Aerodrome or L.G. SOLIMAN NORTH L.G.Total Time. 18 hrs. 00 mins.Type of Cloud. --- Map or ChartAmount of Cloud. Nil. Reference.Base of Cloud. --- FRENCH NORTH AFRICAVisibility. Fair. Dust haze. 1:500,000General Weather. Good. Sheet NJ.32. SE. TUNISPANTELLERIA 1:25,000And map substitute 1ATask or Duty. Medium level bombing attack on battery positions 19 & 19APANTELLERIA.Time Height. Place. Narrative. SOLIMAN Airborne.
2000 " S/C 082 deg. RAS MOSTEFA.
2000 " Message from 'BLACKMAIL', "Bandits in [strike-through: XXXXXXXX] rendezvous area". Completed left hand circuit losing height.
2000 MOSTEFA Picked up fighter escort (12 Spitfires 31st. Bomber Escort and 12 P40's 33rd. Bomber Escort USAAF) and S/C for PANTELLERIA ISLAND 095 M.
9000 TARGET Bombed on course of 125 deg. Left hand turn off. S/C 275 M. for Cap Bon.
1000 HAOUARIA Made landfall. A/C 255 M. across peninsula and followed coast to base.
SOLIMAN Last A/C landed.
PART B (on reverse) to be completed according to relevant pro-forma in H.Q. R.A.F. M.E. Instruction 34.2942 / PMEJ - 200,000 - 3/42 P.T.O. Part "B"
BA Battery positions Nos. 19 & 19A PANTELLERIA (Ref. Map: PANTELLERIA1:25,000)BB 1916/7 hrs. L.T.BC Medium level bombing, from 8000 ft. Course 125 deg.12 x 500 lb. S.A.P. }12 x 500 lb. G.P. } All 49 det. .025 delay. Tail fused only.24 x 500 lb. M.C. }BD Target was attacked by two boxes of six approximately in lineastern. Box leaders aimed individually. Bombs burst from F 194056towards F 190061. Two gun positions received direct hits. No otherresults observed.BE Moderate but inaccurate HAA.BF One A/C received a minor hole from AA.BG Obliques and Verticals taken. 8000 ft. 210 IAS. Course 125 deg.BH At 1922 hrs., 10 miles from PANTELLERIA HARBOUR on course of290 deg., an unidentified fighter was seen to go down with smoketrailing from it and another unidentified fighter on its tail.One enemy fighter with clipped wings seen over RAS MOSTEFA at1953 hrs. List of A/C and Crews:
F/L 903 B Maj. Cormack, Lt. Lombaard, F/Sgts. Finberg & Viljoen.290 C Lt. Blieden, Lt. Rose, F/Sgts. Jarvis & Perkins.179 A Lt. A'Bear, Lt. Owen-Hughes, F/Sgts. Harrison & Pickup.V/L 226 H Capt. Ord, Lt. Hodges, F/Sgts. Meyer & Stopforth.877 J Lt. Oakes, Lt. Sachs, Sgts. Morrison & Cleland (RCAF).271 F Lt. Guard, Lt. Forssman, F/Sgts. Green & van Rooyen.B/L 108 O Capt. Stuart, Lt. Pawson, F/Sgts. Morley & Schumann.Lt. Wood, Lt. Gould, F/Sgts. Purdon & Groenewald..957 W368 X Lt. Clutterbuck, Lt. van der Meulen, F/Sgts. Raeburn & GarbaV/L 221 Y Lt. Eaton, Lt. McDermott, Sgt. Freestone (RNZAF) & F/Sgt. Gild(RAF)345 E Lt. Willmot, Lt. Borcherds, F/Sgt. Loots & F/Sgt. Walbridge.916 R Lt. Simpson, Lt. Handley, F/Sgts. Roberts V.P. & Shepperson.F/L Formation Leader. B/L Box Leader. V/L Vic Leader.
[Signature] .................. Capt. S.I.O. 21 SQUADRON, S.A.A.F.