Sortie Report (Form 541)
BA: TOLLO - C260153BB: 1004 HrsBC: Medium level bombing 305°/320° 12500/13000'24 x 500 MC 49 Det 27 Pistol3 x 250 GP do do176 x 30 Incend. 1 Container of 8 x 30 Incend. hang-up - Blown fuse.XXXXXXXXXXBD: Smoke seen drifting from 3 places in target area XXXXXXXX on approach andArty flashes from own side of B/Line. Bombs fell from C266150 to C261156Pattern broad as second box bombed on almost parallel course to leadingbox and slightly nearer town. One or two bursts seen on edge of town.Explosion at cross-roads C264154.BE: Slight H/A/A inaccurate at own formation. Intense H/A/A at 223 SQDN.A/A gun flashes C243237, C245235- 4 guns at each. 4 flashes from C250160and 16 bursts C190276BF: NILBG: Verticals and Obliques of bomb burstsBH: "F" seen but NO searchlightAIRCRAFT AND CREW LIST.| | | | | | ||---|---|---|---|---|---|| 643H | MAJOR ORD | LT HODGES | F/SGT BOUCHER | CAPT HALL | FL || 467D | LT ASHTON | LT STUART | F/SGT HARMSE | A/SGT BROUGH | || 586K | LT MUSGROVE | LT GILDENHUYS | LT V.SCHALKWYK | A/SGT LEIPOLST | || 545A | CAPT JOB | LT ROSE | 2/LT CASE | A/SGT EARP-JONES | VL || 341L | CAPT VISSER | LT ELLIOTT | LT POTGIETER | LT V.D. WESTHUIZEN | || 645J | CAPT V.D.RIET | LT RIVE | F/SGT SAVAGE | A/SGT SCOTT | || 649Q | CAPT V.BREDA | LT NAUDE | F/SGT GRATTON | A/SGT LEISCHING | BL || 383W | LT GREDER | LT KIRBY | F/SGT GREYLING | A/SGT AIREY | || 445U | LT ROWE | LT JENSEN | 2/LT HEYNS | A/SGT PEENS | || 612T | LT BENNETT | LT HARLE | 2/LT STRYDOM | P/O GILDON | VL || 387R | LT RICHARDS | LT RABINOWITZ | F/SGT ROBBERTSE | A/SGT McCRINDLE | || 437N | LT XXXXXX | LT LAMBERT | F/SGT GELDENHUYS | A/SGT CRAWHALL | || | ASKEW | | | | |
Transcriber's Notes
Close Air Support (Artillery Coordination): The crew noted "Arty flashes from own side of B/Line" (Bomb Line). This indicates the Allied artillery was firing simultaneously with the air raid, a "time-on-target" tactic designed to keep German heads down while the bombers made their run. The Bomb Line was a designated map line separating friendly forces from targets safe to bomb.