Sortie Report (Form 541)
BA. ARMD RECCO ROAD VILLA S. GIOVANNI — C SPARTIVENTOBB. 2328 hrs to 0029 hrs LTBC. MEDIUM LEVEL BOMBING 2/5000'128 x 40 lbs.BD. NO movement seen. NO results observed. Stationery MT suspected from shadows alongside road MELITA DI PORTO SALVO — BOVA MAR.All bombs seen to burst across or alongside road.40 x 40 — 2/3 miles EAST MELITA DI PORTO SALVO — D562716 x 40 — 2/3 miles WEST do.16 x 40 — D 6327 — D 642516 x 40 — EAST OF AND ON BOVA MAR — D 692816 x 40 — WEST do.8 x 40 — EAST GALATI — D 80288 x 40 — D 74258 x 40 — D 4634BE. 1 Gun HAA 6/8 bursts inaccurate D1926.1 unidentified fighter seen for 2 mins at N2250 — 0043 hrs LT — evaded by diving turn to left under cloud.BF. NIL.BG. NIL.BH. 2/3 fires seen area D2040 and MESSINA — fairly large.2 fires — larger D1825, smaller D1215.Light REGGIO DI CALABRIA — like S/L shining on to water.3 small fast vessels area D3230 at 2359 hrs LT — fired small guns, course NE.1 vessel D4020 at 0031 hrs LT course NE.LIST OF AIRCRAFT AND CREW.176YY Major JANDRELL, Lt. CHRISTIE, 2/Lts. PEARCE & LE ROUX356 Z Capt. STUART, Lt. PAWSON, F/Sgt. MORLEY, 2/Lt. SCHUMANN.226 H Capt. ORD, Lt. HODGES, F/Sgt. WALKER, Sgt. DEVENISH.280 P Lts. SIMPSON & HANDLEY, F/Sgts. ROBERTS & SHEPPERSON.
Transcriber's Notes
- ARMD RECCO
- Armed Reconnaissance.
- LT
- Local Time.
- MT
- Motor Transport (referring to enemy vehicles).
- BOVA MAR
- Bova Marina (Italy).
- HAA
- Heavy Anti-Aircraft artillery.
- S/L
- Searchlight.
- NE
- North-East.
Abbreviations and Technical Terms Expanded
': feet (referring to bombing altitude).
lbs: pounds (referring to 40 lb anti-personnel/fragmentation bombs).
do.: ditto (referring to Melito di Porto Salvo).
Melito di Porto Salvo (MELITA DI PORTO SALVO): Modern name unchanged.
Reggio di Calabria: A major port city across the straits from Messina.