Sortie Report (Form 541)
BA: STAZ DI PALENA H087682BB: From 1505 A Hrs to 1530 A HrsBC: Medium level bombing. 13200/15000' Co. 040º/030º23 x 500 MC 43 Det 27 Pistol31 x 250 GP do do (Rods)3 x 250 GP 52 Det 37 Pistol ( 6 Hour Delay)2 x 250 GP do do (12 Hour Delay)BD: Weather clear with haze over target and 1/10 cloud over mountain tops. Target identified and leader did dummy run owing to sun striking perspex on run up. Second box carried and bombed. First box bombed later. Bombs fell in short sticks, H088673 — 095677. Majority fell just SOUTH of station with slight overshoot. Direct hits on RR. near Rd and RR junction. Bursts also seen west of Rd S.W. of station.BE: NILBF: 1 A/C sustained small hole in Observers perspex at 1000' at 1600 A Hrs. Cause unknown. NO E/A visible. Spitfire cover still with formationBG: Obliques and verticals of bomb burstsBH: 6 MET moving NORTH on Rd N.W. PESCOCOSTANZO, 10 MET area H0968 close together facing NORTH — later moving. 6/10 MET moving SOUTH towards VILLA SAN MARIA. Fires seen in villages ATELETA, QUADRI, ALFEDENA, ROCCARASO, CAMPO DI GIOVE and in among hills WEST of QUADRI.AIRCRAFT AND CREW LIST.167S CAPT SMIT LT KAY LT PURDON A/SGT SCHOOMBIE181T LT BENNETT LT HARLE 2/LT STRYDOM P/O GILDEN356Z LT MURMAN LT WALTERS F/SGT ODENDAAL A/SGT STEWART387R LT RICHARDS LT DE CONNICK F/SGT ROBBERTSE A/SGT MCCRINDLE181Y LT HILL LT PIETERS F/SGT V.D. WESTHUIZEN A/SGT JENKINSON240O LT ROBERTSON LT HANNING F/SGT DU PIESANIE A/SGT LIESCHING341L LT WILLMOTT LT BORCHERDS 2/LT LOOTS F/SGT WALBRIDGE467D LT LONGMORE LT KENDAL F/SGT THEUNISSEN A/SGT MACKAY426J CAPT JOB LT OWEN-HUGHES F/SGT JARVIS F/SGT JANES441F LT FROST LT NEL F/SGT CARTER A/SGT ALLAN545A LT HEWITT LT HORWITZ F/SGT KIDNEY A/SGT BOWEN916K LT WITTE LT RUSHFORTH F/SGT EATON A/SGT MARAIS
Transcriber's Notes
- STAZ DI
- Stazione di (Station of).
- RR
- Railroad.
- Rd
- Road.
- A/C
- Aircraft.
- E/A
- Enemy Aircraft.
- MET
- Motor Enemy Transport.
Expanded Abbreviations