Sortie Report (Form 541)
R.A.F. Form 441 A.SORTIE REPORT(Part A.)1st OPERATION99Sheet No.Oprep. Ref. No. 367Date. 7 Aug 43Squadron. 21 SAAF ADVType of Aircraft. 12 BALTIMORES (1 Mk 3, 10 Mk 3A, 1 Mk 4)Aircraft No. ) as per listAircraft Letter. )Leader of Formation.Captain CAPT. ORD.Crew. LT. HODGES.Time Up. 0854 hrs LT 1st aircraftTime Down. 1134 hrs LT last aircraftTotal Time. 30 hrsAerodrome or L.G. HALFARType of Cloud. ---Amount of Cloud. ---Base of Cloud. ---Visibility. 20 milesGeneral Weather. FairMap or Chart Reference.1:500,000 SICILIA NE 36/12.TARGET CHART 2/209/NATask or Duty. RANDAZZO VILLAGE.| Time | Height | Place | Narrative ||---|---|---|---|| 0854 | | Halfar | Airborne || 0931 | 1900 | | S/C PACHINO || 0954 | 2000 | Pachino | Circuited to pick up 6 Spitfires escort. || 1003 | 4100 | | S/C PATERNO || 1022 | 14,000 | Paterno | S/c point 7 miles EAST RANDAZZO. || 1027 | 14,500 | 7 miles E RANDAZZO | S/C RANDAZZO || 1028 | 12,000 | Randazzo | Bombed course 290°M || | | | S/c CESARO. || 1033 | 9,000 | Cesaro | S/c PACHINO || 1053 | 5,500 | Pachino | S/c HALFAR || 1114 | 1,200 | Halfar | Over BASE. || 1120 | | | Landed. || 1134 | | | Last aircraft landed. |(Signature: J. S. Bester) Capt.SIO. 21 SQUADRON SAAF.BB. 1028 hrs LTBC. Medium level bombing. Height 12,000' Course 300°72 x 250 GP 47 Dets 27 Pistol.BD. Formation started pattern at or cross-roads NW of Railway Station and at the rail bridge across the cemetry road into the village. Buildings were demolished and hits seen on rail track running SE of town.BE. HAA fairly intense but inaccurate followed formation. 2 guns seen firing from EAST of village. Some LAA seen. Inaccurate.EF. One aircraft minor damage by HAA.BG. Obliques and Verticals of bomb bursts. Height 12000 ft. Course 300° IAS 220.BH. (i) Aircraft 167S landed at PACHINO SOUTH SICILY, due to starboard engine failure.(ii) MT movement CESARIA—RANDAZZO Rd.(iii) 20 MT moving into RANDAZZO from WEST.(iv) Evasive action against HAA— Turn and dive before bombing run. After bombing run:— Reverse turn and dive, using excess speed to climb and steep reverse diving turn.LIST OF AIRCRAFT AND CREW.226H Capt. ORD, Lt. HODGES, F/Sgts. WALKER & DEVENISH. (FL)951V Lts. GRADER & GOULD, F/Sgt. GREYLING, 2/Lt. GROENEWALD.206J Lts. WOOD & NEL, F/Sgt JAMES, Sgt. BUCHLER.195G Lts. A'BEAR & OWEN-HUGHES, 2/Lt. HARRISON & PICKUP. (VL)271F Lts. MURMAN & WALTERS, F/Sgt. ODENDAAL, Sgt. STEWART.341L Lts. ASKEW & LAMBERT, F/Sgt. GELDENHUYS, Sgt. CRAWHALL.167S Capt. SMIT, Lt. KAY, 2/Lt. PURDON & WRIGHT. (BL)344X Capt. SAUNDERS, Lt. BOOYSE, F/Sgt. MOORE, Sgt. EARP-JONES.387R Lts. RICHARDS & DE CONNICK, F/Sgt. ROBERTSE, Sgt. McGRINDLE.291U Lts. HARGRAVE & REES, F/Sgts. JENSEN & BEDFORD. (VL)356Z Lts. SIMPSON & HANDLEY, F/Sgts. ROBERTS & SHEPPERSON.383W Lts. BENNETT & HARLE, F/Sgt. STRYDOM & OSWALD.
Transcriber's Notes
- R.A.F
- Royal Air Force.
- Oprep. Ref. No
- Operational Report Reference Number.
- SAAF ADV
- South African Air Force Advanced (Headquarters).
- Mk
- Mark (referring to the aircraft variant).
- LT
- Local Time.
- LT
- Local Time.
- L.G
- Landing Ground.
- S/C
- Set Course.
- Randazzo
- A medieval town at the northern base of Mount Etna. By August 7, Randazzo (modern name unchanged) was the vital "hinge" for Axis forces retreating toward Messina.
- SIO
- Squadron Intelligence Officer. Personnel and Command Observations
Abbreviations and Technical Terms Expanded
(FL): Formation Leader.
(VL): Vic Leader (leader of a three-aircraft sub-formation).
(BL): Box Leader (leader of a six-aircraft section). Personnel and Operational Observations