The actual run was made on a bearing of 70 deg. Unfortunately a large cloud obscured the L. G. for a few seconds, and th

21 SQUADRON S.A.A.F. OPERATIONAL REPORT NO. 34 COPY NO... 6 .. SHEET NO... 8 .. (Ref. Nos. 261 Wing Operation order No. "A" 200 and Squadron Op. order 34). DATE: 14. 11. 41. MAP REF: Target Map B./1. DATE OF OPERATION. 14th. November 1941. NUMBER AND TYPE OF AIRCRAFT. 6 Marylands OBJECTIVE. High level bombing dispersed Aircraft Berka L. G. NARRATIVE. Six Marylands took off at 0630 hours, and after refuelling at L.G. 76, set off for their target, following at first the usual route 20 miles South of Madalena. A course was set to cut the Railway mid-way between Benghazi and Barce. The Railway was then followed North East, to the target. The actual run was made on a bearing of 70 deg. Unfortunately a large cloud obscured the L. G. for a few seconds, and the 2nd. Flight bombed across the corner of the town, on a line parallel to the Southern edge of the L.G. These sticks caused a fire in a building. Two sticks were well across the Northern portion of the L. G. and half of the sixth was across the centre, remaining bombs overshooting. About 12 aircraft only were reported on the target, and it is unlikely that any of these were damaged. Good photos were taken ( 3 cameras ) both of the bombing and of points of interest seen on the route. INFORMATION BROUGHT BACK. (1) What may be a dump of stores seen at 485276, with a well used track leading away South East. (2) A very well used wide track running North and South was crossed at G.R. 1670 ( Benghazi sheet) (3) Tents and objects which might be camouflaged vehicles in Wadi at 393338. WEATHER. Hazy, 3/10 cloud, mostly in vicinity of target. TIMES. Airborne 0630 hours Landed L. G. 76 0735 hours Airborne 0933 hours Time over target 1200 hours Landed L. G. 21 1415 hours DISTRIBUTION. * S.I.O. H.Q. R.A.F. W.D. * Intelligence A.H.Q.W.D. * Operations do * 261 Wing (S.A.) * War Diary * do * do * do * File [Signature: L Lounds] Lt. SQUADRON INTELLIGENCE OFFICER.

1941-11-14

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Form 541

MAP

Transcriber's Notes

Phase 2: Technical Expansion (The "Transcriber's Notes") Glossary of Terms: * 21 SQUADRON S.A.A.F.: 21 Squadron of the South African Air Force, a light bomber unit equipped with Martin Marylands during this phase of the North African campaign. * 261 Wing: The tactical RAF wing to which 21 Squadron SAAF was assigned for operational command. * Op. order: Operational Order; the formal directive detailing the mission's parameters. * Marylands: The Martin Maryland (Model 167), an American-built twin-engine light bomber used extensively by the SAAF in the Western Desert. * Berka L. G.: Berka Landing Ground, a primary Axis airfield located just south of Benghazi, Libya. * L.G. 76 / L.G. 21: Landing Ground 76 and Landing Ground 21; forward and rear Allied airfields used for staging and recovery. * 70 deg.: 70 degrees, the magnetic heading for the bomb run. * Sticks: A series of bombs dropped in quick succession to create a linear pattern of explosions. * G.R. 1670: Grid Reference 1670 on the Benghazi topographical map. * S.I.O. H.Q. R.A.F. W.D.: Senior Intelligence Officer, Headquarters, Royal Air Force, Western Desert. * A.H.Q.W.D.: Air Headquarters Western Desert. Operational Context: The raid on November 14, 1941, occurred during the final preparatory phase for Operation Crusader, the Allied offensive intended to relieve the Siege of Tobruk and expel Axis forces from Cyrenaica. The objective—dispersed aircraft at Berka Landing Ground—was a high-priority target designed to degrade the Regia Aeronautica and Luftwaffe's ability to contest the airspace over the upcoming battlefields. The mission profile highlights the tactical challenges of high-level bombing in the desert. The use of L.G. 76 as a refueling point was necessary due to the distance from the squadron's base at L.G. 21 to Benghazi, pushing the Martin Maryland's operational range. The narrative reports a mixed outcome: while cloud cover obscured the primary target for the 2nd Flight, leading to the accidental bombing of the "corner of the town" (Benghazi), the 1st Flight successfully placed "sticks" across the northern and central portions of the airfield. The "Information Brought Back" section is particularly significant for G-2 (Intelligence) staff. The reporting of store dumps and track activity (G.R. 1670 and Wadi 393338) provided real-time data on Axis logistics and troop movements just four days before the launch of the Eighth Army's offensive. The presence of only 12 aircraft at Berka suggests either successful prior attrition or that the Axis had dispersed their strength to other landing grounds in anticipation of Allied raids. 153 Phase 1: Verification & Extraction Identity Check: The exact date found in the 'DATE' column of the image is 18.11.41.