Sortie Report (Form 541)
R.A.F. Form 441 A.SORTIE REPORT(Part A.)1st OPERATION OF DAY76Sheet No. 1Oprep. Ref. No. 351Date. 26 Jul 43Squadron. 21 SAAFType of Aircraft. BALTIMORES (4 Mk III and 8 Mk IIIA)Aircraft No. ) as per listAircraft Letter. )Leader of Formation.Captain MAJOR CORMACK.Crew. LT. LOMBAARD.LT. VILJOEN.F/SGT. FINBERG.Time Up. 0825 hrs LT. 1st aircraft.Time Down. 1121 hrs LT Last aircraft.Total Time. 29 hrsAerodrome or L.G. HALFARType of Cloud. S/Cu ) PATCHAmount of Cloud. 3/10 ) NEBase of Cloud. 2500 ft Tops 3000 ft ) of MALTA.Visibility. 15 Miles.General Weather. Good.Map or Chart Reference.SICILIA 1:500,000 NE 36/12.Task or Duty. REGALBUTO VILLAGE.| Time | Height | Place | Narrative ||---|---|---|---|| 0825 | | Halfar | Airborne || 0835 | 2000 | | Set course for rendezvous. || 0927 | 7500 | Lentini | Circuit gaining height. || 0936 | 9000 | | Set course CALTAGIRONE. || 0948 | 12500 | Caltagirone | Set course CATENANUOVA. Picked up 6 Spitfires escort. || 0951 | 13500 | Catenanuova | Set course target. || 0953 | 12000 | Regalbuto | Bombed on course 345° || 1000 | 10000 | | Set course LENTINI. || 1032 | 7500 | Lentini | Set course BASE. || 1103 | 2000 | Halfar | || 1108 | | | Landed. || 1121 | | | Last aircraft landed. |(Signature: J. S. Bester) Capt.SIO. 21 SQUADRON. SAAF. ADV.
Transcriber's Notes
- R.A.F
- Royal Air Force.
- Oprep. Ref. No
- Operational Report Reference Number.
- SAAF
- South African Air Force.
- LT
- Local Time.
- L.G
- Landing Ground.
- S/Cu
- Stratocumulus (referring to low-level layered clouds with vertical development).
- NE
- North-East.
- SIO
- Squadron Intelligence Officer.
- ADV
- Advanced (indicating the squadron's forward-deployed element). Personnel Observations
Abbreviations and Technical Terms Expanded
ft: feet.
Flown on July 26, 1943 (D+16), this mission was a direct contribution to the Battle for Regalbuto. On this day, Allied ground forces (including the 1st Canadian Infantry Division) were locked in fierce fighting with the German 1st Parachute Division for control of the town.
The reported "direct hits" on buildings in the village center were intended to break the German hold on command posts and fortified stone structures that were stalling the Allied infantry advance.