Sortie Report (Form 541)
- Date
- [24/25 September 1943]
LOCATION: ITALYDATE: [24/25 September 1943]BA: RDS AVELLINO – GROTTAMINARDA – 01065 – AVELLINOBB: From 0440 Hrs LT to 0514 Hrs LTBC: Medium level bombing on various courses from 9500/10500’24 x 250 G.P. 43 Det. 27 Pistols (Rods)BD: Cloud above and heavy haze below prevented visibility. 18 bombs dropped on suspected or near roads and on lights in area AVELLINO – GROTTAMINARDA. 6 x 250 dropped area R.6470 N.R.O.BE: 2 bursts H/A/A BATTIPAGLIA area – accurateBF: NILBG: NILBH: Large fire SOUTH border GROTTAMINARDA2 flares seen area S.7754 0430 Hrs and 2 EAST GROTTAMINARDA0505 HrsLarge number lights and small fires MONTECORVINO area.AIRCRAFT AND CREW LIST.356Z LT EATON LT GOULD F/SGT FREESTONE F/SGT VAN ROOYEN226H MAJOR ORD LT HODGES F/SGT WALKER F/SGT DEVENISH586B CAPT SAUNDERS LT BOOYSE F/SGT MOORE SGT EARP-JONES291U LT HARGRAVE LT REES F/SGT JENSEN F/SGT VALENTINE
Transcriber's Notes
- RDS
- Roads.
- LT
- Local Time.
- G.P
- General Purpose (High Explosive bombs).
- Rods
- Extension rods fitted to the nose of the bomb to ensure detonation above ground level, maximizing horizontal fragmentation.
- N.R.O
- No Results Observed.
- H/A/A
- Heavy Anti-Aircraft fire.
Expanded Military Abbreviations:
Observations on Individuals:
Location and Geography:
Historical Context:
Operation Avalanche (The Battle of Salerno): This mission took place on the night of September 24/25, 1943. By this stage, the German 10th Army had completed its initial tactical withdrawal and was settling into a fighting retreat toward the "Volturno Line" to the north.