GZINA R.A.F. Form 441 A.
SORTIE REPORT 33
(Part A.)
No. One Oprep. Ref. No. 169 Date. 15 JAN 43 Squadron. 21 SAAF.
Type of Aircraft. Baltimore Mk. 3 Captain Maj. Jendrell
Aircraft No. 176 Crew. Capt. Hatswell
Aircraft Letter. YY F/Sgt. Morley
Lt. te Water Pohl.
Up. 2228 hrs.
Down. 0028 " Aerodrome or L.G. GZINA
Time. 2 hrs. 00 mins.
Type of Cloud. Cumulus 3/6000 ft. Map or Chart
Amount of Cloud. 5/10 Reference.
Base of Cloud. 2400 ft. LIBYA 1 : 500,000
Visibility. Hazy - 2 miles. Sheet 3/9 MISURATA.
General Weather. Fair.
Task or Duty. Bomb MT on Main Road from MISURATA to TAUORGA.
Height. Place. Narrative.
GZINA Airborne.
6000 NORTH S/C 335 deg. M.
BUERAT
7000 SOUTH S/C to cut road.
MISURATA
3500 TARGET Bombed. Crossed coast EAST of GIODA and S/C for Base.
2700 On course for Base.
GZINA Landed.
PART B (on reverse) to be completed according to relevant pro-forma in H.Q. R.A.F. M.E. Instruction 34.
PMEJ - 200.000 - 3/42 P.T.O.
PART "B"
BA MT on Main Road from MISURATA to TAUORGA.
BB 2330 - 2333 hrs.
BC 3000 ft.
6 x 250 lb. G.P. 43 Det. (Rods), in one long stick.
BD No fires seen on arrival. Bombed along road; 100 to 200 yds
interval, along road between CRISPI and GIODA.
No results observed.
BE NIL.
BF NIL.
BG NIL.
BH Artillery engagement; likely position 3 mls. WEST of BUERAT.
OXYGEN None available.
(Handwritten Signature: [Illegible]) Capt.
S.I.O. 21 SQUADRON, S.A.A.F.
R.A.F. Form 441 A.
SORTIE REPORT 33
(Part A.)
No. One Oprep. Ref. No. 169 Date. 15 JAN 43 Squadron. 21 SAAF.
Type of Aircraft. Baltimore Mk. 3 Captain Maj. Jendrell
Aircraft No. 176 Crew. Capt. Hatswell
Aircraft Letter. YY F/…
__o_O_o__
Form 541 Transcriber's Notes Phase 2: Technical Expansion (The "Transcriber's Notes")
Glossary of Terms:
* R.A.F. Form 441 A.: Royal Air Force Form 441 A, the standardized document utilized for recording narrative and technical data for individual aircraft sorties.
* Oprep. Ref. No. 169: Operational Report Reference Number 169, which corresponds to the third nocturnal mission sequence conducted by the squadron on the night of 15 January 1943.
* 21 SAAF: No. 21 Squadron of the South African Air Force.
* Baltimore Mk. 3: The Martin Baltimore Mark III, a twin-engine light bomber provided via Lend-Lease, utilized for tactical interdiction during the North African campaign.
* L.G. / GZINA: Landing Ground. Gzina was a forward operational base in Tripolitania used by No. 3 SAAF Wing during the definitive advance on Tripoli.
* ft.: Feet, the unit of measurement for altitude, such as the 2,400-foot cloud base.
* MT: Mechanical Transport. Refers specifically to German and Italian supply and troop vehicle convoys targeted along the coastal road network.
* S/C / deg. M.: Set Course in degrees Magnetic.
Operational Context:
This Sortie Report documents the third and final nocturnal interdiction mission conducted by senior leadership of No. 21 Squadron SAAF on the night of 15 January 1943. Strategically, this period marks the "First Night Operations" for the squadron utilizing the Martin Baltimore, a critical technical expansion of the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces (MAAF) capability to maintain round-the-clock pressure on the retreating Afrika Korps.
The tactical objective was the disruption of Mechanical Transport (MT) on the vital coastal artery between Misurata and Tauorga. This road was the primary bottleneck for Axis forces attempting to evacuate material ahead of the Eighth Army's westward surge. The mission, led by Major Jendrell in Baltimore "YY" (Aircraft 176), was conducted under challenging environmental conditions, including "5/10" Cumulus cloud cover and limited visibility of only two miles due to haze.
The flight path required precise navigation at altitudes between 3,500 and 7,000 feet, cutting the road south of Misurata before executing the bombing run. While the companion report for this date (Part B) records "no results observed" due to the difficulty of nocturnal targeting, such missions were essential Allied operations designed to deny the enemy the safety of night movement and logistics. This document, archived as Folio 33 of the AIR 27/274 series, provides primary evidence of the SAAF's expanding operational envelope during the final collapse of Axis resistance in Libya.
39
Phase 1: Verification & Extraction
Identity Check: 15 JAN 43. (Note: While the literal 'Date' column is found on the reverse side/Part A, this Part B corresponds to the operational entry for the mission ending in the early hours of 16 January 1943).
Phase 2: Technical Expansion (The "Transcriber's Notes")
Glossary of Terms:
* MT: Mechanical Transport. This term refers specifically to the German and Italian supply and troop vehicle convoys targeted along the vital coastal road network.
* ft. / yds / mls.: Feet, yards, and miles, respectively.
* 250 lb. G.P. 43 Det. (Rods): 250-pound General Purpose high-explosive bombs fitted with No. 43 tail pistols and nose extension rods (colloquially known as "daisy cutters"). These rods were designed to trigger detonation just above the desert floor, maximizing the lateral fragmentation blast against soft-skinned targets such as trucks and personnel.
* CRISPI and GIODA: Specific landmarks or small settlements south of Misurata utilized for navigational and targeting purposes during interdiction runs.
* BUERAT: Buerat el Hsun, a coastal town and former Axis supply port in Tripolitania.
* S.I.O.: Senior Intelligence Officer. The staff officer responsible for the synthesis of mission data and the filing of official tactical reports.
* S.A.A.F.: South African Air Force.
Operational Context:
This Sortie Report (Part B) details the results of the final interdiction mission conducted during the night of 15 January 1943. This period marks the "FIRST NIGHT OPERATION" for No. 21 Squadron S.A.A.F. utilizing the Martin Baltimore light bomber. Strategically, the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces (MAAF) were executing a maximum-effort campaign to maintain 24-hour pressure on the Afrika Korps as it retreated toward Tripoli. By operating at night, the Desert Air Force (DAF) intended to deny the Axis forces the safety of nocturnal movement and logistical reorganization.
The tactical objective was the disruption of Mechanical Transport (MT) on the Misurata-Tauorga axis, a critical bottleneck for the retreating enemy. The aircraft attacked from an altitude of 3,000 feet, delivering "one long stick" of six 250lb General Purpose bombs at intervals of 100 to 200 yards between the landmarks of Crispi and Gioda.
As with the preceding nocturnal sorties for this date, the lack of ambient light and "hazy" conditions made the observation of specific results difficult, with "no results observed" and "no fires seen". Notably, the crew observed an "artillery engagement" west of Buerat, likely reflecting the proximity of the Eighth Army's forward ground elements. The continued absence of oxygen—a result of missions being undertaken at "short notice"—highlights the improvised and high-tempo nature of air operations during the definitive breakthrough in Libya. This document, archived as Folio 33, serves as a primary record of the S.A.A.F.'s expanding technical envelope during the collapse of Axis resistance in Tripolitania.
