Sortie Report (Form 541)
BA: ARMD RECCE RDS: 0.1049 – AVELLINO – GROTTAMINARDA – 0.1049.BB: From 0301 Hrs LT to 0435 Hrs LTBC: Medium Level Bombing from 7000/12000 feet on various courses.48 x 250 G.P. 43 Det. 27 Pistols (rods)9 x 40 G.P. 43 Det. 38 PistolsBD: 20/30 MET, general movement N.W. at each of 00251, 01264, N9959 and suspected MET N9676. Fires reported 01049, N9363, 00634 and a steady light at 00254. All these and various other points along roads were bombed. Another fire started at 01049, some direct hits and near misses on roads but otherwise N.R.O. and N.M.R.BE: NIL against own a/c. L/A/A and H/A/A seen AVELLINO and BENEVENTO. Flares seen BENEVENTO and one at MIRABELLABF: NILBG: NILBH: 5/6 bright orange explosions with "umbrella" glows seen ALTAMURA area at 0440 Hrs. Arty flashes same area 15/20 per minute. Army beacons "A" 00635 and "Y" area N8901. SPARRO beacon NOT working, Krypton light CONTURSI area. MET movement in MONTESANO area Northwards.AIRCRAFT AND CREW LIST.230C LT/COL. BRITZ. DFC. P/O SMALLMAN 2/LTs HARRISON & PICKUP181Y LT. EATON LT GOULD F/S FREESTONE F/SGT VAN ROOYEN357R LT. RICHARDS LT DeCONNICK F/S ROBERTSE SGT MCCRINDLE353W LT. GREDER LT MCARAVY F/S GREYLING 2/LT GROENEWALD586B CAPT. SAUNDERS LT BOOYSE F/S MOORE SGT EARP-JONES195G LT. ASKEN LT LAMBERT F/SGT GELDENHUYS SGT CRAWHALL206J LT WOOD LT NEL F/S JAMES SGT ROBERTSON916K LT FROST LT WHITE F/SGT CARTER SGT ALLEN
Transcriber's Notes
- ARMD RECCE RDS
- Armed Reconnaissance of Roads.
- LT
- Local Time.
- G.P
- General Purpose (High Explosive bomb).
- MET
- Motor Enemy Transport (logistics vehicles, trucks, or troop carriers).
- Arty
- Artillery.
- DFC
- Distinguished Flying Cross.
Military Abbreviations Expanded:
a/c: Aircraft.
Observations on Individuals:
Location and Geography:
0.1049: A vital military grid reference for the road junction near Auletta, where the squadron repeatedly focused its interdiction efforts to bottleneck retreating German forces.
Historical Context: