Operation

BA: CROTONE MAIN L/G (Z6647) alternative RD JUNC. MARINA DI CATANZARO (Z2628) BB: I532 Hrs LT BC: Medium Level Bombing Attack from II,000 feet, Course 300º 24 x 500lb. G.P. 47 Dets. 28 Pistols 24 x 500lb. M.C. " " " " " " BD: L/G well straddled from NORTH of S.E. corner into buildings on Western side - direct hit on long building running WEST to EAST approximately 50 yards off L/G. Near misses other buildings. L/G well cratered throughout central section. BE: NIL. I s/e fighter unidentified 4000 feet below formation on N.E. course BF: NIL. BG: I Vertical, several Obliques. BH: Target well hit by other formations. One large fire visible 30 miles in CATANZARO area. Another I0 miles NORTH of MARINA DI CATANZARO. One vessel I00/I50 feet in bay between C.CIMITI and C.COLONNE taking violent evasive action - long wake. 5 S/E aircraft in S.W corner L/G, I0 S/E and I T/E aircraft halfway up WEST side just off runway. NOTHING seen in CROTONE HARBOUR. AIRCRAFT AND CREW LIST. 95IV MAJ. JANDRELL. LT. CHRISTIE. 2/LTs VILJOEN & LE ROUX 27IF LT. BENNETT. LT. HARLE. F/S. STRYDOM. P/O GILDEN I95G LT. MURMAN. LT. WALTERS. F/S. ODENDAAL. A/S STEWART 586B CAPT. SAUNDERS. LT. BOOYSE. F/S. MOORE. SGT. EARP-JONES I79A LT. ASKEW. LT. LAMBERT. F/S.GELDENHUYS. SGT. CRAWHALL 290C LT. LONGMORE. LT. KENDALL. F/S. THEUNISSEN. SGT. MACKAY 22IY LT. EATON. LT. GOULD. SGT. FREESTONE. F/S. VAN ROOYAN 2400 LT. DUGMORE. LT. MASTERS. 2/LT. MAASDORP. F/S. ROGERS 29IU LT. HARGRAVES. LT. REES. SGT. JANSEN. F/S. BEDFORD 356Z LT/COL. BRITZ D.F.C. P/O SMALLMAN. 2/LTs HARRISON & PICKUP 9I6K CAPT. DIEU. P/O. EDMEADES. F/S. OSWALD. 2/LT SHAW I8IT LT. RICHARDS. LT. DECONNICK. F/S. ROBERTSE. SGT. MCGRINDLE.

1943-09-03

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Form 541

MAP

Transcriber's Notes

TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES Abbreviations and Technical Terms Expanded * L/G: Landing Ground (Airfield). * RD JUNC.: Road Junction. * Hrs LT: Hours Local Time. * G.P.: General Purpose (bombs). * M.C.: Medium Capacity (bombs). * Dets.: Detonators. * S/E / T/E: Single-Engine / Twin-Engine (aircraft types). * C.CIMITI / C.COLONNE: Capo Cimiti / Capo Colonna. * D.F.C.: Distinguished Flying Cross. * A/S: Air Sergeant. * F/S: Flight Sergeant. Personnel and Command Observations * Lieutenant Colonel J.F. Britz, D.F.C.: The Commanding Officer (C.O.) of No. 21 Squadron S.A.A.F. participated personally in this mission, flying Baltimore 356Z. His presence on the first day of the mainland invasion underscores the "all-hands" operational tempo required for Operation BAYTOWN. * Major A.C. Jandrell: Leading the formation in Baltimore 951V, Jandrell provided the tactical assessment in Section BD, noting the "direct hit on long building" and successful cratering of the airfield. * Sergeant Crawhall: Flying in aircraft 179A with Lt. Askew, Crawhall continued his relentless rotation of combat sorties on this critical day. Location and Tactical Intelligence * Crotone (CROTONE): A strategic port city on the Ionian coast of Calabria, Italy. The "Main L/G" (Landing Ground) targeted here is the modern-day Crotone-Sant'Anna Airport. * Marina di Catanzaro: The alternative target was a road junction at the coastal town now known as Catanzaro Lido. * Enemy Dispositions: Section BH reveals detailed intelligence gathered during the run. The sighting of 16 aircraft on the ground at Crotone (15 single-engine and 1 twin-engine) highlights why the squadron was tasked with cratering the runway—to pin these aircraft down and prevent them from striking the Allied beachheads. * The Vessel in the Bay: The observation of a 100-150 foot vessel taking "violent evasive action" between Capo Cimiti and Capo Colonna illustrates the Baltimore crews' secondary role in maritime reconnaissance and harassment. Historical Context: Invasion Day (Operation BAYTOWN) * September 3, 1943: This was the afternoon sortie on the very day the Allied armies crossed from Sicily to the Italian mainland. * Neutralizing the Luftwaffe: While the morning mission focused on interdicting transport, this afternoon strike was an air-superiority mission. By straddling the Crotone airfield and cratering the "central section" of the runway, 21 Squadron effectively neutralized a primary Axis airbase that could have been used to contest the invasion beachheads. * Logistical Strain: Launching twelve aircraft for a second mission in a single day, with a payload of 48 x 500 lb bombs, was an extraordinary feat given the squadron's documented transport and engine crises at Cuticchi, Sicily. 193 The date written in the 'Date' column of target file 276-1__193.jpg is 5 Sept 43.