Sortie Report (Form 541)
R.A.F. Form 441 A.SORTIE REPORT(Part A.)1st OP OF DAY90Sheet No.Oprep. Ref. No. 358Date. 31 Jul 43Squadron. 21 SAAF ADVType of Aircraft. 12 BALTIMORES (2 Mk 3, 9 Mk 3A, 1 Mk 4)Aircraft No. ) as per listAircraft Letter. )Leader of Formation.Captain CAPT. STUART.Crew. LT. PAWSON.Time Up. 1005 hrs LT 1st aircraftTime Down. 1221 hrs LT last aircraftTotal Time. 25 hrs.Aerodrome or L.G. HALFARType of Cloud. ---Amount of Cloud. ---Base of Cloud. ---Visibility. Poor in hazeGeneral Weather. FairMap or Chart Reference.1. 1:500,000 SICILIA.2. 1:100,000 PATERNO.SHEET 269Task or Duty. ROADS THROUGH ST MARIE DI LICODIA| Time | Height | Place | Narrative ||---|---|---|---|| 1005 | | Halfar | Airborne || 1025 | 2000 | | Set course PALAZZOLO || 1105 | 7000 | Palazzolo | Circled. Picked up 6 Spitfires escort. Circled gaining height || 1110 | 9000 | | S/C ST SFERRO. || 1119 | 12000 | St Sferro | S/C TARGET || 1122 | 11000 | Target | Bombed || 1124 | 9000 | St Sferro | S/C PALAZZOLO || 1143 | 7000 | Palazzolo | S/C HALFAR || 1215 | 2000 | Halfar | || | | | Landed. || 1221 | | | Last aircraft landed. |(Signature: J. S. Bester) Capt.SIO. 21 SQUADRON. SAAF.
Transcriber's Notes
- R.A.F
- Royal Air Force.
- Oprep. Ref. No
- Operational Report Reference Number.
- SAAF ADV
- South African Air Force Advanced (Headquarters).
- Mk
- Mark (designating aircraft version).
- LT
- Local Time.
- L.G
- Landing Ground.
- S/C
- Set Course.
- St Sferro
- Stazione (Station) Sferro. Personnel Observations
- SIO
- Squadron Intelligence Officer.
Abbreviations and Technical Terms Expanded
Santa Maria di Licodia (ST MARIE DI LICODIA): A strategic town on the southwestern slopes of Mount Etna. Santa Maria di Licodia (modern name unchanged) served as a vital transportation node for Axis forces defending the "Etna Line".