TORTORELLA

R.A.F. Form 441 A. SORTIE REPORT (Part A.) Sheet No. 1 Oprep. Ref. No. 461 Date. 27 Nov 43 Squadron. 21 SAAF No. of Aircraft. 12 Baltimores 2 Mk.3, 4 Mk.3A, 6 Mk.4 Aircraft No. ) Aircraft Letter. ) See over Captain. MAJOR STUART Crew. LT PAWSON Formation Leader Time Up. 1205 A Hrs 1st Aircraft Time Down. 1343 A Hrs Last Aircraft Total Time. 18.00 Hours Aerodrome or L.G. TORTORELLA Type of Cloud. Cu Base-PENNA PT. Over Mtns. Clear over target Amount of Cloud. 6/10 6/10-7/10 Base of Cloud. 15000' 9000' Visibility. 15/20 Miles General Weather. Fair. Cu forming inland near coast 4000' Map or Chart Reference. ITALY 1:100,000 Sheet 147 Target or Duty. RD. 0367032 - 369031-362019- 359020 (SCORCIOSA) | Height. | Place. | Narrative. | |---|---|---| | — | TORTORELLA | A/B | | 3000 | TORTORELLA | S/c PENNA POINT | | 12000 | PENNA PT | S/c TARGET | | 11000 | TARGET | BOMBED | | 9000 | PENNA PT. | S/c TORTORELLA | | 3000 | TORTORELLA | | | | | Landed | | | | Last aircraft landed | (Sgd) [unclear signature] Lt for Capt. SIO 21 Squadron, S.A.A.F.

1943-11-27 TORTORELLA

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Form 541

MAP

Transcriber's Notes

Transcriber's Notes Expanded Abbreviations * R.A.F.: Royal Air Force. * SAAF / S.A.A.F.: South African Air Force. * Oprep. Ref. No.: Operational Report Reference Number. * Mk.: Mark (designating the version of the aircraft). * LT: Lieutenant. * L.G.: Landing Ground. * A/B: Airborne. * S/c: Set course. * Cu: Cumulus (cloud type). * PENNA PT: Punta della Penna. * Mtns: Mountains. * RD: Road. * SIO: Senior Intelligence Officer. Observations on Individuals * Major Charles Stuart: Acted as the Formation Leader for this 12-aircraft strike. Stuart was the Acting Officer Commanding (OC) of 21 Squadron, having assumed the role following the mid-air collision on November 3, 1943, that killed the previous OC, Lieutenant Colonel Jack Britz. * Lieutenant B.F. Pawson: Served as the observer/navigator for Major Stuart. Pawson was a highly experienced member of the squadron's lead navigation teams, responsible for precisely guiding the formation through the rugged Apennine geography. Location Information and Modern Geography * Scorciosa (359020): This target refers to a road and village area in the Abruzzo region. It is situated on the strategic high ground near Lanciano, overlooking the Feltrino valley. * Modern Name: Today, Scorciosa remains a recognizable frazione (hamlet) within the municipality of Fossacesia. * Punta della Penna (Penna Pt.): A prominent headland near Vasto used as a vital navigational waypoint or "gate" for Allied aircraft flying north along the Adriatic coast. * Tortorella Landing Ground (Foggia No. 2): The squadron's home base. Now largely agricultural land, the original site is located just east of the modern Foggia "Gino Lisa" Airport. Historical Context * The Battle of the Sangro: This mission on November 27, 1943, was the second of the day for 21 Squadron, following a morning strike on Lanciano led by the new Officer Commanding, Lieutenant Colonel Kotze. These operations directly supported the British Eighth Army's major offensive to breach the Bernhardt Line (the winter defensive positions along the Sangro River). * Tactical Interdiction: The targeting of specific road coordinates at Scorciosa reflects the Desert Air Force (DAF) strategy of isolating German front-line units by destroying their logistical and withdrawal routes. * Operational Tempo and Logistics: The mission duration was approximately 1 hour and 38 minutes. The "Total Time" of 18.00 hours represents the combined flight hours of all 12 Martin Baltimore bombers involved. * Meteorological Hazards: While visibility was good (15/20 miles), the report notes "Cu forming inland". This captures the increasing unpredictability of the Italian autumn weather, which frequently forced crews to navigate through heavy cloud banks at low altitudes while flying over mountainous terrain. 79 The verification date for the document 276-2__79.jpg is 27 Nov 43. This image serves as the reverse side (Part B) of Sortie Report No. 461, detailing the results of the mission initiated on the previous page.