Sortie Report (Form 541)
- Date
- 24/25 Sep *
- Time over target
- 1255 hrs
- Duty
- ARMD RECCE RDS AVELLINO - GROTTAMINARDA - 01065 - AVELLINO
SORTIE REPORT(Part A.)R.A.F. Form 441 A.X 141
No.: 1
Oprep. Ref. No.: 418
Date: 24/25 Sep
Squadron: 21 SAAF
Type of Aircraft: 4 Baltimores: 3 Mk.3A, 1 Mk.4
Aircraft No.: )
Aircraft Letter: ) See over
Captain: LT EATON
Crew: LT GOULD
Other aircraft followed similar courses at 9 minute intervals
Up: 0305 Hrs LT 1st aircraft
Down: 0653 Hrs LT last aircraft
Total Time: 12.55 Hrs.
Aerodrome or L.G.: CUTICCHI
Amount of Cloud: St/Cu
Amount of Cloud: 8/10 over target. 5/10 - 6/10 over sea
Base of Cloud: 10,500' 12,000'
Visibility: Very Poor
General Weather: Heavy haze below cloud
Map or Chart Reference: SICILIA 1/500000 NE36/12; MESSINA 1/500000 NE38/14; NAPOLI 1/500000 NE40/14
Task or Duty: ARMD RECCE RDS AVELLINO - GROTTAMINARDA - 01065 - AVELLINONarrative.
Height -: CUTICCHI — Airborne
Height 2000: CUTICCHI — s/c C. CALAVA
Height 10000: C. CALAVA — s/c SAPRI
Height 10000: SAPRI — s/c AVELLINO Road
Height 10000: AVELLINO — Commenced search righthand to AVALLATA
Height 9000: AVALLATA — s/c SAPRI
Height 8000: SAPRI — s/c SALINA
Height 8000: SALINA — s/c CUTICCHI
Height 2000: CUTICCHI —
Height -: CUTICCHI — Landed
Height -: — — Last aircraft landed[Signed] [Thompson] Capt.S.I.O. 21 Squadron, SAAF.
Transcriber's Notes
- Oprep. Ref. No
- Operational Report Reference Number.
- SAAF
- South African Air Force.
- LT
- Local Time.
- L.G
- Landing Ground.
- St/Cu
- Strato-Cumulus clouds.
- ARMD RECCE RDS
- Armed Reconnaissance of Roads.
- C. CALAVA
- Capo Calavà (Sicily).
- S.I.O
- Squadron Intelligence Officer.
Military Abbreviations Expanded:
s/c: Set Course.
Observations on Individuals:
Location and Modern Geography:
Avellino, Grottaminarda, and Avallata (modern Vallata): These towns in the Campania region were strategic bottleneck locations on the primary German retreat routes toward the interior mountains.
01065: A military grid coordinate likely identifying a specific road junction or bridge within the target sector.
Historical Context: