The 2nd Box overshot and the results

Sortie Report (Form 541)

Date: 12th APRIL, 1945

APPENDIX "N"210FROM : S.I.O. 21 SQUADRON S.A.A.F.TO : W.I.O. 3 WING S.A.A.F.H.Q. M.A.A.F. ( ATTENTION OPERATIONS RECORDS)H.Q. M.A.T.A.F. ( SCORU)REF. : 21S/999DATE : 12th APRIL, 1945OPREP NO. 999 FOR THE PERIOD ENDING 2100 HRS ON THE 11th APRIL, 1945REF. MAP ITALY 1:100,000 SHEET 88 - IMOLA.<u>OPERATION NO. 194/21S/M.</u>A : 12 Marauders airborne in three boxes from Jesi L/G between1536 and 1808 hrs. to bomb enemy guns(16) 4 miles north ofXXXX IMOLA. The formation bombed from 12000' at 1652 -1648 hrs. Bombs from one box ran across the South Easterncorner of the target. The 2nd Box overshot and the resultsof the 3rd box were unobserved. There was moderate, accurateH.A.A. which holed four A/C and wounded one 2nd Pilot -was landed at CESENATICO L/G on the way home and taken tohospital. (wound was in the right hand). Weather was goodbut vis. poor in haze. Window was dispensed before and aftertarget. 48 x 20 lbs. frag bombs hung-up in one A/C and werejettisoned at sea.B : (i) 12 Marauders III (ii) NilC : (i) & (ii) NilD : (i) 28.55 Hrs. (ii) NilE : (i) 40,800 x .50 (ii) and (iii) NilF : (i) 2304 x 20 lbs. frag. (ii) 2,256 x 20 (iii) 48 x 20 (iv)Nil432 Lbs. WindowG : NilH : 84701 (V) Lt. L. Jandrell - 2nd Pilot.(Copy of Casualty signalattached for M.A.A.F.)I to Z : NilS.L. Boshoff [handwritten signature]Capt.S.I.O. 21 SQUADRON S.A.A.F.0470SA 21 / 628 11 APR 45 F8 / HH M 2435 11,500 1643 BG A (62)

Transcriber's Notes

S.I.O: Squadron Intelligence Officer, Capt. S.L. Boshoff.
21 SQUADRON S.A.A.F: No. 21 Squadron of the South African Air Force, a medium bomber unit operating within the Desert Air Force (DAF).
3 WING S.A.A.F: No. 3 Wing SAAF, the higher administrative and tactical formation overseeing 21 Squadron's Martin Marauder operations during the spring 1945 offensive.
SCORU: South African Operations Records Unit.
OPREP NO. 999: Operational Report number 999, documenting combat activity for the period ending 2100 hrs on 11th April 1945.
H.A.A: Heavy Anti-Aircraft fire.
F8: Focal length of the camera lens (8 inches) utilized for high-altitude vertical strike photography.
HH M 2435: Map reference M. 2435 (specifically pp. M. 226317), identifying the coordinates for a battery of 16 enemy guns located four miles north of Imola on the Imola 1:100,000 Sheet 88.

MC/GP (Medium Capacity / General Purpose): Standard Allied high-explosive ordnance classifications. For this tactical support mission, fragmentation clusters (2,304 x 20 lbs) were prioritized over GP demolition bombs to maximize effect against gun crews and soft-skinned vehicles.

BG A (62): Box Green, Alpha. This technical suffix denotes the specific aircraft's position within the "Green" sub-formation and indicates this is the 62nd frame in the film sequence.

MC/GP (Medium Capacity / General Purpose): Standard Allied high-explosive ordnance classifications. For this tactical support mission, the unit prioritized 20 lb Fragmentation (Frag) bombs (totaling 2,304 projectiles) to maximize effective coverage against anti-aircraft batteries and personnel.