| TORTORELLA |

SORTIE REPORT (Part A) R.A.F. Form 441 A. X 47 | [Header Columns] | [Content] | |---|---| | Sheet No. | 1 | | Oprep. Ref. No. | 530 | | Date | 25 Jan 44 | | Squadron | 21 SAAF | | Type of Aircraft | 12 Baltimores (1 Mk.3A, | | Aircraft No. | 11 Mk.4) | | Aircraft Letter | See over | | Captain | MAJOR ORD | | Crew | LT HODGES | | | Formation Leader | | Time Up | 0910 A Hrs 1st a/c | | Time Down | 1101 A Hrs last a/c | | Total Time | 21.00 Hours | | Aerodrome or L.G. | TORTORELLA | | Type of Cloud | Alto.Cu. St.Cu & Cu to sea & over Mtns tops. | |---|---| | Amount of Cloud | 1/10 - 2/10 | | Base of Cloud | 15000' | | Visibility | 20 miles | | General Weather | Good | | Map or Chart Reference | ITALY 1:100,000 Sheet 141 CHIETI | |---|---| | Task or Duty | TOLLO - ,C260153 | |---|---| | Time | Height | Place | Narrative | |---|---|---|---| | 0910 | | BASE | a/b | | 0928 | 3000 | BASE | S/c TERMOLI | | 0944 | 10000 | TERMOLI | Made one circuit | | 0950 | 11500 | TERMOLI | S/c S. VITO | | 1000 | 14500 | S.VITO | S/c TOLLO | | 1003 | 13000 | TOLLO | On bombing run Co.305°M. | | 1003 | 13000 | TOLLO | S/c BASE | | 1032 | 2500 | BASE | Over Base | | 1051 | | | Landed | | 1101 | | | Last a/c landed | [Signature Block] (Signed) [Signature unreadable - similar to "Lt Thompson"?] Capt. SIO 21 Squadron, S.A.A.F. PART B (on reverse) to be completed according to relevant pro-forma in H.Q. R.A.F.,M.E.Instruction.34. P.T.O.

1944-01-25 | TORTORELLA |

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Form 541

MAP

Transcriber's Notes

Transcriber's Notes: * Target: Tollo (The Return): This mission (Sortie 530) targeted Tollo on January 25th, 1944. This was the same target the squadron attempted to hit on January 16th (Sortie 517) but had to abort due to 10/10 cloud cover. This time, the weather was "Good" with only "1/10 - 2/10" cloud, ensuring a clear visual run. * Tactical Geometry (San Vito to Tollo): The flight path reveals a very specific attack profile. The formation flew up the coast to San Vito Chietino ("S. VITO") before turning inland to hit Tollo. The bombing run heading of 305°M (North-West) indicates they were attacking perpendicular to the front line, likely targeting German defensive positions dug into the ridges overlooking the Arielli River, directly supporting the Allied ground offensive. * Formation Discipline: The note "Made one circuit" at Termoli (09:44) suggests the leader (Major Ord) paused to allow the formation to tighten up or perhaps to synchronize with fighter escorts before entering the high-threat area near the front lines. * Altitude Profile: The formation climbed to 14,500 feet at San Vito before descending slightly to 13,000 feet for the bombing run. This extra altitude provided safety from light flak while crossing the coast and allowed for a stable, slightly diving approach to the target, which helped maintain airspeed and accuracy. * Major Ord: Once again, Major Ord leads the mission. His dominance in the flight logs for January 1944 confirms his role as the squadron's primary operational leader for critical close support missions. * Abbreviations: * S/c: Set Course. * a/b: Airborne. * Alto.Cu: Altocumulus clouds. * St.Cu: Stratocumulus clouds. 67 Verification: Target File Verification: This document is the reverse side (Part B) of the Sortie Report for January 25th, 1944 (Sortie No. 530). Although there is no specific "Date" column on this side, the target "TOLLO" and the "Time over Target" of 1004 Hrs match the Part A document from the previous image (269-1__66.jpg) dated Jan 25, 1944.