Slight H.A.A., inaccurate during Bombing run. No cloud Target area, but slight ground haze. One large fire with brown sm

"Z" 195 TO : H.Q. M.A.A.F. ( ATTENTION 23rd SCORU) H.Q. T.A.F. ITALY ( ATTENTION SCORU) S.A.O.A. S.A.A.F. FROM : S.I.O. 21 SQUADRON S.A.A.F. REF. : 21S/842 DATE : 27th SEPTEMBER, 1944 OPREP NO. 842 FOR THE PERIOD ENDING 2100 HRS. ON THE 26th SEPTEMBER '44 REF. MAP ITALY, 1/LX 1:100,000 SHEET 100 FORLI. OPERATIONS NO. 127 to 129/21/M. A. : 12 Marauders airborne at 1124 hrs. to bomb area M.707055 – M.715055 – 717058 – 707058. Attack took place in three boxes of 4 A/C each between 1239 and 1245 hrs. – first box bombed from 12300 on a course of 283° stick falling from M.711057 to M.708057, one direct hit on Buildings. Second Box bombed from 12600 ft. on a course of 273°, stick falling from M.713057 to M.710057 causing an explosion with orange smoke at M.712057. Third Box from 12600 ft. on a course of 277°, stick from M.714056 M. 711056. Inside the Southern edge of the Target. Slight H.A.A., inaccurate during Bombing run. No cloud Target area, but slight ground haze. One large fire with brown smoke at M. 710055 prior to bombing. All A/C landed at base by 1340 hrs. B. : (i) 12 Marauders III (ii) Nil C. : (i) & (ii) Nil D. : (i) 26.00 Hrs. (ii) Nil E. : (i) 45600 x .50 (ii) & (iii) Nil F. : (i) 48 x 1000 (ii) 48 x 1000 (iii) & (iv) Nil Fused 36 – 28 Nose 36 – 27 Tail. G to V : Nil W. : (i) 1 Marauder III (ii) Nil X. : (i) 1.15 Hrs. (ii) Nil Y to Z : Nil (Signed) C.P.P. Nicolle Capt. S.I.O. 21 SQUADRON S.A.A.F.

1944-09-27

__o_O_o__

Form 541

MAP

Transcriber's Notes

TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES * Abbreviations Expanded: * H.Q.: Headquarters. * M.A.A.F.: Mediterranean Allied Air Forces. * SCORU: Section Central Operational Research Unit. * T.A.F.: Tactical Air Force. * S.A.O.A.: South African Operational Assistant. * S.A.A.F.: South African Air Force. * S.I.O.: Squadron Intelligence Officer. * OPREP: Operational Report. * HRS. / hrs. / Hrs.: Hours. * A/C: Aircraft. * ft.: feet. * H.A.A.: Heavy Anti-Aircraft fire (Flak). * Capt.: Captain. * Observations about Individuals: * Captain C.P.P. Nicolle: The author of this report and the Squadron Intelligence Officer (S.I.O.). Nicolle was a primary record-keeper for 21 Squadron, notably leading the detailed intelligence investigation into the loss of Lieutenant Whitehouse's crew earlier in September 1944. * Location and Modern Names: * Pescara: The squadron's home base on the Adriatic. The wartime airfield site is currently occupied by the Abruzzo Airport (Aeroporto d’Abruzzo). * Forlì: The reference city for Map Sheet 100. During late September 1944, the area around Forlì was a critical bottleneck for the German 10th Army as they retreated toward the Po Valley. * Target Coordinates (M.707055 area): These coordinates place the strike near the town of Forlimpopoli, situated on the historic Via Emilia between Cesena and Forlì. The buildings and target area described were likely part of a German logistical concentration or defensive strongpoint protecting this vital transport artery. * Historical Theatre Context: * The Final Raid of September: This report documents the last major operational mission of the month (Operation No. 127-129). Following this mission on September 26, 1944, the Pescara Airfield became unserviceable due to the onset of the heavy autumn rains, effectively ending the squadron's contribution to the September campaign. * Heavy Demolition Operations: The mission utilized 48 1,000lb demolition bombs, emphasizing the shift from suppressing personnel with fragmentation bombs toward the physical destruction of German-occupied infrastructure and logistical hubs. * Tactical Observations: The report of "orange smoke" and a "large fire with brown smoke" prior to the arrival of the squadron suggest that the target had either been struck by artillery or a previous wave of Allied aircraft, or that the Germans were actively destroying their own stores before retreating. * Marauder III Performance: Bombing from altitudes between 12,300 and 12,600 feet, the Martin B-26 Marauder III formations achieved high precision, as noted by the specific grid-point "sticks" and direct hits on buildings. The lack of damage to the aircraft despite the presence of flak reflects the weakening of German anti-aircraft defenses as they were pushed from their established Gothic Line positions. 37 Target File Verification: The date written in the 'DATE' column of this operational report is 4th SEPTEMBER, 1944.