Sortie Report (Form 541)
- Duty
- Medium level bombing attack on gun positions in area bounded by pp. P 3698, 3298, 3297, 3495 & 3695. Time. Height. Place
R.A.F. Form 441 A."F1" 48SORTIE REPORT(Part A.)Sheet No. 1Oprep. Ref. No. 275Date. 25 APR 43Squadron. 21 SAAF.Type of Aircraft. 18 BaltimoresAircraft No. See reverse side.Aircraft Letter. "Captain LEADER OF FORMATION: Maj. JondrellCrew. Lt. Christie (Observer) See reverse side.Time Up. 1040 hrs. (1st. A/C)Time Down. 1240 (Last A/C)Total Time. 31 hrs. 30 mins.Aerodrome or L.G. EL DJEM MAIN.Type of Cloud. Nil.Amount of Cloud. "Base of Cloud. "Visibility. 25 miles.General Weather. Good.Map or Chart Reference. TUNISIA 1:500,000 Sheet NJ.32. SE. TUNISTask or Duty. Medium level bombing attack on gun positions in area bounded by pp. P 3698, 3298, 3297, 3495 & 3695.Time. Height. Place. Narrative.1040 EL DJEM Airborne.1048 300 " S/C LA SMALA.1113 500 LA SMALA Picked up Bostons. S/C for rendezvous point.1121 500 P 3911 Picked up fighter escort (79th. F. Grp. USAAF) Started battle climb. S/C KAIROUAN 316 deg.1200 2600 KAIROUAN S/C for coast EAST of ENFIDAVILLE 034 deg.1203 8000 Proceed coast EAST of ENFIDAVILLE.1205 7500 TARGET Bombed on course of 330 deg. (Left hand turn on & off)1215 6000 ENFIDAVILLE. S/C EL DJEM. 162 deg.1240 EL DJEM Last A/C landed.PART B (on reverse) to be completed according to relevant pro-forma in H.Q. R.A.F. M.E. Instruction 34./PMEJ-200.000-3/42 P.T.O.PART "B"3BA Gun positions in area bounded by pp. P 3698, 3298, 3297, 3495, 3695.BB From 1200 hrs. to 1202 hrs.BC Medium level bombing attack from 7500/8000 ft.107 x 250 lb. GP 43 Det. (Rods)BD The formation dropped a good pattern, the bombs falling acrossdug-in positions and tracks in the area bounded by the pp.P 360945, 360970, 340980 & P 330970. Except for two near misseson a white building, no results were observed.BE HAA fairly intense and accurate over the target area.3 HAA at P 3299774 HAA at P 3539422 HAA at P 3359434 HAA at P 348975.BF 5 A/C slightly holed.BG Photographs taken of bombing run by 3 8" Vert. cameras, and one20" Oblique. Ht. 7500 ft. Co. 320 deg.BH (i) Medium fire seen burning at P 3489.(ii) Convoy of approx. 20 MT well dispersed on road, running P 29EASTING.List of A/C and Crews:F/L 176 YY Maj. Jondrell, Lt. Christie, F/Sgts. Morley & Abrahms.221 Y Lt. Pocock, Sgt. Edmonds (RAF), F/Sgts. Beaumont-Thomas &Clark.142 P Lt. Liddiard, Lt. Pickerill, F/Sgts. Businan & Cliff.V/L 382 D Lt. Hotchkiss, Lt. Merrell, F/Sgts. Hemet & Mills.179 A Lt. A'Bear, Lt. Owen-Hughes, F/Sgts. Harrison & Pickup.271 F Lt. Guard, Lt. Foreman, F/Sgts Steven & F/Sgt Prout (RAF)B/L 515 SS Lt. Smith, Lt. Arnold, F/Sgts Freestone (RCAF) & F/Sgt. VII994 T Lt. Carr, Lt. Lombard, F/Sgts. Toms & Wright.582 N Lt. Clutterbuck, Lt. v.d. Meulen, F/Sgts. Raeburn & Fraser.V/L 903 O Maj. Schrave sande, Lt. Herring, F/Sgts. Meyer & Stepforth.957 W Lt. Hargrave, Lt. Rees, Sgt McQueen (RCAF) & F/Sgt. Bedfor259 X Lt. Simpson, Lt. Rocknell, F/Sgts. van Coller & Koff.B/L 877 J Lt. Gardener, Lt. Kerr, F/Sgts. Pearce & Green.290 C Lt. Dugmore, Lt. Masters, F/Sgts. Maasdorp & Rogers C.L.183 S Lt. Denner, Lt. Manning, F/Sgts. van Coller & Koff.V/L 977 L Lt. Meredith, Sgt. Smallman (RAF), F/Sgts. Smith R.C. & O'N115 M Lt. Oakes, Lt. Sachs, Sgts. Morrison & Cleland (RCAF)930 K Lt. Willmot, Lt. Borcherds, F/Sgt. Loots & F/Sgt. WalbridgF/L Formation Leader. B/L Box Leader. V/L Vic Leader.[Handwritten Signature]........................ Capt.S.I.O. 21 SQUADRON, S.A.A.F.
Transcriber's Notes
- R.A.F
- Royal Air Force.
- Oprep
- Operational Report.
- SAAF
- South African Air Force.
- Maj
- Major.
- Lt
- Lieutenant.
- A/C
- Aircraft.
- A/C
- Aircraft.
- L.G
- Landing Ground.
- S/C
- Set Course.
- F. Grp. USAAF
- Fighter Group, United States Army Air Forces.
pp.: Pinpoints (specific map coordinates).
deg.: Degrees.
pp.: Pinpoints (specific map coordinates).
Det. (Rods): Detonators (referring to "rod" fuzes which protrude from the nose to ensure an instantaneous burst at ground level for maximum surface effect).