EL DJEM MAIN.

R.A.F. Form 441 A. "F1" 48 SORTIE REPORT (Part A.) Sheet No. 1 Oprep. Ref. No. 275 Date. 25 APR 43 Squadron. 21 SAAF. Type of Aircraft. 18 Baltimores Aircraft No. See reverse side. Aircraft Letter. " Captain LEADER OF FORMATION: Maj. Jondrell Crew. 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. TUNIS Task 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" 3 BA 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 across dug-in positions and tracks in the area bounded by the pp. P 360945, 360970, 340980 & P 330970. Except for two near misses on a white building, no results were observed. BE HAA fairly intense and accurate over the target area. 3 HAA at P 329977 4 HAA at P 353942 2 HAA at P 335943 4 HAA at P 348975. BF 5 A/C slightly holed. BG Photographs taken of bombing run by 3 8" Vert. cameras, and one 20" 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 29 EASTING. 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. VII 994 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. Bedfor 259 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'N 115 M Lt. Oakes, Lt. Sachs, Sgts. Morrison & Cleland (RCAF) 930 K Lt. Willmot, Lt. Borcherds, F/Sgt. Loots & F/Sgt. Walbridg F/L Formation Leader. B/L Box Leader. V/L Vic Leader. [Handwritten Signature] ........................ Capt. S.I.O. 21 SQUADRON, S.A.A.F.

1943-04-25 EL DJEM MAIN.

__o_O_o__

Form 541

MAP

Transcriber's Notes

Phase 2: Technical Expansion Glossary of Terms * R.A.F.: Royal Air Force. * SAAF: South African Air Force. * Oprep.: Operational Report. * A/C: Aircraft. * Maj.: Major. * Lt.: Lieutenant. * L.G.: Landing Ground. * pp.: Pinpoints (specific map coordinates). * S/C: Set Course. * deg.: Degrees. * F. Grp. USAAF: Fighter Group, United States Army Air Forces. * H.Q. R.A.F. M.E.: Headquarters, Royal Air Force, Middle East. Operational Context The mission conducted on 25 April 1943 represents a major daylight effort by 21 Squadron SAAF during the high-intensity interdiction phase of Operation Vulcan, the final Allied ground offensive to eliminate the Axis bridgehead in Tunisia. Operating from El Djem Main, the squadron launched 18 Martin Baltimore aircraft—led by Major Jondrell—to suppress Axis gun positions on the Cap Bon peninsula. The strategic importance of this sortie is underscored by the high level of coordination with other Mediterranean Allied Air Forces (MAAF) components. The formation rendez-voused with Douglas Boston light bombers at La Smala before meeting a heavy fighter escort from the 79th Fighter Group, USAAF at 1121 hours. This joint force indicates the concentration of air power required to penetrate the dense Axis defensive "crust" as the British Eighth Army attempted to break through the mountainous terrain around Enfidaville. The narrative reveals a precise tactical profile: a "battle climb" from 500 feet to 8,000 feet following the rendezvous at pinpoint P 3911, with the final bombing run executed at 7,500 feet over the target at 1205 hours. The clear weather and 25-mile visibility favored the medium-level bombing accuracy necessary to neutralize fortified gun emplacements and tracks. This sortie was a direct contribution to the systematic suppression of Axis artillery, facilitating the Allied advance toward Tunis and the ultimate collapse of Heeresgruppe Afrika in North Africa. 68 Phase 1: Verification & Extraction Identity Check: 25 APR 43 Phase 2: Technical Expansion Glossary of Terms * pp.: Pinpoints (specific map coordinates). * GP: General Purpose (bomb type). * Det. (Rods): Detonators (referring to "rod" fuzes which protrude from the nose to ensure an instantaneous burst at ground level for maximum surface effect). * HAA: Heavy Anti-Aircraft fire. * A/C: Aircraft. * Vert. / Oblique: Vertical and Oblique (camera orientations for strike photography). * MT: Motor Transport (enemy vehicles). * RAF / RCAAF: Royal Air Force and Royal Canadian Air Force (integrated personnel within the SAAF unit). * F/L / B/L / V/L: Formation Leader, Box Leader, and Vic Leader (tactical positions within the flight formation). * S.I.O.: Squadron Intelligence Officer. * S.A.A.F.: South African Air Force. Operational Context The detailed Part "B" report for 25 April 1943 documents a high-strength 18-aircraft strike conducted by 21 Squadron SAAF as part of the climactic Allied offensive in Tunisia, Operation Vulcan. The mission, led by Major Jondrell, targeted a concentration of Axis gun positions and tracks on the Cap Bon peninsula. Strategically, this mission was vital for the suppression of Axis artillery supporting the German 90th Light Division and Italian First Army as they defended the mountainous southern approach to Tunis. The formation utilized 107 General Purpose bombs with rod fuzing to maximize surface damage across dug-in positions. While observation was hampered by the terrain, the crew recorded near misses on a white building—likely a utilized tactical structure—and sighted a dispersed convoy of approximately 20 motor transport (MT) vehicles fleeing eastward. The intensity of the Axis defensive perimeter is underscored by the report of "fairly intense and accurate" Heavy Anti-Aircraft (HAA) fire from four distinct battery locations (totaling 13 guns), which resulted in five aircraft sustaining damage (holed). The use of specialized vertical and oblique cameras from 7,500 feet provided the necessary evidence for battle damage assessment (BDA). This raid was a critical component of the continuous pressure exerted by the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces (MAAF) to shatter the final Axis defensive "crust" in North Africa. 69 Phase 1: Verification & Extraction Identity Check: 26 APR 43.