Sortie Report (Form 541)
- Duty
- Medium level bombing attack on Battery No. 20 PANTELLERIA. Time Height. Place
R.A.F. Form 441 A.SORTIE REPORT 157 "K"(Part A.)SECOND OPERATION OF DAY.No. 1 Oprep. Ref. No 312 Date. 10 JUN 43 Squadron. 21 SAAF.Type of Aircraft. 12 Baltimores. Captain Formation LeaderAircraft No. (6 Mk. 111 & 6 Mk. 111A) Maj. JandrellAircraft Letter. See reverse. Crew. Lt. Christie (Observer)See reverse.Time Up. 1810 hrs. L.T. (1st. A/C)Time Down. 1942 hrs. L.T. (Last A/C) Aerodrome or L.G. SOLIMAN NORTH L.G.Total Time. 18 hrs. 00 mins.Type of Cloud. St.Cu. and Cu. Map or ChartAmount of Cloud. 8/10 Reference.Base of Cloud. 10,000 ft. FRENCH NORTH AFRICAVisibility. Fair in dust haze caused by bomb 1:500000 Sheet NJ.32.SE.bursts. TUNIS.General Weather. Good. PANTELLERIA 1:25,000" Substitute 1ATask or Duty. Medium level bombing attack on Battery No. 20 PANTELLERIA.Time Height. Place. Narrative.Base Airborne.2000 " S/C RAS EL FORTASS 034 deg.2000 FORTASS Picked up fighter escort (33 rd. Bomber Escort USAAF)S/C KELIBIA 095 deg.4500 KELIBIA S/C target 093 deg.7500 TARGET Bombed on course of 253 deg.2000 CAP BON 5 miles NORTH of KELIBIA.2000 " Fighter escort left formation.Base 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"BA Battery No. 20 PANTELLERIA ISLAND.BB 1857 hrs. L.T.BC Medium level bombing from 7500 ft. Course 260 deg.41 x 500 lb. G.P. )6 x 500 lb. M.C. ) 49 Det. 28 Pistol. .025 Delay. Tail fused.1 x 500 lb. S.A.P.)BD Target slightly obscured by haze. Formation bombed in vics in lineastern. Apart from a few bombs bursting on the Northern tip ofthe target, all bombs fell in the sea, immediately NORTH of thetarget.BE Approx. 20 bursts HAA, fairly accurate though to port of formationduring bombing run.BF Nil.BG Verticals & Obliques taken of bomb bursts. Height 7500 ft. Course253 deg.BH (1) Large black patch on the L.G. near Western boundary.(2) One fighter believed to have been a P 40, was seen to go downin a steep dive and burst into flames near F 177052 at 1857.(3) One "Lightning" seen flying on one engine on a parallel courseabove the formation after bombing.(4) Vic leaders seem to have had difficulty in keeping on astraight bombing run. Considerable drift to starboard wasreported.List of A/C and Crews:F/L 176 YY Maj. Jandrell, Lt. Christie, F/Sgts. Pearce & [strike-through: SH] le Roux.368 X Lt. Clutterbuck, Lt. v.d. Meulen, F/Sgts. Raeburn & Carbarns.221 Y Lt. Eaton, Lt. McDermot, Sgt. Freestone (RNZAF) & F/Sgt. Gilder(RAF).V/L 142 P Maj. Schravesande, Lt. Campbell, F/Sgts. Meyer & Stopforth.291 U Lt. Hargrave, Lt. Rees, Sgt. Jensen (RCAF) & F/Sgt. Bedford.957 W Lt. Wood, Lt. Gould, F/Sgts. Purdon & Groenewald.B/L 345 E Capt. McBride, Lt. Pickerill, F/Sgts. Daniels & White.352 D Lt. Dugmore, Lt. Masters, F/Sgts. Maasdorp & Rogers C.L.290 C Lt. Blieden, Lt. Rose, F/Sgts. Jarvis & Perkins.V/L 179 A Capt. Ord, Lt. Hodges, F/Sgt. Walker & A/Sgt. Devenish.977 L Lt. Guard, Lt. Forssman, F/Sgts. Green & de Villiers.877 J Lt. Oakes, Lt. Sachs, Sgts. Morrison & Cleland (RCAF).F/L Formation Leader. B/L Box Leader. V/L Vic Leader.[Signature] ....................Capt.S.I.O. 21 SQUADRON, S.A.A.F.