On the

21 SQUADRON S. A. A. F. OPERATIONAL REPORT NO. 3. 8 ( O. O. Nos.......A37 ) COPY NO........ DATE: 27. 9. 41. MAP REF: Tobruk 1:500000 DATE OF OP. 27th. September 1941 NUMBER AND TYPE OF AIRCRAFT: 9 Marylands. DUTY. High level bombing of Dumps "A" & "B" Bardia area and Photography. NARRATIVE. 9 Marylands took off at 0620 hours, flying in 6 box, 3 Vie formation, they crossed the Coast North of Bardia at 22000 ft., some 20 hits on Dump "A" were claimed, and bright flashes and flame suggested ammunition being hit. The majority of bombs appeared to have been released too soon, or too late. Some of the latter fell amongst tents on the roadside. Some 20 M. T. were reported heading East on the Bardia road, near Target. On the return Flight one Observer reported 150 dispersed M. T. at 523363, South of Hell Fire Pass. SHIPPING. On the outward run, a small ship was seen off Fuka, 4 Warships off Ras El Milha, and 3 smaller ships North West of Bardia ( approximately ) 550420. All these ships were heading East. The last mentioned 3 were taking violent evasive action against bombing when seen at 0717 hours. Later a medium sized ship was seen in a bay just North of Bardia. AIRCRAFT. 5 small machines seen over the 4 Warships. One twin engine Aircraft low down near the 3 ships. WEATHER. Fine very cold. A/A Several rear Gunners reported fairly accurate bursts, but the Crews generally did not seem to be worried much. A Battery firing was located at G 12 on Bardia Target Map "B"/5. TIMES. Airborne 0620 hours Attack 0745 " Landed 0850 " Total hours flown 22 hours 30 min. CASUALTIES. "NIL" APPENDIX "A" ANALYSIS OF BOMBING On Target "A" 20 On Roadside 16 North of Target 20 Unobserved 12 68 17000 lbs. == ========= 4 Bombs hung up. Appendix "B" / 2

1941-09-27

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Form 541

MAP

Transcriber's Notes

Phase 2: Technical Expansion (The "Transcriber's Notes") Glossary of Terms * 21 SQUADRON S.A.A.F.: No. 21 Squadron, South African Air Force. During September 1941, the unit was a key component of the Western Desert Air Force, operating from Egyptian bases to conduct tactical interdiction against Axis supply lines in Libya. * A/A: Anti-Aircraft artillery fire. A battery was specifically located at G 12 on the Bardia Target Map "B"/5. * BA-BH (MARTIN BALTIMORE): A twin-engine medium bomber manufactured by Glenn L. Martin. While the squadron converted to this type in 1942, they were equipped with the Martin Maryland (e.g., the 9 airframes in this mission) during 1941. * HELL FIRE PASS: Halfaya Pass, a strategic bottleneck on the Egyptian-Libyan border that was the site of heavy fighting throughout the desert campaign. * M.T.: Motor Transport. * MC/GP (MEDIUM CAPACITY / GENERAL PURPOSE): Standard Allied high-explosive demolition bombs. The 17,000 lbs of ordnance dropped (68 bombs) consisted of 250 lb G.P. munitions. * MET: Meteorological data or section. Weather conditions for the mission were recorded as "Fine very cold," typical of high-altitude operations in the desert winter. * RAS EL MILHA: Ras el Milh, a coastal landmark used as a navigational fix for aircraft heading west toward the Libyan frontier. * VIE: "V" formation, a standard tactical arrangement for three-aircraft flights within a larger formation. Operational Context Target File 272_21, Operational Report No. 3 dated 27th September 1941, documents a high-altitude strike against Axis logistical caches in the Bardia sector. The strategic importance of Dumps "A" & "B" lay in their role as primary reserve points for Rommel's Panzergruppe Afrika as the Allied forces prepared for the Operation Crusader offensive. The mission, involving 9 Martin Marylands, attacked at 22,000 feet at 07:45 hours. Technical analysis of the bombing indicates a significant strike on Dump "A", with 20 hits claimed and "bright flashes and flame" confirming the detonation of stored ammunition. However, execution was marred by timing issues; the majority of the 17,000 lbs of ordnance was released either early or late, resulting in 16 bombs falling on the roadside tents and 20 bombs impacting north of the target. Four bombs suffered a technical "hung up" malfunction. The sortie provided extensive reconnaissance data regarding Axis maritime and logistical movements. Crews identified eight vessels heading east, including four warships off Ras el Milh and three ships northwest of Bardia under air attack. Furthermore, the sighting of 150 dispersed M.T. south of Hell Fire Pass provided critical intelligence for subsequent MAAF interdiction strikes against German-Italian ground forces. Despite "fairly accurate" A/A bursts from a battery identified on Target Map "B"/5, no squadron casualties were sustained, illustrating the defensive effectiveness of the unescorted high-altitude formation. 22 Phase 1: Verification & Extraction Identity Check: No specific date is listed in a 'Date' column on this document. The file serves as Appendix "B" to Operational Report No. 3, which is dated 27. 9. 41..