Operational Report (Form 541)
- Aircraft
- One Maryland
- Duty
- Photographic Recce of ship in Bardia Harbour
21 SQUADRON S. A. A. F. OPERATIONAL REPORT NO. 6( O. O. Nos. ... "A" 49. )Copy No. 7...Date. 29.9.41DATE OF OP. 29th. September 1941NUMBER AND TYPE OF AIRCRAFT: One Maryland.DUTY. Photographic Recce of ship in Bardia Harbour.NARRATIVE. One Maryland recced Bardia Harbour at a height of 21000'.There was a good deal of cloud, but a useful gap alloweda good look at the ship. This had moved about 200 yardsSouthwards, and changed its fore and aft direction to340 degrees and 160 degrees. A clear message wasimmediately sent back by the Wireless Operator Gunner.Photos were taken. The Aircraft returned to base, witha call at Group Headquarters en route, without incident.WEATHER. Hazy 4/10ths. cloud.A/A. Fairly intense, but behind and above.ENEMY AIRCRAFT. "NIL"TIMES. Airborne 0824 hours.Over ship 0944 hoursLanded Hq. 1042 hoursLanded base 1201 hoursFlying Time 3 hrs. 30 min.APPENDIX "B" Crew and Machine.Machine No. L. 1668. Pilot. Capt. Thackwray. Observer. 2/Lt. Kiley.Air Gunners. Sgts. Earnshaw and M. E. Jones.DISTRIBUTION.
Hq. RAF. ME. S. I. O.
204 Intelligence
204 Operations.
Medium Bomber Wing S. I. O.
S. A. Liaison Officer Hq. RAF. ME.
*
* War Diary
File.
Transcriber's Notes
- A/A
- Anti-Aircraft artillery fire (Flak). Ground defenses encountered during this reconnaissance mission were described as "fairly intense," though technical positioning of the aircraft rendered the bursts ineffective ("behind and above").
MC/GP (MEDIUM CAPACITY / GENERAL PURPOSE): The standard Allied ordnance designations for high-explosive demolition bombs. While this specific mission was a non-bombing photographic reconnaissance (Recce) flight, the aircraft maintained a defensive posture with fully loaded machine gun magazines.