Sortie Report (Form 541)
BA: SULMONA RR STN - C914841BB: 1408 A HrsBC: Medium level bombing 180° 13000/13500'24 x 500 MC 49 Det 27 Pistol36 x 250 GP 52 Det 44 PistolBD: Target well identified and many bomb craters of mornings raidon arrival in RR Yards. Bombs dropped in medium stick and patte[rn]the boxes merged starting from just NORTH of RR with one or tw[o]deliberate undershoots and extending across target to mainconcentration around Loco Repair Shops. 3 explosions seen, yell[ow]flame, near Repair shops, at Coal Stores and SOUTH of WarehouseEAST side of RR Lines. Blackish grey smoke from Repair shop an[d]column of steam N.E. Repair shop 200/400'. NO overshoots seenBE: NILBF: NILBG: Verticals and Obliques of bomb burstsBH: "H" near CASOLI very clear.Rds CARAMANICO area black from use - snow on Rd sides.AIRCRAFT AND CREW LIST.| | | | | | ||---|---|---|---|---|---|| 437N | LT/COL KOTZE | CAPT CARTER | 2/LT THOMPSON | LT TE WATER POHL | FL || 612T | LT BENNETT | LT LAMBERT | F/SGT GELDENHUYS | A/SGT CRAWHALL | || 445U | CAPT DIEU | LT VANDE PUTTE | F/SGT BAILEY | F/SGT DU RANT | || 460V | CAPT V.BREDA | LT NAUDE | F/SGT GRATTON | A/SGT LEISCHING | || 649Q | LT V.D.MERWE | LT JORDAAN | F/SGT VERITY | A/SGT PIENAAR | || 387R | LT ROWE | LT JANSEN | 2/LT HEYNS | A/SGT PECKITT | || 545A | CAPT JOB | LT ROSE | F/SGT BOUCHER | 2/LT CASE | || 441F | LT FROST | LT WHITE | F/SGT CARTER | A/SGT ALLAN | || 637C | LT WITTE | LT RUSHFORTH | F/SGT EATON | A/SGT MARAIS | || 341L | LT WILLMOT | LT BORCHERDS | 2/LT LOOTS | A/SGT EARP-JONES | || 412B | LT HEWITT | LT HORWITZ | F/SGT KIDNEY | A/SGT BOWEN | || 578G | LT ASHTON | LT STUART | F/SGT HARMSE | A/SGT BROUGH | |
Transcriber's Notes
This confirms that while Lt Askew was their regular pilot, the core trio of Lambert, Geldenhuys, and Crawhall flew together with other pilots (like Lt Bennett here) when needed. This was the second raid of the day on Sulmona.