BIR DUFAN NO. 2 L.G. - DISPERSED A/C

Sortie Report No. 164: The official narrative report summarizing the combat results of this specific mission. Operational Context: This crew manifest for 13 January 1943 details the 18 Martin Baltimore aircraft of No. 21 Squadron S.A.A.F. engaged in a high-stakes tactical interdiction mission during the final Allied push through Tripolitania. Strategically, the Desert Air Force was executing a "fully offensive" campaign to neutralize Axis air capabilities at Bir Dufan and Tauorga to facilitate the Eighth Army's advance on Tripoli. The formation was led by Major A. Jendrell (Aircraft 176 YY) and included other senior officers such as Major M. Barnby (Aircraft 108 B), underscoring the importance of the operation. The mission was plagued by severe environmental hazards, specifically dust storms and poor visibility, which forced the formation to divert from its primary objective at Bir Dufan to attack secondary targets of opportunity. The attrition rate recorded in the associated reports is reflected in this list. Aircraft 842 SS (Lt. Lindenberg) is recorded here with its full crew, all of whom were reported missing following the mission after being intercepted by Bf 109 F fighters. Similarly, Aircraft 873 N (Lt. Liddiard) carried Flight Sergeant Kruger, who was killed in action during the same engagement. This document, archived as Folio 21 of the AIR 27/274 series, provides the high-fidelity personnel data necessary to reconstruct the human cost of the MAAF’s tactical interdiction efforts as the North African campaign reached its climax. 23

D.P.S.C., H.Q., R.A.F., M.E.: Deputy Principal Staff Officer, Headquarters, Royal Air Force, Middle East.

O.C. No. 3 (S.A.) Wing: Officer Commanding No. 3 (South African) Wing, the parent formation of No. 21 Squadron.

A.O.C. REAR A.H.Q., W.D.: Air Officer Commanding, Rear Advanced Air Headquarters, Western Desert.

airscrew was feathered: The pilot adjusted the pitch of the propeller blades parallel to the airflow to stop the engine's rotation and reduce drag following a strike.

Misurata R (S) 95: Grid coordinates on the 1:500,000 Misurata map sheet. Operational Context: This Circumstantial Report, dated 17 January 1943, provides a formal administrative account of the loss of Baltimore AC. 842 and its crew during the "Fully Offensive" campaign of 13 January 1943. Strategically, the Desert Air Force (DAF) was conducting maximum-effort interdiction against Axis landing grounds to neutralize air resistance ahead of the Eighth Army’s final advance toward Tripoli. Tactically, the mission consisted of 18 Martin Baltimores (the crew manifest of which is documented in Folio 21) departing from Chel II at 08:00 hours. The formation was intercepted by German fighters approximately ten minutes before reaching the Bir Dufan aerodrome. Baltimore AC. 842, piloted by Lieutenant S. Lindenberg, was struck by fire from a Bf 109 F, causing the starboard engine to smoke and necessitating the feathering of the airscrew. The aircraft was observed losing height at 09:24 hours while heading east over the Misurata sector. Although the pilot appeared to maintain control, the location was well within Axis-held territory, leading the Officer Commanding to conclude the crew likely fell into "enemy hands" as prisoners of war. This document, archived as Folio 22, represents the high-fidelity reporting required to track personnel attrition during the MAAF interdiction campaign that shattered the Afrika Korps' logistical tail in Tripolitania. 24

fully fine pitch: A propeller setting where the blades are at a minimum angle to the airflow, typically used for takeoff; here, it indicates a governor failure causing the engine to overspeed.

feathered: Adjusting the propeller blades parallel to the airflow to stop the engine's rotation and minimize drag after a failure.

inter-comm.: Internal communication system between crew members.

jettison: To drop the bomb load in an emergency to reduce weight and drag.

W/T and R/T: Wireless Telegraphy (Morse) and Radio Telephony (Voice) communications.

BALTIMORE III - A.C. 873: The Martin Baltimore Mark III, twin-engine light bomber, aircraft serial number 873.

Chel II Landing Ground: A forward operational airfield in Tripolitania, Libya.

cowlings: The removable metal coverings over the aircraft's engines.

airscrew: The aircraft's propeller.

No. 73 Squadron of No. 235 Wing: An R.A.F. fighter squadron and its parent wing, also operating within the Desert Air Force (DAF).

Base by Bombay: Refers to the crew's return to their home airfield via a Bristol Bombay transport aircraft. Operational Context: This personal report by Lieutenant G. A. Liddiard provides a definitive account of the fatal engagement on 13 January 1943 during the "Fully Offensive" campaign to collapse Axis air power in Libya. Strategically, Advanced Air Headquarters (A/AHQ) had prioritized the neutralization of the Bir Dufan landing grounds to deny the Luftwaffe and Regia Aeronautica a base from which to harass the Eighth Army's westward advance toward Tripoli. The tactical details provided by Liddiard emphasize the lethal coordination of Axis fighter tactics. The formation was intercepted by Bf 109s just after crossing Wadi Zem Zem. The specific attack on Baltimore A.C. 873 involved three fighters: two providing cover while the third "pressed home its attack from astern," a tactic designed to exploit the defensive blind spots of the light bomber. This attack resulted in the instantaneous death of Flight Sergeant E. L. Kruger. The report further underscores the severity of the damage sustained, including a "holed" fuel tank and the loss of the "port wheel," which necessitated a high-risk crash-landing in soft sand at Tamet North. The administrative detail of assistance from No. 73 Squadron for the burial of F/Sgt. Kruger reflects the close inter-service cooperation within the Desert Air Force. This document, archived as Folio 25, serves as a primary record of the personal and material attrition suffered by No. 21 Squadron S.A.A.F. during the definitive breakthrough in Tripolitania. 26

P O S T A G R A M: A formal military communication method used by the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces (MAAF) to transmit operational data and intelligence summaries via signal or courier services.

25th. Bombardment Group, U.S.A.A.F.: The 25th Bombardment Group (Medium) of the United States Army Air Forces, which operated in conjunction with SAAF units within the Desert Air Force (DAF) framework.

ft.: Feet, the unit of measurement for the release altitude of 10,000 feet.

250 lb. G.P. 43 Det. (Rods): 250-pound General Purpose high-explosive bombs utilizing No. 43 tail pistols and nose extension rods (known as "daisy cutters") to trigger detonation above the ground, maximizing the lateral fragmentation blast against soft targets.

.303 and .300 ammunition: Standard calibers for the aircraft's defensive machine guns.

Cat 3 (Burnt): Category 3 damage, indicating the aircraft was beyond local repair and likely a total loss due to fire.