Weather conditions were good with some high cloud at

Sortie Report (Form 541)

APPENDIX "B"198: S.I.O. 21 SQUADRON S.A.A.F.: W.I.O. 3 Wing S.A.A.F.H.Q. M.A.A.F. ( Attention Operations Records)H.Q. M.A.T.A.F. ( SCORU): 21S/ 985: 2nd April, 1945Oprep No. 985 for the period 1300 hrs to 2100 hrs on 1st April, 1945Ref. Map Italy 1:100,000 Sheet 51 - VENEZIA.<u>Operation No. 182/21S/M.</u>: 8 Marauders airborne in two boxes from Jesi L/G to bombMALCONTENTA AMMUNITION DUMP at G. 594495 - G. 610495.Formation picked up an escort of 8 Thunderbolts atCesenatico and s/c for target at 1625 hrs, bombing from12000' to 13,300' at 1655 hrs. Bombs from both boxesundershot, one stick ending on south edge of target.Weather conditions were good with some high cloud atabout 20,000'. Visibility was about 10 miles in haze.Thirty pkts. of P.W.B. Pamphlets were dropped overenemy territory, and 5 pkts of Window were dispensedin vicinity of target. There was slight inaccurateH.A.A. from target area. T.O. 1538 T.D. 1806A : (1) 8 Marauders III (ii) NilB : (1) & (ii) NilC : (1) 18.40 Hrs (ii) NilD : (1) 27300 x .50 (ii) & (iii) NilE : (1) 48 x 500GP Demo Fused tail only (ii) as in (1)32 x 250 " " " " " " 30 Pkts Pamphlets180 Lbs window(iii) & (iv) NilF to V : NilW : (1) 1 Marauder III (ii) NilX : (1) 1.15 Hrs (ii) NilY : 8 x 10 Lbs Practice.Z : NilS.T. Wrigill [handwritten signature]LT. / Capt.S.I.O. 21 SQUADRON S.A.A.F.8019003SA 21 / 445 1 APR 45 FS || G 5949 13300 1655 B I P

Transcriber's Notes

S.I.O: Squadron Intelligence Officer, Lt. S.T. Wrigill (signing for the Captain).
21 SQUADRON S.A.A.F: No. 21 Squadron of the South African Air Force, a medium bomber unit.
SCORU: South African Operations Records Unit.
P.W.B: Psychological Warfare Branch, the source of the 30 packets of pamphlets dropped during the mission.
H.A.A: Heavy Anti-Aircraft fire.
FS: Focal Scale or Focal Station. Refers to the camera settings used for high-altitude strike photography.
G 5949: Map reference G. 5949, identifying the coordinates for the Malcontenta Ammunition Dump on the Venezia 1:100,000 Sheet 51.
B I P: Box I, Pilot. Indicates the photo was taken from the lead aircraft of the first four-plane formation (Box I).

MC/GP (Medium Capacity / General Purpose): Standard Allied high-explosive ordnance. For this strike, 48 x 500 lb and 32 x 250 lb GP Demo bombs were utilized with tail-fuzing.

MC/GP (Medium Capacity / General Purpose): Standard Allied high-explosive ordnance. For this mission, the squadron utilized 48 x 500 lb and 32 x 250 lb GP Demo bombs.