Sortie Report (Form 541)
BA. MILAZZO RAILWAY STATION.BB. 1721 hrs LTBC. Medium level attack.13500 ft 345° course.66 x 250 GP 47 Det 27 Pistol Nose fused.BD. The Railway station buildings were hit and bombs burst across the bay and harbour buildings. A near miss scored on a flying boat at the seaplane jetty. A fire was started in the station area and smoke rose in a column still seen 45 miles after leaving target. White smoke was seen to rise from the cross-roads near the seaplane base.BE. HAA moderate to intense fairly accurate from along headland and main road EAST of station.BF. Aircraft FA 181 Cat I HAA.One other aircraft minor damage.BG. Obliques and Verticals of bomb bursts. Height 13500 ft. Course 345° IAS 210.BH. (1) At 1731 hrs from 10000 ft 1 mile NORTH of Cape ORLANDO four craft seen that disappeared from view as if submarine crashdiving.LIST OF AIRCRAFT AND CREW.176YY Capt STUART, Lt. PAWSON, F/Sgt. MORLEY, 2/Lt. SCHUMANN.344X Major COULL, F/Sgt. SMALLMAN, 2/Lt. SHAW, F/Sgt. STRYDOM.173P Capt. SAUNDERS, Lt. BOOYSE, F/Sgt. MOORE, Sgt. EARP-JONES.181T Lts. SIMPSON & HARLE, F/Sgts. ROBERTS & SHEPPERSON.167S Lts. RICHARDS & DE CONNICK, F/Sgt. ROBERTSE, Sgt. McGRINDLE.951V Lts. SMYTH & HANNING, F/Sgt. de PIESANIE, Sgt. LEISCHING.226H Capt. ORD, Lt. HODGES, F/Sgts. WALKER & DEVENISH.903B Lts. WILLMOTT & BORCHERDS, F/sgts. LOOTS & WALBRIDGE (RAF)271F Lts. GUARD & WEBBER, F/Sgt. GREEN, 2/ Lt. DE VILLIERS.195G Lts. FROST & WHITE, F/Sgt. CARTER, Sgt. ALLAN.179A Lts. WOOD & NEL, F/Sgt. JAMES, Sgt. BUCHLER.
Transcriber's Notes
- LT
- Local Time.
- GP
- General Purpose (bombs).
- Det
- Detonator.
- HAA
- Heavy Anti-Aircraft (artillery).
- Cat I
- Category I (Aircraft damage that is minor and repairable on-site).
- IAS
- Indicated Air Speed.
- RAF
- Royal Air Force. Personnel and Tactical Observations
Abbreviations and Technical Terms Expanded
ft: feet.