Sortie Report (Form 541)
- Duty
- Medium level bombing attack on Town & Harbour buildings LAMPEDUSA ISLAND. Time Height. Place
R.A.F. Form 441 A.SORTIE REPORT 161 "M"(Part A.)Sheet No. 1 Oprep. Ref. No. 314 Date. 12 JUN 43 Squadron. 21 SAAF.Type of Aircraft. 12 Baltimores Captain Formation LeaderAircraft No. (5 Mk. 111 & 7 Mk. 111A) Capt. StuartAircraft Letter. See reverse. Crew. Lt. Pawson (Observer)" See reverse.Time Up. 0948 L.T. (1st. A/C)Time Down. 1223 L.T. (Last A/C) Aerodrome or L.G. SOLIMAN NORTH L.G.Total Time. 29 hrs. 00 mins.Type of Cloud. St.Cu. (Some Cirrus at 20,000 ft.) Map or ChartAmount of Cloud. 2/10 Reference.Base of Cloud. 4000 ft. FRENCH NORTH AFRICAVisibility. Poor in haze. 1:500,000 TUNIS & SFAXGeneral Weather. Fair. Target Chart 2/21/NA.Task or Duty. Medium level bombing attack on Town & Harbour buildingsLAMPEDUSA ISLAND.Time Height. Place. Narrative.SOLIMAN Airborne.1000 " S/C KORBA.1000 KORBA Picked up fighter escort (8 P 40's USAAF) S/C forLAMPEDUSA.8000 TARGET All bombs dropped.7000 " S/C MAHDIA.1000 MAHDIA S/C SOLIMAN.Base Last A/C landed.PART B (on reverse) to be completed according to relevant pro-forma in H.Q. R.A.F. M.E. Instruction 34.PMEJ - 200,000 - 3/42 P.T.O.Part "B"BA Town & Harbour buildings at LAMPEDUSA ISLAND.BB 1104 hrs. L.T.BC Medium level bombing. from 7/8000 ft. Course 140 - 158 deg.72 x 250 lb. G.P. 43 Det. (Rods)BD There was a fire burning among the buildings on the Western sideof the harbour. No. 1 box bombed to the NE of the town, with som[e]bombs bursting on the L.G. An explosion took place after a bombburst on the road NE of the town. No. 2 box straddled the town.Bursts were observed among buildings and in the streets.BE Nil.BF Nil.BG Verticals & Obliques taken of bomb bursts.BH Navy seen shelling area WEST of the harbour.Seven naval ships seen approx. 10 miles SE of the island.Four barges seen 18 miles off MAHDIA heading towards LAMPEDUSA.List of A/C and Crews :F/L 108 O Capt. Stuart, Lt. Pawson, F/Sgts. Morley & Schumann.957 W Lt. Wood, Lt. Gould, F/Sgts. Purdon & Groenewald.368 X Lt. Clutterbuck, Lt. v.d. Meulen, F/Sgts. Raeburn & Carbarns.V/L 167 S Capt. Smit, Lt. Kay, F/Sgts. Toms & Wright.291 U Lt. Hargrave, Lt. Rees, Sgt. Jensen (RCAF) & F/Sgt. Bedford.916 R Lt. Simpson, Lt. Handley, F/Sgts. Roberts V.P. & Shepperson.B/L 226 H Capt. Ord, Lt. Hodges, F/Sgt. Walker & A/Sgt. Devenish.290 C Lt. Blieden, Lt. Rose, F/Sgts. Jarvis & Perkins.271 F Lt. Guard, Lt. Forssman, F/Sgts. Green & de Villiers.V/L 352 D Lt. Hamilton, Lt. Whittle, F/Sgts. Hodgkinson & Phelan.179 A Lt. Willmot, Lt. Borcherds, F/Sgt. Loots & F/Sgt. Walbridge.877 J Lt. Oakes, Lt. Sachs, Sgts. Morrison & Cleland (RCAF).F/L Formation Leader. B/L Box Leader. V/L Vic Leader.[Signature] ....................Capt.S.I.O. 21 SQUADRON, S.A.A.F.