2 x 39 Det 6 hrs, 3 x 37 Pistol 12 hrs) tail fused. 1 6 hr

BA. TRAPANI-MILO A/D. BB. 0402 LT. FAVIGNANA IS. 0403/9 hrs LT. BC. Medium Level ( 6000' over FAVIGNANA IS. 11 x 500 GP (6 x 11 sec ( 9200/11000' over Target. 2 x 39 Det 6 hrs, 3 x 37 Pistol 12 hrs) tail fused. 1 6 hr delay NOT released. 1 6hr delay jettisoned in sea and 2 x 11 sec 1 6hr delay dropped in stick on FAVIGNANA IS. BD. One aircraft bombed FAVIGNANA IS. with 3 bombs after jettisoning one in sea, due to inability to gain height. Results unobserved. CROWSFEET NOT dropped. Fire on slope Mt. S. GIULIANO made raid target visible to one aircraft - other bombed on ETA. Crowsfeet dropped after last bomb. 2 bombs seen to explode. NO results observed. BE. 3/4 HAA near target inaccurate. 6 S/Ls over LG for few minutes mostly concentrated over harbour where 15/20 seen and intense HAA and LAA seen. BF. NIL. BG. NIL. BH. Beacon seen NORTH of target. Own beacons OK. LIST OF AIRCRAFT AND CREW LIST. 10/11 JUL 43. 226 H. Capt. ORD, Lt. HODGES, F/Sgts. WALKER & DEVENISH. 167 S. Capt. SMIT, Lt. KAY, F/Sgts. TOWS & WRIGHT. 136 M. Lt. DUGMORE, Lt. MASTERS, F/Sgts. MAASDORP & ROGERS.

1943-07-11

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Form 541

MAP

Transcriber's Notes

TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES * Abbreviations and Technical Terms Expanded: * A/D: Aerodrome. * LT: Local Time. * FAVIGNANA IS.: Favignana Island. * GP: General Purpose (bomb). * Det: Detonator. * ETA: Estimated Time of Arrival. * HAA / LAA: Heavy Anti-Aircraft / Light Anti-Aircraft artillery. * S/Ls: Searchlights. * LG: Landing Ground. * Capt. / Lt. / F/Sgts.: Captain / Lieutenant / Flight Sergeants. * Route and Timing Observations: * Mission Window: The operation was executed between 0402 and 0409 hrs LT on the morning of July 11. * Navigation Profile: The formation used Favignana Island as a landfall fix at 6,000 ft before climbing to a strike altitude between 9,200 and 11,000 ft over the Sicilian mainland. * Visual Identification: A fire burning on the slopes of Mt. S. Giuliano (modern-day Mount Erice) provided a vital visual reference for the target, allowing at least one crew to confirm the airfield's position despite prevailing haze. * Ordnance and Tactical Notes: * Mixed Payload: The three Baltimores carried a complex load of 11 x 500 lb GP bombs with mixed fuzing: 11-second instantaneous delays for immediate impact, plus 6-hour and 12-hour long-delay pistols for persistent runway denial. * Malfunctions: One aircraft (Letter "S," piloted by Capt. Smit) experienced an inability to gain necessary altitude. This led to a split release: one bomb jettisoned into the sea and three dropped over Favignana Island, while the specialized "Crowsfeet" (caltrops/spikes) were withheld entirely by that crew. * Area Denial: The primary strike crews deployed their Crowsfeet immediately following the last bomb to puncture tires and hinder Axis ground crew repairs to the Milo airfield. * Observations about Individuals: * Captain Ord and Lieutenant Hodges: Crew of aircraft 226 H, serving as the lead section. Captain Ord was a prominent pilot in the squadron during this high-tempo period. * Captain Smit and Lieutenant Kay: Flying aircraft 167 S, this crew faced the technical challenge of failing to reach strike altitude, ultimately forced to divert their ordnance away from the primary target. * Lieutenant Dugmore: Pilot of aircraft 136 M, a name associated with the prominent Dugmore family in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, many of whom served in the SAAF. * Historical and Location Context: * Trapani-Milo A/D: The principal Axis airfield in western Sicily. Today, the site of the Milo airfield has been largely absorbed by the expansion of modern Trapani, Italy. * Favignana Island: The largest of the Egadi Islands, it remains a major geographic landmark off the coast of Trapani. Its mention here as a secondary target for a struggling aircraft highlights its proximity to the main Sicilian flight paths. * Operation HUSKY Intensity: This mission took place just 24 hours after the initial Allied landings. The report's mention of "intense HAA and LAA" and 15/20 searchlights over Trapani Harbour reflects the fierce Axis defense of the region's ports against the massive Allied invasion fleet. 56 The date written in the 'Date' line of the postagram is 12 JUL 43.