Sortie Report (Form 541)
BA: ARMED RECCE RDS:- (i) CASALNUOVA-CASERTA- BENEVENTO-AVELLINO(ii) AVELLINO-GROTTAMINARDA-VALLATA-JUNC. O.1049(iii) EBOLI-O.1049- POTENZA- BRIENZA(iv) SAPRI - EBOLI and SAPRI AULETTABB: From 2206 Hrs LT to 2350 Hrs LT.BC: Medium Level Bombing on various courses from 6000/11000 ft.32 x 500 G.P. 47 Dets. 27 Pistols.10 4.5 Recce Flares Mk.V.BD: Target: (i) NMS Bombed AVELLINO - bursts in town.(ii) 0.0965 4 bombs in stick across road, near ANDRETTANMS.(iii) 0.3812 stick 4 bombs across 4 plus MET lights -extinguished before bombing - bursts seen nearrd. and position of lights. Stick of 4 bombs acrossPOTENZA town - 3rd bomb started flash giving off orangered and green explosions. Four number MET 0.1650 inlight of flares - bombs previously expended.(iv) Bombs as follows:- 1 - T0783, 2 - S9587, 1 - S8895,1 - AULETTA - green flashes and smoke seen.3 - T9673 - Rd Junt. Scattered MET seen stationery atvarious points in area.BE: 20 plus H.A.A. SALERNO and TORRE ANNUNZIATA. 5 H.A.A. AULETTA area.12/16 H.A.A. BATTIPAGLIA. Slight H.A.A. and L.A.A. NAPLES area.NO A/A near own a/c. 2/3 S/Ls NAPLES. One unidentified a/c at2359 Hrs. over FLORESTA - considered friendly. A/C used "BROAD"on I.F.F.BF: NIL.BG: NIL.BH: 6 MET going N.E. on Rd SCALEA-NORMANNO. Many lights in ITALY fromcoast, one large and steady SAPRI - also large number LIPARI Is.2 pairs red-ball flares 10 miles S.E. SAPRI, another 2 12 milesNORTH of STROMBOLI. 1 vessel with light 10 miles SOUTH C.PALINURO.Naval firing WEST of NAPLES. Beacons working and correct.AIRCRAFT AND CREW LIST.290C LT/COL. BRITZ.D.F.C. P/O SMALLMAN. 2/LTs HARRISON & PICKUP951YY MAJ. JANDRELL. LT. CHRISTIE. 2/LTs LE ROUX & VILJOEN356Z CAPT. STUART. LT.PAWSON. F/S. MORLEY. 2/LT. SCHUMANN256S CAPT. SMIT. LT. KAY. 2/LTs PURDON & WRIGHT221Y LT. EATON. LT. GOULD. F/S. FREESTONE. F/S. VAN ROOYAN271F LT. GUARD. LT. WEBBER. F/S. FINBERG. 2/LT. DE VILLIERS181T LT. WILLMOT. LT. BORCHARDS. F/S. LOOTS. F/S. WALBRIDGE291U LT. HARGRAVES LT.REES. SGT. JESSON F/S. VALENTINE.
Transcriber's Notes
- RECCE RDS
- Reconnaissance of Roads.
- Hrs LT
- Hours, Local Time.
- G.P
- General Purpose (explosive bombs).
- Dets
- Detonators.
- Mk.V
- Mark 5.
- NMS
- No Movement Seen.
- MET
- Mechanical Enemy Transport (Motorized transport/vehicles).
- S/Ls
- Searchlights.
- I.F.F
- Identification Friend or Foe (electronic pulse system).
- C.PALINURO
- Capo Palinuro.
Abbreviations and Technical Terms Expanded
ft: feet.
a/c: aircraft.