(i) NMS Bombed AVELLINO - bursts in town.

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 AULETTA BB: 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 ANDRETTA NMS. (iii) 0.3812 stick 4 bombs across 4 plus MET lights - extinguished before bombing - bursts seen near rd. and position of lights. Stick of 4 bombs across POTENZA town - 3rd bomb started flash giving off orange red and green explosions. Four number MET 0.1650 in light 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 at various 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 at 2359 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 from coast, one large and steady SAPRI - also large number LIPARI Is. 2 pairs red-ball flares 10 miles S.E. SAPRI, another 2 12 miles NORTH 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 & PICKUP 951YY MAJ. JANDRELL. LT. CHRISTIE. 2/LTs LE ROUX & VILJOEN 356Z CAPT. STUART. LT.PAWSON. F/S. MORLEY. 2/LT. SCHUMANN 256S CAPT. SMIT. LT. KAY. 2/LTs PURDON & WRIGHT 221Y LT. EATON. LT. GOULD. F/S. FREESTONE. F/S. VAN ROOYAN 271F LT. GUARD. LT. WEBBER. F/S. FINBERG. 2/LT. DE VILLIERS 181T LT. WILLMOT. LT. BORCHARDS. F/S. LOOTS. F/S. WALBRIDGE 291U LT. HARGRAVES LT.REES. SGT. JESSON F/S. VALENTINE.

1943-09-09

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Form 541

MAP

Transcriber's Notes

TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES Abbreviations and Technical Terms Expanded * RECCE RDS: Reconnaissance of Roads. * JUNC / Junt: Junction. * Hrs LT: Hours, Local Time. * ft: feet. * G.P.: General Purpose (explosive bombs). * Dets: Detonators. * Mk.V: Mark 5. * NMS: No Movement Seen. * MET: Mechanical Enemy Transport (Motorized transport/vehicles). * H.A.A. / L.A.A.: Heavy Anti-Aircraft / Light Anti-Aircraft fire. * S/Ls: Searchlights. * I.F.F.: Identification Friend or Foe (electronic pulse system). * a/c: aircraft. * Is. / Is: Island / Islands. * C.PALINURO: Capo Palinuro. * N.E. / S.E.: North-East / South-East. * LT/COL: Lieutenant Colonel. * D.F.C.: Distinguished Flying Cross. * P/O / 2/LT / MAJ / CAPT / LT: Pilot Officer / Second Lieutenant / Major / Captain / Lieutenant. * F/S / SGT: Flight Sergeant / Sergeant. Personnel and Command Observations * Commanding Presence: This mission featured an elite "all-hands" crew list, led by the Squadron Commander, Lt/Col J.F. Britz, D.F.C., in Baltimore 290C. He was supported by the squadron's top tactical leads, including Major A.C. Jandrell (951YY) and Captain Stuart (356Z). * Night Intruder Tactics: The report details a high level of coordination. The use of 4.5 Recce Flares allowed crews to identify and strike moving motorized transport (MET) even after Axis drivers extinguished their lights upon hearing the aircraft. * Technical Success: The observation in Section BD of an "orange red and green" explosion in Potenza likely indicates a direct hit on a fuel or ammunition convoy. Location and Tactical Intelligence * Strategic Chokepoints: The "Armed Recce" covered four distinct routes designed to isolate the Campania region. * Avellino and Potenza: Major hubs connecting Naples to the southern "toe". Modern names remain Avellino and Potenza. * Sapri, Eboli, and Auletta: Critical junctions along the coastal and inland routes toward the invasion zone. Modern names: Sapri, Eboli, and Auletta. * Salerno Defense Profile: Section BE identifies a massive concentration of Heavy Anti-Aircraft (H.A.A.) fire at Salerno, Battipaglia, and Torre Annunziata. This data was vital for the Allied landing forces, as it confirmed the presence of the German 16th Panzer Division's anti-aircraft echelons. * Navigational Hazards: The report of an "unidentified a/c" over Floresta, Sicily, using "BROAD" (a specific I.F.F. code) indicates the crowded and potentially lethal nature of the airspace between Sicily and Italy on invasion night. Historical Context: The Night of Invasion (Operation AVALANCHE) * September 8/9, 1943: This Sortie Report captures the high-stakes air operations occurring simultaneously with the Salerno landings. * Naval Support: The observation in Section BH of "Naval firing WEST of NAPLES" provides a realistic pilot's-eye view of the massive Allied fleet—including the battleships Warspite and Valiant—providing offshore bombardment to suppress coastal batteries. * Interdiction Mission: By striking Avellino, Potenza, and Eboli, No. 21 Squadron S.A.A.F. was executing its primary tactical role: paralyzing Axis reinforcements attempting to move toward the Salerno beachhead. The report of stationary MET at road junctions (Section BD) suggests that the constant air harassment was successfully forcing the German units to hide during the night. 201 The date written in the 'Date' column of target file 276-1__201.jpg is 9/10 Sep 43.