Sortie Report (Form 541)
- Duty
- Medium level bombing attack on batteries 4A & 5 PANTELLERIA ISLAND. Time Height. Place
R.A.F. Form 441 A.SORTIE REPORT 159 [strike-through: I] 'L'(Part A.)Sheet No. 1 Oprep. Ref. No. 313 Date. 11 JUN 43 Squadron. 21 SAAF.Type of Aircraft. 12 Baltimores Captain Formation LeaderAircraft No. (7 Mk. 111 & 5 Mk. 111A) Crew. Lt. Col. Coppen D.F.C.Aircraft Letter. See reverse. Capt. Farrant (Observer)" See reverse.Time Up. 0550 hrs. L.T. (1st. A/C)Time Down. 0758 hrs. L.T. (Last A/C) Aerodrome or L.G. SOLIMAN NORTH L.G.Total Time. 21 hrs. 00 mins.Type of Cloud. Cu. & St.Cu. Map or ChartAmount of Cloud. 5/10 to 6/10 Reference.Base of Cloud. 12,000 ft. FRENCH NORTH AFRICAVisibility. Fair 1:500000 Sheet NJ.32.SE.General Weather. Fair TUNISPANTELLERIA 1:25,000" Substitute 1ATask or Duty. Medium level bombing attack on batteries 4A & 5PANTELLERIA ISLAND.Time Height. Place. Narrative.Base Airborne & circling.0600 2000 " S/C 120 M for KORBA.0612 2000 KORBA S/C 040 M for KELIBIA.0620 4000 KELIBIA S/C 100 M for PANTELLERIA.0645 7500 TARGET Bombing on course of 360 M.0657 6000 Off target. S/C 280 M for KELIBIA.0730 3000 KELIBIA A/C 210 M.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 Batteries 4A and 5, PANTELLERIA ISLAND.BB 0645 hrs. L.T.BC Medium level bombing attack from 7/7500 ft. Course 355/360 deg.1 x 500 lb. S.A.P.)2 x 500 lb. M.C. ) 49 Det. 28 Pistol. Tail fused. .025 delay.45 x 500 lb. G.P. )BD The first box attacked Battery No. 5 and straddled the Western b[oundary]of the target with approx. 12 bombs. Some bombs fell in the seaWEST of the target. No. 2 box bombed Battery No. 4A. Most of thebombs burst across the target area. One stick ended with a direc[t]hit on buildings at F 154055. Near miss claimed on position atF 153049.BE Nil.BF Nil.BG Verticals and obliques taken of some of the bomb bursts.BH (1) Two-funnelled ship seen stationery at L 153024.(2) Two barges at L 181985 in the bay.N.B. Signal received from T.B.F. assessing result of this raid:"Both patterns scored - one pattern straddled 4A scoring hitbetween two guns (26-yard miss from each). Subsequent photos sho[w]three emplacements destroyed. The other pattern fell rather sho[rt]but end of pattern scored one hit right on emplacement".List of A/C and Crews:F/L 951 V Lt. Col. Coppen, Capt. Farrant, F/Sgts. Bradfield & Lyne.368 X Lt. Clutterbuck, Lt. v.d. Meulen, F/Sgts. Raeburn & Carbarns167 S Capt. Smit, Lt. Kay, F/Sgts. Toms & Wright.V/L 142 P Maj. Schravesande, Lt. Campbell, F/Sgts. Meyer & Stopforth.916 R Lt. Simpson, Lt. Handley, F/Sgts. Roberts V.P. & Shepperson.957 W Lt. Wood, Lt. Gould, F/Sgts. Purdon & Groenewald.B/L 345 E Capt. McBride, Lt. Pickerill, F/Sgts. Daniels & White.930 K Lt. Hamilton, Lt. Whittle, F/Sgts. Hodgkinson & Phelan.290 C Lt. Blieden, Lt. Rose, F/Sgts. Jarvis & Perkins.V/L 977 L Lt. Meredith, Lt. Herring, F/Sgt. Smith S.C. & F/Sgt. Prout(R[AF])352 D Lt. Dugmore, Lt. Masters, F/Sgts. Maasdorp & Rogers C.L.179 A Lt. Willmot, Lt. Borcherds, F/Sgt. Loots & F/Sgt. Walbridge([RAF])F/L Formation Leader. B/L Box Leader. V/L Vic Leader.[Signature] ....................Capt.S.I.O. 21 SQUADRON, S.A.A.F.