Operation

BA: DEFENDED POSITIONS AREA H268985 BB: 1532 A Hrs BC: Medium level bombing 12000' 260º 12 x 500 MC 43 Det 27 Pistol 18 x 250 GP do do (Rods) BD: Did dummy run as target NOT identified at first, bombed on second run, bursts seen across Rd & RR from H270985 - H265982. One a/c dropped bombs in jettison at end of pattern. Majority of bombs on WEST & SE side of Rd. N.R.O. BE: 5/10 bursts H/A/A in distance LANCIANO area BF: NIL BG: Verticals and Obliques of bomb bursts BH: 20 MET 70 yards apart moving towards CASTEL FRENTANO - H280997 Small fire CASTEL FRENTANO when bombed in morning 16 motor-boats between PENNA PT and SANGRO RIVER moving NORTH, 5 moving SOUTH towards TERMOLI AIRCRAFT AND CREW LIST. 437H CAPT SMIT LT KAY F/SGT JENSEN A/SGT SCHOOMBIE 383W LT GREDER LT HARLE F/SGT GREYLING A/SGT AIREY 545A LT ASKEW LT LAMBERT F/SGT GELDENHUYS LT V. SCHALKWYK 387R LT RICHARDS LT KIRBY F/SGT ROBBERTSE A/SGT McCRINDLE 181T LT HILL LT PIETERS F/SGT V.D.WESTHUIZEN A/SGT JENKINSON 460V CAPT V. BREDA LT NAUDE F/SGT GRATTON P/O GILDON

1943-11-29

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Form 541

MAP

Transcriber's Notes

Transcriber's Notes Expanded Abbreviations * BA / BB / BC / BD / BE / BF / BG / BH: Standard Royal Air Force (R.A.F.) reporting codes for Target, Time, Weaponry/Course, Narrative, Enemy Opposition, Losses, Photography, and General Observations. * MC / GP: Medium Capacity / General Purpose (bomb types). * Det / Pistol: Detonator and mechanical firing mechanism. * a/c: Aircraft. * Rd & RR: Road and Railroad. * N.R.O.: No Results Observed. * H/A/A: Heavy Anti-Aircraft fire (Flak). * MET: Motor Enemy Transport. * PENNA PT: Punta della Penna. * CAPT / LT / P/O: Captain / Lieutenant / Pilot Officer. * F/SGT / A/SGT: Flight Sergeant / Acting Sergeant. Observations on Individuals * Captain Smit: Acting as Formation Leader in aircraft 437H. Following the heavy losses sustained by the squadron earlier in the day, Smit’s veteran leadership was crucial in maintaining the offensive tempo. * Captain V. Breda: Leading the second element in aircraft 460V. His crew included Pilot Officer Gildon, a recurring pair in the unit’s mission manifests during the Sangro campaign. * Lieutenant H.C. Longmore: Notably absent from this specific manifest, having likely been stood down after the high-stress interdiction missions flown earlier that morning. Location Information and Historical Context * Frisa (H268985): The grid coordinate identifies German defended positions near Frisa, located just north of Lanciano. * Modern Context: Today, Frisa is a hilltop municipality in the Abruzzo region. The railroad (RR) mentioned is part of the historic Sangritana line. * The Battle of the Sangro: Flown on the afternoon of November 29, 1943, this mission supported the final Allied thrust to rupture the Bernhardt Line. * Tactical Precision (BD): The necessity of a "dummy run" at 12,000 feet highlights the difficulty of identifying camouflaged "Defended Positions" amidst the rugged, hazy terrain. * Maritime Reconnaissance (BH): A significant observation notes 21 motor-boats moving along the coast between Penna Point and the Sangro River. This likely represents German coastal supply efforts or evacuations as Allied ground forces closed in on the river ridge. * Castel Frentano: The report confirms the town was still burning following the morning strikes, and identifies a convoy of 20 MET (military trucks) moving toward the town, which was a major German logistical hub. * Ordnance: The use of "Rods" (nose extensions) on the 250lb General Purpose bombs was designed to trigger the detonator above ground, maximizing the blast radius against troops and vehicles in the open. 90 The verification date for the target image 276-2__90.jpg is 29 Nov 43.