Bombing Report (Form 541)
- Place
- Bardia Harbour
- Date
- 27 / 9 / 41
- Time over target
- 1632 hrs
- Height
- 15000 ft
- Bombs dropped : (2) Failures
- 1 stick of 4 X 250 lbs 4 x 250 jettisoned in sea when attacked by fighters.
- Observed effects
- Stick to the right of ship. W/O maintained it missed the ship by 50 yards. A/Gunners also report that the whole Harbour was covered in smoke just when we left Target.
- Details of photographs taken
- None
- Casualties to own aircraft and personnel
- One Maryland shot down by ME 109. Two of bomber crew seen baling out.
- Casualties to enemy aircraft and personnel
- 2 ME shot down. 1 by Pilot of 1653. Pilot of ME bailed out but was alight. Other was smoking diving towards land.
- Enemy A.A. ground defences encountered (a) location of defences (b) type (c) strength
- Along Coast. (b) Heavy (c) Very intensive and fairly accurate.
- Hostile patrols encountered (a) position (b) type and number of aircraft (c) if engagement resulted
- Only fighters over Target, how many unknown. We were at first attacked by 2 ME’s after that another one took up the chase and chased us to Sidi Barrani.
- Special comments
- Near miss with first stick, and had to drop other stick in the sea when fighters attacked us.
SECRET BOMBING REPORT 34 45REFERENCE Pilot : Maj. Britz Observer : 2/Lt. M. A. Oberholzer Squadron : 21BR Details of Target : Sgts. Earnshaw & PettersonShip in Bardia Harbour Place : Bardia HarbourDate : 27 / 9 / 41Weather : Time : 1632 hrs.15000Height : 15000 feet.(1) Bombs dropped : (2) Failures :1 stick of 4 X 250 lbs 4 x 250 jettisoned in seawhen attacked by fighters.(3) Observed effects :Stick to the right of ship. W/O maintained it missed the shipby 50 yards. A/Gunners also report that the whole Harbour wascovered in smoke just when we left Target.(4) Details of photographs taken :None(5) Casualties to own aircraft and personnel :One Maryland shot down by ME 109. Two of bomber crew seenbaling out.(6) Casualties to enemy aircraft and personnel :2 ME shot down. 1 by Pilot of 1653. Pilot of ME bailed out butwas alight. Other was smoking diving towards land.(7) Enemy A.A. ground defences encountered (a) location of defences (b) type (c) strength :Along Coast. (b) Heavy (c) Very intensive and fairly accurate.(8) Hostile patrols encountered (a) position (b) type and number of aircraft (c) if engagement resulted :Only fighters over Target, how many unknown. We were at firstattacked by 2 ME’s after that another one took up the chaseand chased us to Sidi Barrani.(9) Special comments :Near miss with first stick, and had to drop other stick in thesea when fighters attacked us.Signed 2/Lt. Oberholzer.NOTE — (1) For intelligence purposes RECONNAISSANCE REPORT (A. M. FORM 401) must always accompany a BOMBING REPORT.(2) COMBAT (BOMBER) REPORT also to be completed if engagement with enemy aircraft occurred during flight.
Transcriber's Notes
- W/O
- Wireless Operator. Operational Context Operational Report No. 4 documents a high-priority strike on 27th September 1941 targeting Axis maritime logistics in Bardia Harbour. The strategic importance of this location centered on its role as a fortified port for German and Italian reinforcements and supplies destined for the frontier. Interdicting Axis shipping was essential to Allied efforts to weaken Rommel’s Panzergruppe Afrika prior to the launch of Operation Crusader. This report, filed by the observer for Maryland 1653 (piloted by Maj. Britz), details the second run of a two-pass horizontal bombing profile at 15,000 feet. The first stick of four 250 lb GP bombs was a "near miss," impacting approximately 50 yards to the right of the target ship. Smoke from the cumulative squadron strike obscured the harbour facilities as the aircraft egressed. Execution Constraints The operation faced severe tactical resistance from both ground and air defenses. Intense coastal anti-aircraft fire bracketed the formation, while a large force of enemy fighters intercepted the bombers over the target. The crew of Maryland 1653 witnessed another squadron Maryland being shot down by an Me 109, with only two crew members seen "baling out". Interception by two Me 109s forced Maj. Britz to jettison the second half of his bomb load into the sea to regain performance for defensive maneuvering. In the ensuing combat, Maj. Britz personally shot down one Me 109, whose pilot bailed out while on fire; a second Messerschmitt was last seen diving toward land smoking heavily after being engaged by the squadron's air gunners. The formation was pursued as far as Sidi Barrani. This document, signed by 2/Lt. M. A. Oberholzer, serves as a primary record of the high-intensity combat and tactical trade-offs (such as jettisoning ordnance) required for survival during unescorted S.A.A.F. medium bomber operations. 46 Phase 1: Verification & Extraction Identity Check: 27 / 9 / 41.
MC/GP (MEDIUM CAPACITY / GENERAL PURPOSE): The classification for standard Allied high-explosive demolition bombs. The mission utilized 250 lb GP munitions; the aircraft (1653) dropped half its load (4 bombs) near the target and was forced to jettison the remaining 4 in the sea due to fighter interception.
Crew
Pilot Maj. Britz Observer
Observer 2/Lt. M. A. Oberholzer Squadron