Bombing Report (Form 541)
- Target
- Bardia Harbour --- Merchant Vessel
- Place
- Bardia
- Date
- 28 / 9 / 41
- Time over target
- 1310 hrs
- Height
- 12000 ft
- Bombs dropped
- 8 X 250 lb. Bombs (GP)
- Observed effects
- Could not Distinguish
- Details of photographs taken
- NIL
- Casualties to own aircraft and personnel
- Numerous A/A holes
- Casualties to enemy aircraft and personnel
- NIL
- Enemy A.A. ground defences encountered (a) location of defences (b) type (c) strength
- (a) P. P. G. 25 - 26 (b) ------ (c) Heavy
- Hostile patrols encountered (a) position (b) type and number of aircraft (c) if engagement resulted
- NIL
- Special comments
- A/A extremely heavy and accurate
[handwritten "P"] BOMBING REPORT 38 54 [handwritten "55" over 54]REFERENCE Pilot : Lt. Reid Observer : 2/Lt. D. Beddy Squadron : 21BR Details of Target : Sgts. Papenfus & ConnBardia Harbour --- Merchant Vessel. Place : BardiaDate : 28 / 9 / 41Weather : Time : 1310 hrs.Good. Visibility Good Height : 12000 feet.(1) Bombs dropped : (2) Failures :8 X 250 lb. Bombs (GP) NIL(3) Observed effects :Could not Distinguish(4) Details of photographs taken :NIL(5) Casualties to own aircraft and personnel :Numerous A/A holes(6) Casualties to enemy aircraft and personnel :NIL(7) Enemy A.A. ground defences encountered (a) location of defences (b) type (c) strength :(a) P. P. G. 25 - 26(b) ------(c) Heavy(8) Hostile patrols encountered (a) position (b) type and number of aircraft (c) if engagement resulted :NIL(9) Special comments :A/A extremely heavy and accurateSigned. D. Beddy 2/Lt.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
- P. P
- Pin Point; a specific, designated geographic coordinate or target aiming mark used for precision bombing. Operational Context Target File 272_55 is the individual Bombing Report for Martin Maryland "P" (1665), piloted by Lt. Reid, during a coordinated 18-aircraft strike against Axis shipping in Bardia Harbour on 28th September 1941. The strategic importance of Bardia centered on its function as a fortified logistical hub and port for the German-Italian Panzergruppe Afrika. Allied operations sought to destroy maritime assets within the harbour to degrade Rommel’s supply chain prior to the launch of Operation Crusader. The mission was executed as a high-level horizontal bombing run from 12,000 feet at 13:10 hours. Technical analysis indicates that Maryland "P" successfully released its full complement of 8 x 250 lb. GP bombs. However, the observer, 2/Lt. D. Beddy, noted he "Could not Distinguish" the effects of the drop, likely due to the massive dust and smoke clouds generated by the 18,000 lbs of ordnance delivered by the combined formation. Execution Constraints The operation was severely hindered by the lethal precision of Axis ground defenses. The observer reported that the aircraft faced "Heavy" anti-aircraft fire from batteries identified at Pin Points G. 25 - 26. The technical toll on Maryland "P" was significant: the airframe sustained "Numerous A/A holes" from shrapnel. Across the wider squadron flight, every aircraft was struck by fragments, with more than 200 holes counted across the nine 21 Squadron airframes. Despite the "extremely heavy and accurate" fire and the resulting damage, no hostile aerial patrols were encountered by this specific crew, and the aircraft returned to base without personnel casualties. This report, signed by 2/Lt. Beddy, serves as primary archival evidence of the high-attrition environment encountered during strikes against the "Bardia fortress" in late 1941. 56 Phase 1: Verification & Extraction Identity Check: 28 / 9 / 41.
MC/GP (MEDIUM CAPACITY / GENERAL PURPOSE): Standard Allied ordnance designations for demolition bombs. The aircraft carried a full load of 8 x 250 lb. GP munitions.
Crew
Pilot Lt. Reid Observer
Observer 2/Lt. D. Beddy Squadron