Sortie Report (Form 541)
BA. INTERRUPT ROAD COMMUNICATIONS BY BOMBING IN AREA B8228-C3305-CALTANISSETTA- along bombline to AGRIGENTO, keeping 6 miles from this town — B8228. If no movement seen or target discovered bomb TERMINI HARBOUR.BB. From 2149 to 2342 hrs LT.BC. Medium level bombing 8000'.42 x 250 GP Rods 43 Det.190 x 4 lb Incendiaries.21 Flares Recce 4.5 No. 4.BD. 15/17 MT seen G8997, had been bombed by earlier aircraft of 21 Squadron and fire in area, suspected movement along route NOT positively identified. Cross-roads, bridges and ship and mole at TERMINI HARBOUR seen. NO certain hits but near misses at various points and on ship and mole. Bombs dropped, a few incendiaries at the same time as bombing and flares intermittently along route, as in following list:B8012 – 13 bombs – small fires caused.G8997 – 6 " – "H0195 – 2 " – "H0587 – 3 " – "H3290 – 2 " – "H1597 – 1 " – "C0309 – 3 " – "B8715 – 4 " – "B8222 – 4 " – "Termini Harbour – 3 bombsCastelvetrano – 1 "Other small fires seen at various points along route.BE. 4 bursts HAA inaccurate H0195.Slight HAA inaccurate CASTELVETRANO.LAA fairly accurate C.S. MARCO.1 S/L CAMMARATA inaccurate.1 S/L CASTELVETRANO inaccurate.BF. NIL.BG. NIL.BH. Pamphlets distributed along roads. Large fires seen PALERMO. Long fire on Eastern slope MT. MADONIE, many small fires in target area. Large fire CASTELVETRANO-MARSALA area. Ships seen heading SE between PANTELLERIA and SICILY. Steady strong white light pointing to sea SOUTH MONASTIR area.LIST OF AIRCRAFT AND CREW.951 V Col. DURRANT, Capt. FARRANT, 2/Lt. LYNE & F/Sgt. BRADFIELD.108 O Capt. STUART, Lt. PAWSON, F/Sgt. MORLEY & 2/Lt. SCHUMANN.221 Y Lt. EATON, Lt. MACDERMOTT, F/Sgts. FREESTONE (NZ) & VAN ROOYEN.173 P Capt. SAUNDERS, Lt. BOOYSE, F/Sgt. MOORE & Sgt. EARP-JONES.226 H Capt. ORD, Lt. HODGES, F/Sgts. WALKER & DEVENISH.136 M Lt. DUGMORE, Lt. MASTERS, 2/Lt. MAASDORP & F/Sgt. ROGERS.290 G Lt. BLIEDEN, Lt. ROSE, F/Sgts. JARVIS & PERKINS.
Transcriber's Notes
- LT
- Local Time.
- GP Rods
- General Purpose bombs fitted with standoff rods (typically 6-inch rods).
- Det
- Detonator.
- Recce
- Reconnaissance (flares).
- MT
- Motor Transport.
- S/L
- Searchlight.
- SE
- South-East.
- NZ
- New Zealand (referring to personnel from the Royal New Zealand Air Force).
Abbreviations and Technical Terms Expanded:
Route and Mission Observations:
Ordnance and Tactical Analysis:
Observations about Individuals Mentioned:
Location and Historical Context: