Sortie Report (Form 541)
BA: TROOP CONCENTRATIONS - FOSSACESIA - C395045BB: 1149 A HrsBC: Medium level bombing 8500' 350º24 x 500 MC 43 Det 27 Pistol36 x 250 GP do do (Rods)BD: Target well identified under cloud. Bombs dropped in long sticksfrom C396044 to C393049. 3 direct hits on buildings and directhits on road NORTH WEST of town. Smoke seen to rise over targetarea to 1000'BE: NO E/A. Slight L/A/A, inaccurate below formation, target area.BF: NILBG: Verticals and Obliques of bomb burstsBH: Heaped up earth in open square C3950455 + MET moving NORTH just outside FOSSACESIAApproximately 6 flashes Arty from EAST of town while bombingWhite smoke but NO "F" seen at C479003AIRCRAFT AND CREW LIST.586B CAPT SAUNDERS P/O SMALLMAN LT POTGIETER A/SGT EARP-JONES341L LT LONGMORE LT KENDAL F/SGT THEUNISSEN A/SGT MACKAY426J LT WOOD LT NEL F/SGT JAMES A/SGT ROBERTSON441F LT FROST LT WHITE F/SGT CARTER A/SGT ALLAN437H LT HEWITT LT HORWITZ F/SGT KIDNEY A/SGT BOWEN545A LT WITTE 2/LT RUSHFORTH F/SGT EATON A/SGT EATON356Z MAJOR STUART LT REES W/O FREESTONE LT HALL383W LT GREDER LT HARLE F/SGT GREYLING A/SGT AIREY181T CAPT V. BREDA 2/LT NAUDE F/SGT GRATTON P/O GILDON167S CAPT SMIT LT KAY F/SGT JENSEN A/SGT SCHOOMBIE181Y LT HILL LT PIETERS F/SGT V.D.WESTHUIZEN A/SGT JENKINSON445U CAPT DIEU LT ROSE F/SGT BAILEY F/SGT DU RANT
Transcriber's Notes
- BA
- Target identification.
- BB
- Time of release.
- BC
- Armament and release parameters.
- Rods
- Nose-extension rods fitted to GP bombs to ensure detonation at or above ground level, maximizing fragmentation spread against personnel ("soft targets").
- BD
- Narrative strike assessment.
- BE
- Enemy air and ground opposition.
- E/A
- Enemy Aircraft.
- L/A/A
- Light Anti-Aircraft fire (typically 20mm or 37mm cannon).
- BF
- Friendly losses or damage.
- BG
- Photographic coverage.