Sortie Report (Form 541)
BA. DUMPS IN AREA SOUTH OF BRONTEBB. 0812 hrs LT.BC. Medium Level.Height 12000 ft 340° Course.2 Mk 3 : 8 x 250 Incendiary L/C 36 Pistol Nose fused.9 Mk 3A: 54 x 250 do. do. do.1 Mk 4 : 6 x 250 do. do. do.BD. The target was obscured by the shadow of Mount ETNA. The incendiaries were dropped from C731097 to C728104 between the Railway track, on and across the main road into some trees and lands. NOT many bursts were seen but 6 small fires started, smoke rising about 100 ft. One vivid explosion seen. NO fire developed.BE. Moderate and accurate HAA before and during Bombing run. Approximately 40 bursts, guns firing from C732096, C728099, C726094, C725091.BF. Two aircraft sustained minor damage from HAA.BG. Obliques and Verticals of bombing. Height 12000 ft.Course 340° IAS 210.BH. 30 MT (large and square) on road SOUTH of BRONTE facing SOUTH.LIST OF AIRCRAFT AND CREW176YY Capt. STUART, Lt. PAWSON, F/Sgt. MORLEY, 2/Lt. SCHUMANN (FL)344 X Capt. SAUNDERS, Lt. BOOYSE, F/Sgt. MOORE, Sgt. EARP-JONES.291 U Lts. HARGRAVE & REES, F/Sgts. JENSEN (RCAF) & BEDFORD.221 Y Lts. EATON & MODERMOTT, F/Sgts. FREESTONE (NZAF) & VAN ROOYEN (VL)387 R Lts. RICHARDS & DE CONNICK, F/Sgt. ROBERTSE, Sgt. McGRINDLE.280 P Lts. GRADER & GOULD, F/Sgt. GREYLING, 2/Lt. GROENEWALD.226 H Capt. ORD, Lt. HODGES, F/Sgts. WALKER & DEVENISH. (BL)271 F Lts. GUARD & WEBBER, F/Sgt. GREEN, 2/Lt. DE VILLIERS.341 L Lts. WILLMOTT & BORCHERDS, F/Sgts. LOOTS & WALBRIDGE (RAF)195 G Lts. A'BEAR & OWEN-HUGHES, 2/Lt. HARRISON & PICKUP. (VL)179 A Lts. ASKEW & LAMBERT, F/Sgt. GELDENHUYS, Sgt. CRAWHALL.290 G Lts. MURMAN & WALTERS, F/Sgt. ODENDAAL, Sgt. STEWART.
Transcriber's Notes
- LT
- Local Time.
- Incendiary L/C
- Incendiary Low Capacity.
- HAA
- Heavy Anti-Aircraft artillery.
- IAS
- Indicated Air Speed.
- MT
- Motor Transport.
- RCAF
- Royal Canadian Air Force.
- NZAF
- New Zealand Air Force (properly RNZAF, Royal New Zealand Air Force).
- RAF
- Royal Air Force. Personnel and Command Observations
Abbreviations and Technical Terms Expanded
ft: feet.
do.: ditto (refers to "250 Incendiary L/C 36 Pistol Nose fused").
(FL): Formation Leader.
(VL): Vic Leader (leader of a three-aircraft 'V' sub-formation).
(BL): Box Leader (leader of a six-aircraft 'box' section).