Sortie Report (Form 541)
- Duty
- Medium level bombing attack on L.G. 021 Time. Height. Place
SORTIE REPORT R A.F. Form 441 A.(Part A.) H 45 [Handwritten]Flight No. 1 Oprep. Ref. No. 86 Date. 9/10/42 Squadron 21 Sqn. S.A.A.F.Type of Aircraft. 6 Baltimores and 12 Bos- Captain Capt. PotgieterAircraft No. tons of 24 Sqn. S.A.A.F. Crew. )- See Overleaf -(Aircraft Letter.Time Up. 1550 hoursTime Down. 1804 hours Aerodrome or L.G. 98Total Time. 13.00 hours [Note: Apparent clerical error for 2 hrs 14 mins]Type of Cloud. Map or ChartAmount of Cloud. 2/10ths at 2000' Reference.Base of Cloud. DABAVisibility. Fair 1:250,000General Weather. GoodTask or Duty. Medium level bombing attack on L.G. 021Time. Height. Place. Narrative. L.G. 98 6 Baltimores formated on 12 Bostons of 24 Squadron, S.A.A.F. and picked up fighter escort
9000' Target Formation bombed on a course of 150°
L.G. 98 All aircraft landed.
PART B (on reverse) to be completed according to relevant pro-forma in H.Q. R.A.F. M.E Instruction 34.P.T.O./PMEJ - 200,000 - 3/42B. A. Dispersed Aircraft on L.G. 021BB. 1705 hours.B. C. Medium level bombing attack.29 x 250lb. G.P. 43 detonator with extension rods.7 x 250 lb. hang up due to electrical failure.These were brought back.B. D. 2 fires on West edge of landing ground and 1 fire onSouth East corner.B. E. Heavy and medium from target area - inaccurate.B. F. Nil.B. G. 3 Oblique by A/c 912.B. H. An enemy aircraft was seen going down out of controljust as formation left target area. CREW LIST --------- A/C No. 912 A/C No. 915 A/C 956
Pilot Capt. Potgieter Lt. Chiddy Lt. GoldingObserver Lt. Bennett Lt. Simler Lt. MulhollandGunners A/Sgt. v. d. Merwe A/Sgt. Stevens Sgt. DysonM/S van Loggerenberg A/Sgt. Forrest Sgt. Zaaiman A/C No. 877 A/C No. 942 A/C No. 930
Pilot Lt. Gardiner, Lt. Carlisle Lt. LiddiardObserver Lt. Kerr Lt. Simon Lt. PickerillGunners A/Sgt. Brown A/Sgt. Waldek Sgt. AbrahamA/Sgt. Lane A/Sgt. Schumann Sgt. Kruger (Handwritten: [Illegible signature])
Transcriber's Notes
- Capt. Potgieter
- Captain Potgieter, the flight leader for this specific mission.
- DABA
- El Daba, the regional map reference for the Egyptian coastal sector.
- L.G. 021
- Landing Ground 021. A forward Axis airfield in the El Daba sector of Egypt.
- H.Q. R.A.F. M.E
- Headquarters, Royal Air Force, Middle East.
- 250lb. G.P
- 250-pound General Purpose high-explosive bombs.
- Oblique
- Oblique aerial photographs taken at an angle to provide a perspective view of the target for damage assessment.
- M/S
- Likely a clerical variation or specific unit shorthand for "Flight Sergeant" (F/Sgt) or a related technical rank like "Mechanic/Sergeant".
R A.F. Form 441 A.: Royal Air Force Sortie Report form used to document individual mission data.
Oprep. Ref. No. 86: Operational Report reference number 86.
9000': Nine thousand feet, the altitude maintained for the bombing run.
43 detonator with extension rods: Refers to the No. 43 tail pistol/detonator used in conjunction with "daisy cutter" extension rods on the nose. These rods triggered the bomb above ground level to maximize fragmentation damage to "Dispersed Aircraft".
hang up: A technical malfunction where ordnance fails to release from the aircraft's bomb shackles.
Heavy and medium: Refers to heavy (88mm) and medium (20mm or 37mm) anti-aircraft artillery (flak) encountered over the target area.