| TORTORELLA |

SORTIE REPORT (Part A) R.A.F. Form 441 A. Y 48 | [Header Columns] | [Content] | |---|---| | Sheet No. | 1 | | Oprep. Ref. No. | 531 | | Date | 25 Jan 44 | | Squadron | 21 SAAF | | Type of Aircraft | 12 Baltimores 1 Mk.3A, 11 Mk.4 | | Aircraft No. | See over | | Aircraft Letter | | | Captain | LT/COL KOTZE | | Crew | CAPT CARTER | | | Formation Leader | | Time Up | 1436 A Hrs 1st a/c | | Time Down | 1625 A Hrs last a/c | | Total Time | 19.00 Hours | | Aerodrome or L.G. | TORTORELLA | | Type of Cloud | Cu. | |---|---| | Amount of Cloud | 3/10 - 4/10 Target area | | Base of Cloud | 8000' | | Visibility | Good | | General Weather | Good | | Map or Chart Reference | ITALY 1:100,000 Sheet 146 POPOLI | |---|---| | Task or Duty | Road Junction - POPOLI - (G8696) | |---|---| | Time | Height | Place | Narrative | |---|---|---|---| | 1436 | | BASE | a/b | | 1455 | 2000 | BASE | S/c TERMOLI | | 1510 | 8000 | TERMOLI | Rv. with 223 Sqdn. | | 1536 | 13200 | TARGET | Bombs dropped | | 1609 | | BASE | Landed | | 1625 | | | Last a/c landed | [Signature Block] (Signed) [Signature unreadable - similar to "Lt Thompson"?] Capt SIO 21 Squadron, S.A.A.F. 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.

1944-01-25 | TORTORELLA |

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Form 541

MAP

Transcriber's Notes

Transcriber's Notes: * Sortie Report 531 (Popoli Road Junction): This report details the second raid of the day on January 25th, 1944. While the morning raid (Sortie 530) hit Tollo near the front lines, this afternoon mission returned to the strategic choke point at Popoli, targeting the road junction specifically. The coordinates (G8696) place this junction just north of the town, where the roads from Pescara, Sulmona, and L'Aquila converge. * Joint Operation (Rv with 223 Sqdn): The flight plan included a rendezvous (Rv.) with No. 223 Squadron RAF at Termoli at 15:10 hours. This continues the pattern of coordinated "wing-sized" strikes seen on previous days (e.g., Jan 22nd and 23rd). Combining forces allowed for a heavier weight of bombs on the junction to ensure it was thoroughly cratered. * Mission Commander: Lt. Col. Kotzé (O.C.) led this mission with Capt. Carter. It is notable that Kotzé consistently led the coordinated multi-squadron raids (like this one and Sortie 525 on Jan 22nd), reserving the complex command role for himself, while delegating single-squadron strikes to his flight commanders (Ord/Dalling). * Weather Conditions: The weather was favorable with "3/10 - 4/10" Cumulus cloud at 8,000 feet and "Good" visibility. This allowed for an unimpeded visual bombing run from 13,200 feet, well above the cloud base. * Aircraft: The formation included 1 Mk.3A and 11 Mk.4 Baltimores. The persistence of the single Mark 3A in the lineup suggests the squadron was stretching its resources to put maximum planes in the air, utilizing every serviceable airframe available. * Abbreviations: * a/b: Airborne. * S/c: Set Course. * Rv: Rendezvous. * SIO: Squadron Intelligence Officer. 69 Verification: Target File Verification: This document is the reverse side (Part B) of the Sortie Report for January 25th, 1944 (Sortie No. 531). Although there is no "Date" column on this side, the target "Rd Junction Northern portion of POPOLI Town" and the "Time over Target" of 1536 A Hrs match the Part A document from the previous image (269-1__68.jpg) dated Jan 25, 1944.