98

SORTIE REPORT R A.F. Form 441 A. (Part A.) G 44 [Handwritten] Flight No. 1 Oprep. Ref. No. 85 Date. 9/10/42 Squadron 21 Squadron S.A.A.F. Type of Aircraft. 6 Baltimores and 12 Bos- Captain Lt. Col. AD. Irvine Aircraft No. tons of 12 Squadron Crew. Aircraft Letter. Time Up. 1312 hours Time Down. 1453 hours Aerodrome or L.G. 98 Total Time. 10.06 hours [Note: Apparent clerical error for 1 hr 41 mins] Type of Cloud. Map or Chart Amount of Cloud. Reference. Base of Cloud. DABA Visibility. Good 1:250,000 General Weather. Good Task or Duty. Medium level bombing attack on L.G. 020 Time. Height. Place. Narrative. L.G. 98 6 Baltimores formated on 12 Bostons of 12 Squadron and picked up fighter escort.

2000' L.G. 97 Formation set course for target

8500' Target Formation bombed on a course of 120°.

L.G. 98 A/C 853 returned before reaching target (Petrol leakage) L.G. 98 Remaining 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 - 3/42 B.A. Dispersed on L.G. 020 B.B. 1415 hours B.C. Medium Level Bombing attack from 8500 ft. 30 x 250lb. G.P. 43 detonator with extension rods. (A/C 835 returned before reaching target - petrol leakage). B.D. All bombs in target area. 2 bombs were observed to burst amongst aircraft, 2 on tents and 1 hit runway. No results observed. B.E. Heavy A.A. extremely accurate, but not intense. B.F. 3 Aircraft holed, but no extensive damage and crews uninjured. B.G. 8 Oblique taken by A/C No. 909 of target area. B.H. Nil Observed. CREW LIST --------- A/C No. 909 A/C No. 940 A/C No. 875

Pilot : Lt. Col Irvine Major Coppen Lt. Pocock Obs. : Lt. Hatswell Lt. Farrant Lt. Cliff Gunner: : Lt. Phelan F/Sgt. Lovell- Wright A/Sgt. Beaumont-Thomas : Lt. te Water Pohl. A/Sgt. Bradfield A/Sgt. Clarke A/C No. 853 A/C No. 938 A/C No. 958

Pilot : Capt. Main Lt. Smith Lt. Metcalf Obs. : Lt. Floor Lt. Christie Sgt. Kerr Gunners : A/Sgt. Vorster A/Sgt. Viljoen A/Sgt. Forrest A/Sgt. Fraser A/Sgt. Moore A/Sgt. Herbst (Handwritten Signature: [Illegible])

1942-10-09 98

__o_O_o__

Form 541

MAP

6 Baltimores and 12 Bos- Captain Lt. Col. AD. Irv

Lt. Col Irvine Maj Pilot

Transcriber's Notes

Phase 2: Technical Expansion (The "Transcriber's Notes") Glossary of Terms: * R A.F. Form 441 A.: Royal Air Force Sortie Report form, the standard document for recording operational mission data. * Oprep. Ref. No. 85: Operational Report reference number 85. * 21 Squadron S.A.A.F. / 12 Squadron: No. 21 and No. 12 Squadrons of the South African Air Force. Both were light bomber units operating within No. 3 (S.A.) Wing. * Baltimores / Bostons: Refers to the Martin Baltimore and Douglas Boston light bombers utilized by the SAAF for tactical interdiction. * Lt. Col. AD. Irvine: Lieutenant Colonel Alistair Irvine, the Officer Commanding (O.C.) of No. 21 Squadron. * Aerodrome or L.G. 98 / L.G. 97 / L.G. 020: Landing Ground 98 (Base), Landing Ground 97 (Staging point), and Landing Ground 020 (the designated target airfield). * DABA: El Daba, the regional map reference for the Egyptian coastal sector. * 8500': Eight thousand five hundred feet, the operational altitude for the bomb release. * 120°: A heading of one hundred and twenty degrees (East-Southeast). * A/C 853: Aircraft serial number 853. * H.Q. R.A.F. M.E: Headquarters, Royal Air Force, Middle East. * P.T.O.: Please Turn Over. Operational Context: The mission conducted on 9 October 1942 was a significant component of the "airfield suppression" campaign led by the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces (MAAF) during the buildup to the Second Battle of El Alamein. Led personally by the Squadron Commander, Lt. Col. Irvine, six Martin Baltimores of No. 21 Squadron SAAF integrated into a larger formation of twelve Douglas Bostons from No. 12 Squadron SAAF. The target, L.G. 020, was a critical Axis forward landing ground. By striking these airfields, the Desert Air Force (DAF) sought to neutralize the Luftwaffe and Regia Aeronautica on the ground, ensuring Allied air superiority for the 8th Army's upcoming offensive. The tactical approach involved staging through L.G. 97 to "set course," followed by a medium-level bomb run at 8,500 feet. The use of fighter escorts—standard for light bomber "shuttle bombing" sorties—protected the formation from Axis interceptors, though technical attrition was present, as evidenced by aircraft 853's early return due to "Petrol leakage". This sortie underscores the high operational tempo maintained by SAAF units in the Egyptian theater during October 1942. The archival notation "G 44" on folio 44 indicates its sequential placement in the unit's permanent historical record. 55 Phase 1: Verification & Extraction Identity Check: No specific date is recorded on the reverse of this form (Part B); however, internal cross-referencing with the front of the document (Part A) identifies the mission date as 9/10/42. Phase 2: Technical Expansion (The "Transcriber's Notes") Glossary of Terms: * L.G. 020: Landing Ground 020. A forward Axis airfield located in the El Daba sector of Egypt. * ft.: Feet, the unit of measurement for the release altitude of 8,500 feet. * 250lb. G.P.: 250-pound General Purpose high-explosive bombs. * 43 detonator with extension rods: Refers to the No. 43 tail pistol/detonator fitted with "daisy cutter" extension rods on the nose. These rods were designed to trigger the bomb slightly above ground level to maximize lateral fragmentation against "dispersed" aircraft. * A/C: Aircraft. Specifically, the Martin Baltimore light bombers operated by No. 21 Squadron SAAF. * A.A.: Anti-Aircraft fire, noted as "Heavy" and "extremely accurate" during the engagement. * Oblique: Oblique aerial photographs taken at an angle to the horizon to provide a perspective view of target damage and airfield layout. * Lt. Col / Major / Capt. / Lt. / F/Sgt. / Sgt. / A/Sgt.: Rank abbreviations for Lieutenant Colonel, Major, Captain, Lieutenant, Flight Sergeant, Sergeant, and Acting Sergeant respectively. Operational Context: This Sortie Report (Part B) details the tactical outcomes of a medium-level strike against L.G. 020 on 9 October 1942. Strategically, this raid was a component of the "Boston Tea Party" and "Baltimore" airfield neutralization campaign led by the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces (MAAF) during the final fortnight preceding the Second Battle of El Alamein. The employment of "extension rods" on 250lb G.P. bombs specifically targeted "dispersed aircraft" and "tents" to cripple the Luftwaffe and Regia Aeronautica on the ground. By detonating just above the surface, the blast minimized cratering and maximized the shredding effect of fragmentation across airframes and support infrastructure. While "extremely accurate" heavy anti-aircraft fire resulted in three aircraft being "holed," the lack of extensive damage permitted the formation to complete its mission and return to L.G. 98. The mission was led by the Officer Commanding, Lt. Col. Irvine, highlighting the SAAF tradition of leadership from the front during critical operational phases. The collection of eight "Oblique" photographs by A/C No. 909 provided essential post-strike intelligence for No. 3 (S.A.) Wing to assess the effectiveness of the raid and the pressure maintained on Axis forward air assets. 56 Phase 1: Verification & Extraction Identity Check: 9/10/42