Operation

APPENDIX "DD" 261 TO : HQ MAAF (attention 23rd SCORU) HQ NATAF (attention 2nd Command Unit 23rd SCORU) SAOA SAAF FROM : SIO 21 SQUADRON SAAF REF : 21S/678 DATE : 18th May, 1944 OPREP No. 678 for period ending 2100 hrs on the 17th May, 1944 REF MAP : ITALY 1:100,000 SHEET 160 CASSINO 11 Balts off from BIFERNO at 1305 to attack gun positions near ROCCASECCA. First box bombed position at G716254 from 16000' on a course of 300° at 1407 hrs. Target well covered with a good pattern. Second box attacked gun position at G680222 from 14000 ft. on a course of 005°. Target identified and bombs released in a good run-up, but results unobserved due to patch of cloud over target area. Slight inaccurate H/A/A encountered by this box. All A/c down by 1555 1455 hrs. Scattered cloud in area and visibility hazy. B: (i) 6 Balts IV (ii) NIL (i) 5 Balts V (ii) NIL C: NIL D: (i) 10.30 hrs (ii) NIL (i) 8.45 hrs (ii) NIL E: (i) 19200 x .30 1800 x .303 4200 x .50 (ii) & (iii) NIL (i) 16000 x .30 1500 x .303 3500 x .50 (ii) & (iii) NIL F: (i) 192 x 40 G.P. (ii) As above (iii) & (iv) NIL (1 x 250 Fused 52 det 44 pist Nose 49 det 28 pist Tail Remainder : 52 det 45 pist) (i) 1 x 250 G.P. 152 x 40 G.P. (ii) As above (iii) & (iv) NIL to Z: NIL Formation Leader: Major Dalling DFC Hallick Capt S.I.O., 21 Squadron, S.A.A.F.

1944-05-18

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Form 541

MAP

Transcriber's Notes

Transcriber's Historical & Tactical Notes: * Resilience and Rotation: * Returning to the Fray: This mission (Sortie 678) launched at 13:05 on May 17th, mere hours after the squadron had suffered the catastrophic loss of their Flight Leader, Major Job, and his crew over the same target area (Roccasecca) in the morning raid. * New Leader: The formation was led by Major Dalling DFC. It fell to him to lead the squadron back into the exact same flak belt that had just claimed his colleague. This demonstrates the relentless operational tempo demanded during the Cassino breakthrough; there was no time for "stand-downs" to mourn. * Tactical Adjustments: * Altitude Change: Notably, the first box bombed from 16,000 feet and the second from 14,000 feet. This is significantly higher than the typical 11,000–12,000 feet seen in previous days. This shift to a higher altitude was almost certainly a direct response to the morning's intense flak, attempting to put the aircraft above the effective ceiling of the light flak and make tracking harder for the heavy flak. * Outcome: The tactic appeared successful. The report notes only "Slight inaccurate H/A/A" (Heavy Anti-Aircraft) and, crucially, "All A/c down... to Z: NIL" (no casualties or damage). * Bombing Performance: * Accuracy: Despite the higher altitude (which usually reduces accuracy), the first box achieved a "good pattern" covering the target. The second box also reported a "good run-up". * Timing Correction: * Typo: The landing time was initially typed as 1555 but struck through and corrected to 1455 hrs. A landing at 15:55 would have implied a flight duration of nearly 3 hours, which is excessive for a local tactical sortie; the corrected 1 hour 50 minutes (13:05 to 14:55) is standard. * Abbreviations: * H/A/A: Heavy Anti-Aircraft fire. * G.P.: General Purpose (used here for both 40lb and 250lb). * S.I.O.: Squadron Intelligence Officer. * DFC: Distinguished Flying Cross. * pist: Pistol (fuse). * det: Detonator. 50 Verification: Target File Verification: The document is dated 18th May, 1944 in the "Date" field. It is a Sortie Report (No. 679) labeled APPENDIX "EE" (page number 262), detailing the mission flown on the morning of May 18th, 1944.