Sortie Report (Form 541)
BA. ADRANO VILLAGE.BB. 1221 hours LT.BC. Medium level attack. Height 11500 Course 350°72 x 250 GP 47 Det 27 Pistols.BD. Formation attacked in two boxes. The first Box bombed from NORTH of the garden in the SOUTH of the village towards the NW corner. All bombs fell in the town and many buildings were destroyed. The in No. 2 Box straddled the two roads in the SW corner of the village, scoring direct hits.BE. NIL.BF. NIL.BG. Obliques and Verticals. Height 11500ft Course 350° IAS 210BH. (i) Approx. 15 MT seen in open space in village.(ii) 20 MT moving fast from CENTURIPE to ADRANO.(iii) 30 MT moving to CENTURIPE from CATENANUOVA.LIST OF AIRCRAFT AND CREW.176YY Major JANDRELL, Lt. CHRISTIE, 2/Lts. PEARCE & ROUX (FL)344X Capt. SAUNDERS, Lt. BOOYSE, F/Sgt. MOORE, Sgt. EARP-JONES.356Z Lts. HARGRAVE & REES, 2/Lt. PURDON, F/Sgt. BEDFORD.221Y Lts. EATON & McDERMOTT, F/Sgt. FREESTONE (NZAF) & VAN ROOYEN (VL)383W Lts. BENNETT & HARLE, F/Sgts. OSWALD & STRYDOM.271F Lts. GUARD & WEBBER, F/Sgt. GREEN, 2/Lt. DE VILLIERS. (BL)387R Lts. RICHARDS & DECONNICK, F/Sgt. ROBERTSE, Sgt. McGRINDLE.341L Lts. FROST & WHITE, F/Sgt. CARTER, Sgt. ALLAN.206J Lts. WOOD & NEL, F/Sgt. JAMES, Sgt. BUCHLER.136M Lts. DUGMORE & MASTERS, F/Sgts. MAASDORP & ROGERS. (VL)179A Lts. ASKEW & LAMBERT, F/Sgt. GELDENHUYS, Sgt. CRAWHALL.195G Lts. MURMAN & WALTERS, F/Sgt. ODENDAAL, Sgt. STEWART.
Transcriber's Notes
- LT
- Local Time.
- GP
- General Purpose (bombs).
- Det
- Detonator.
- IAS
- Indicated Air Speed.
- MT
- Motor Transport.
- NZAF
- New Zealand Air Force (properly RNZAF, Royal New Zealand Air Force). Personnel and Tactical Coordination
Abbreviations and Technical Terms Expanded
(FL): Formation Leader.
(VL): Vic Leader (leader of a three-aircraft 'V' sub-formation).
(BL): Box Leader (leader of a six-aircraft 'box' section).