Sortie Report (Form 541)
- Date
- 29th May, 1944
APPENDIX "UU"279TO : HQ MAAF (attention 23rd SCORU)HQ NATAF (attention 2nd Command Unit 23rd SCORU)SAOA SAAFFROM : SIO 21 SQUADRON SAAFREF : 21S/694DATE : 29th May, 1944OPREP No. 694 for period ending 0800 hrs on the 29th May, 1944REF MAP : ITALY 1:100,000 SHEET 151 ALATRI150 ROMA11 Baltimores took off from BIFERNO L/G at 0553 hrs to attack L.A.A.positions and/or M.T. on road at G241598 and G295547. Second boxattacked its briefed target (G295547) at 0626 hrs from 14300' on acourse of 355°. Two patterns of bombs reported from G295556 to G298562and from G291544 to G295554. Direct hits on road and railway line.First box, briefed to bomb G241598 was unable to locate target owingto mist and cloud, and carried on searching for transport on roads. Theyeventually bombed railway line near VELLETRI pattern falling fromF90434 to F986436. Several explosions and white smoke reported.H.A.A. intense accurate from ALATRI, moderate accurate from VICOwestwards, moderate inaccurate from VELLETRI area before, during andafter bombing. Vic leader A/c in the first box burst into flames overtarget immediately after bombing, and went down, the A/c breaking up inthe air and no parachutes were observed. No enemy fighters reported.7/10th to 8/10th cloud in target area 8000'/10000', ground mist andhaze. 10 Baltimores landed back by 0735 hrs.B: (i) 6 Balts Mk IV(ii) NIL(i) 5 Balts Mk V(ii) NILC: (i) & (ii) NIL(i) & (ii) NILD: (i) 10.50 Hrs(ii) NIL(i) 9.30 Hrs(ii) NILE: (i) 19200 x .301800 x .3034200 x .50(ii) NIL(iii) 3200 x .30300 x .303700 x .50(i) 16000 x .301500 x .3033500 x .50(ii) NIL(iii) NILF: (i) 192 x 40 G.P.(42 - 28 Nose)(ii) As in (i)(iii) & (iv) NIL(i) 128 x 40 G.P. 43 - 28 Nose2 x 500 ) 45 - 44 Nose3 x 250 ) 36 - 28 Tail(ii) As in (i)(iii) & (iv) NILG: (i) Baltimore FA 649 (Mk IV) destroyed(ii) 2 Balts (Mk IV) Cat I (Flak).Missing:- 47832V Major J.P. de Villiers D F C Pilot313744V 2/Lt P.J.A. van Dyk Observer210434V W/O I G.R. Savage W.O./Gunner206673V W/O II J.A. Floquet Air Gunnerto Z: NILFL Major de WetHallick CaptS.I.O., 21 Squadron, S.A.A.F.
Transcriber's Notes
- L/G
- Landing Ground.
- M.T
- Mechanical Transport.
- Vic
- A V-shaped formation of three aircraft.
- Cat I
- Category I damage (repairable). 70 Verification: Target File Verification: The document is dated 30th May, 1944 in the "Date" field. It is a Sortie Report (No. 695) labeled APPENDIX "VV" (page number 280), detailing the mission flown on the morning of May 29th, 1944.
- W/O
- Warrant Officer.
Breaching the Caesar Line (Velletri):
Tragedy over the Target (Major de Villiers):
Dangerous Conditions (Weather & Flak):
Abbreviations: