Sortie Report (Form 541)
R.A.F. Form 441 A.SORTIE REPORT(Part A.)86Sheet No.Oprep. Ref. No. 356Date. 29 Jul 43Squadron. 21 SAAF ADVType of Aircraft. 12 BALTIMORES (9 Mk 3A, 3 Mk 3)Aircraft No. ) as per listAircraft Letter. )Leader of Formation.Captain CAPT. ORD.Crew. LT. HODGES.Time Up. 1109 LT first aircraftTime Down. 1314 LT last aircraftTotal Time. 24 hoursAerodrome or L.G. HALFARType of Cloud. S/Cu ) OverAmount of Cloud. 8/10 ) Target.Base of Cloud. 5000 ft Tops 7000 ft )Visibility. 10 miles haze.General Weather. Cloud patchesMap or Chart Reference.1. SICILIA 1:500,000 NE 36/12.2. PATERNO 1:100,000 SHEET 269Task or Duty. GUN POSITIONS M708820| Time | Height | Place | Narrative ||---|---|---|---|| 1109 | | Halfar | Airborne || 1119 | 1000 | | Set course PALAZZOLO 010°M || 1145 | 8100 | Palazzolo | Set course SFERRO 350°M with 7 Spitfires. || 1215 | 11300 | 2 miles S Sferro | Turned onto target – bombed. || 1219 | 10500 | Target | Set course PALAZZOLO 175°M || 1248 | 8500 | Palazzolo s/c | Base. || 1304 | 1000 | Halfar | Over Base, Landed. || 1314 | | | Last aircraft landed. |(Signature: J.S. Bester) Capt.SIO. 21 SQUADRON SAAF.
Transcriber's Notes
- R.A.F
- Royal Air Force.
- Oprep. Ref. No
- Operational Report Reference Number.
- SAAF ADV
- South African Air Force Advanced (Headquarters).
- LT
- Local Time.
- L.G
- Landing Ground.
- S/Cu
- Stratocumulus (cloud type).
- NE
- North-East.
- Sferro
- A key rail and road waypoint south of Paternò. The formation used 2 miles South of Sferro as their "IP" (Initial Point) to turn and align for the bomb run.
- SIO
- Squadron Intelligence Officer.
Abbreviations and Technical Terms Expanded
ft: feet.
s/c: set course. Personnel and Command Observations