Sortie Report (Form 541)
- Duty
- Very careful offensive reconnaissance for shipping in area between K 5115 and K 9172 and ten miles out to sea. Time. Height. Place
R.A.F. Form 441 A."W" 37SORTIE REPORT(Part A.) NIGHT OPERATIONSheet No. 1.Oprep. Ref. No. 266Date 15/16.4.43Squadron. 21 SAAFType of Aircraft. 1 BaltimoreAircraft No. 940 VAircraft Letter. "W" "V"Captain Lt. Col. Coppen D.F.C.Crew. Capt. Farrant (Observer)F/Sgt. Bradfield (W.Op.A.G.)F/Sgt. Lyne (A/Gunner)Time Up. 2200 hrs.Time Down. 0106 hrs.Total Time. 3 hrs. 6 mins.Aerodrome or L.G. HAZBUB MAIN.Type of Cloud. Over Target: Cu. & St. Cu.Amount of Cloud. 8/10Base of Cloud. 500 ft. (Tops 6,000 ft.)Visibility. Very poor.General Weather. Poor.Map or Chart Reference. TUNISIA 1:500,000 TUNISTask or Duty. Very careful offensive reconnaissance for shipping in area between K 5115 and K 9172 and ten miles out to sea.Time. Height. Place. Narrative.2200 HAZBUB Airborne and S/C 351 M.2249 1000 Landfall SE ZARAT, on track.2327 4000 KNEISS A/C for HAMMAMET 005 M.2343 7000. Above 8/10 Strato-Cu. HAMMAMET seen ahead. Losing height to get below cloud.2346 3500 Seven miles EAST of HAMMAMET. In 8/10 cloud and losing height.2355 1000 MENZEL TEMIME to port. Still above St. Cu. cloud. Turning and climbing. Visibility very poor.0005 5000 NABEUL Bombing coast road NORTH of NABEUL.0006 5000 Off target and flying parallel to coast on Southerly course.0040 5500 HAMMAMET S/C 180 M for KNEISS.0055 2000 KNEISS A/C for HAZBUB. 176 M.0100 500 HAZBUB0106 " Landed.PART B (on reverse) to be completed according to relevant pro-formas in H.Q. R.A.F. M.E. Instruction 34.P/PME-200.000-3/42 P.T.O.BA Careful Reconnaissance for shipping in area between p. K 5115and K 9172 and ten miles out to sea.(Alternative target: Coast road between the above pinpoints orroad leading to TUNIS)BB From 2316 hrs. to 2348 hrs.BC Medium level bombing attack from 5000 ft.6 x 250 lb. GP 43 Det. (Rods)BD Owing to the very poor visibility and low cloud base, observationof this area was practically impossible. The A/C flew up thecoast to a point 8 miles EAST of MENZEL TEMIME, turned inlandand bombed the road NORTH of NABEUL through a break in the cloud.No results of bombing run were observed, and no movement was seenin the whole area.BE 3 S/L and HAA firing up the beams encountered from HAMMAMET whengoing to & returning from the target. Fairly intense but veryinaccurate. Inaccurate LAA from KORBA SOUTH L.G.BF The A/C, on account of undercarriage trouble, had to crash-landat base. None of the crew were hurt.BG Nil.BH Ack/Ack flashes and bomb-bursts seen from BIR BOU REBKA L.G.[Handwritten Signature]........................ Capt.S.I.O. 21 SQUADRON, S.A.A.F.
Transcriber's Notes
- R.A.F
- Royal Air Force.
- Oprep
- Operational Report.
- SAAF
- South African Air Force.
- Lt. Col
- Lieutenant Colonel.
- D.F.C
- Distinguished Flying Cross.
- Capt
- Captain.
- F/Sgt
- Flight Sergeant.
- W.Op.A.G
- Wireless Operator / Air Gunner.
- A/Gunner
- Air Gunner.
- L.G
- Landing Ground.
Cu. & St. Cu.: Cumulus and Stratocumulus (cloud types).
Det. (Rods): Detonators (specifically "Tail Rod" fuzing). These rods extended from the nose of the bomb to ensure an instantaneous burst above or at ground level, maximizing the fragmentation effect against surface targets like roads or vehicles.