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Operation No. 33

. LONG STICKS, FROM PIN POINT 21 EXTENDING ALONG EASTERN AREA EDGE OF AERODROME SOUTHWARD

Thursday, 13 November 1941

Over target: 0700 hrs Time: 06:45 hrs

Operational Report (Form 541)

Date
13. 11. 41
Map reference
Target map B./2 and Benghazi 1:500000 DATE OF OPERATION 13th. November 1941 NUMBER AND TYPE OF AIRCRAFT 6 Marylands DUTY High level bombing attack. Long sticks, from pin point 21 extending along Eastern area edge of Aerodrome Southward
8 [handwritten]21 SQUADRON S.A.A.F. OPERATIONAL REPORT NO. 33 COPY NO......(O.O. Nos. 261 Wing Operation order No. "A" 256 andSquadron Operation order No. 33). DATE: 13. 11. 41.MAP REF: Target map B./2 and Benghazi 1:500000DATE OF OPERATION 13th. November 1941NUMBER AND TYPE OF AIRCRAFT 6 MarylandsDUTY High level bombing attack. Long sticks, from pin point21 extending along Eastern area edge of AerodromeSouthward.NARRATIVE. Six aircraft left L. G. 76 at 0645 hours. Passed 20miles South of Maddalena and W/C for the coast Northof Benghazi.The run up to the target was made at 19000 ft. on acourse of 190 deg. and the Leader led the formationapproximately across in Points 43, 11 and to the Westof Pin Point 21, to avoid anti - aircraft barrage.The total load of bombs were dropped, starting about250 yards North of Pin Point 21, and extending in aSouth Westerly direction towards and across Pin point 37.Observers claim direct hits on Pin Point 21, 37 andthe [strike-through: XXXX] Rail and Road junction North West of Pin Point21. Smoke was seen over target 40 miles away.A ship 250 ft. long was seen between Central and OuterMole.Fifty to a hundred M.T. was seen on road Benghazi - Tocramoving North and South. About two hundred M.T. was seenstationary at 31 deg. 40 min North and 22 deg. 37 min Eon or near a road near a pan. [handwritten: arrow pointing to handwritten 'pan']Appeared to be in a line extending East to West.At Wadi el Gac ( 32 deg. 10 min N 23 deg. 55' E)camouflaged vehicles were seen hidden among the bushes.Three aircraft took off [strike-through: XXXX] from Benina Aerodromeand three were seen to take off in a Southward run fromthe extension South of Berka Aerodrome. A/A heavy, goodheight but late.About ten dispersed aircraft, some appeared to be 3 or 4engined, were seen outside Western boundary of BerkaAerodrome.WEATHER FineTIMES Night stopped L. G. 76 on 12. 11. 41.Airborne L. G. 76 13th Nov. 41. 0645 hoursTime over target 0900 hoursBase 1125 hoursTotal hours flown 34 hoursPHOTOGRAPHY It appears that the camera which took the [handwritten: some] [strike-through: back] burstsfailed. Other photographs show direction of sticksand hits. [handwritten: ^]DISTRIBUTION.
S. I. O. H. Q. R.A.F. M. E.
Intelligence A.H.Q.W.D.
Operations do
2 Wing ( S.A.A.F. )
War Diary
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File[handwritten signature] [strike-through: XXXXXXXX] 2/Lt.FOR SQUADRON INTELLIGENCE OFFICER

Transcriber's Notes

21 SQUADRON S.A.A.F
No. 21 Squadron, South African Air Force. In November 1941, this unit operated the Martin Maryland, an American-built twin-engine medium bomber utilized by the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces (MAAF) for high-altitude daylight interdiction.
L. G. 76
Landing Ground 76. A forward refueling strip essential for extending the operational radius of the Marylands for deep strikes into Cyrenaica.
W/C
Went on Course (navigational shorthand). Operational Context Operational Report No. 33, dated 13 November 1941, records a successful high-altitude interdiction against Benghazi/Berka Aerodrome. Strategically, Benghazi was the primary logistical port for Rommel's Panzergruppe Afrika. This raid occurred just five days before the launch of Operation Crusader (18 November 1941), a major Allied offensive intended to relieve the Siege of Tobruk. The attack delivered concentrated bomb "sticks" across the eastern edge of the aerodrome, specifically targeting stores and transport infrastructure to paralyze Axis sustainment. The sighting of "3 or 4 engined" aircraft—likely heavy transports such as the Junkers Ju 290 or Focke-Wulf Fw 200—outside the Western boundary of Berka indicates the high-value nature of the target area as an Axis aerial reinforcement hub. Execution Constraints The mission profile reflects the technical and tactical friction of long-range medium bomber operations in the Western Desert.
M.T
Motor Transport.
A/A
Anti-Aircraft fire (Flak).

S. I. O. H. Q. R.A.F. M. E.: Squadron Intelligence Officer, Headquarters, Royal Air Force Middle East.