Recon Report — Wednesday, 24 September 1941

Observations

DO NOT WRITE BELOW THIS LINE.
RECONNAISSANCE REPORT.
Sheet No. .............
ROYAL AIR FORCE
Date 24. 9. 41.
Unit: 21. Sqdn. S. A. A. F.
Ref. No. 2
Aircraft Type G. M. MARY.
Serial No. 1669
Orders or nature of duty:—
Map or Chart Reference :—
Pilot Col. P. Pretorius
Crew 2/Lt. D. Duffus
A/Sgts. Viljoen and Goldman
Time up 1144
Time down 1424
Total time 2. 40 min.
Visibility. 50 Throughout
Weather. Clouds 8/10 to 4/10 Fine
Sea Reconnaissance only.
Wind
Direction ............. °True
Speed at ............. feet knots/m.p.h.
*Cross out term not applicable.
| Place | Time (Hrs.) | Height (Feet) | Report | Track (True) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 021 L.G. | 1144 | | Airborne set course to Fuka Point to Rendezvous | 304° |
| 1154 | 3500 | All in formation. 8/10 Cloud. Set course to point 20 miles North of Sidi Barrani | 292° | |
| 1212 | 6000 | Position 10 miles North of Matruh | 292° | |
| 1233 | 12000 | Position 20½ miles North of Sidi Barrani set course position 100°/12 m. of RAS - EL - MILH | 280° | |
| 1247 | 20000 | Position 12 miles North East of RAS - EL - MILH 6/10 Cloud set course to 2 miles East of RAS - EL - MILH | 065° | |
| 1255 | 20000 | Set course South to Target. 4/10 Cloud | 180° | |
| BARDIA | 1300 | 18000 | 4/10 Cloud. T - 5 T°/s 210 m. Dropped bombs slight overshoot of Target A but fell amongst dispersed ammunition boxes and one stick of about 5 bombs fell on road and over it (see bombing report of Aircraft 1669) | 210° |
| 1 Monoplane seen by Lt. Beddy ½ mile West of B. dump on ground | | | (3 Aircraft dropped 24 X 250 lbs. G. P. Bombs.) | |
| 1300 | Descending | I. A. S. 250 m.p.h. 200 - 300 MT vehicles dispersed 3 miles South of road | | |
| 1305 | 10000 | 2 Fighters, Square winged silver underside ME 109 sighted 3000 ft. above and starboard weaving. One and then other feinted to attack but did not come within 2000 ft. of us | | |
| 1308 | 8000 | On top side of 6/10 cloud. One ME 109 weaves above and astern about 2500/3000 ft. did not attack | 120° | |
| 1316 | 6000 | Large quantities (200 - 300) MT dispersed between Aber Ziqdan and Aber Abu Safafi. | | |
| | | After this, as in own territory, devoted attention to Navigating home. Cloud 4/10 to 7/10 most of way clearing towards base. | | |
SIGNED. 2/Lts. D. Duffus, D. Beddy and H. W. Cheesman.
P.T.O.
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Wt. 40173/3807. 300,000. 1/40. H.T.C. 51/5829.

Transcriber's Notes

Phase 2: Technical Expansion (The "Transcriber's Notes")
Glossary of Terms
* 21. Sqdn. S. A. A. F.: No. 21 Squadron, South African Air Force. During September 1941, the unit was based at Landing Ground 021 in Egypt, operating as a light/medium bomber force within the Western Desert Air Force.
* BA-BH (MARTIN BALTIMORE): A twin-engine light/medium bomber aircraft produced by Glenn L. Martin. While the squadron later converted to the Baltimore (mid-1942), at the date of this report (September 1941), they were equipped with the Martin Maryland (e.g., Serial No. 1669), the Baltimore's direct technical predecessor.
* G. M. MARY.: Glenn Martin Maryland.
* I. A. S.: Indicated Air Speed.
* L.G. 021: Landing Ground 021, the squadron's base of operations in Egypt.
* M.T.: Motor Transport (vehicles).
* MC/GP (MEDIUM CAPACITY / GENERAL PURPOSE): The classification for standard Allied high-explosive demolition bombs. This mission utilized 250 lb G.P. Bombs.
* ME 109: Messerschmitt Bf 109, the primary Luftwaffe fighter encountered by SAAF crews during this period.
* MET: Meteorological data or section. Weather conditions (MET) for this sortie varied from 8/10 cloud during ingress to 4/10 cloud over the target, clearing towards the base.
* RAS - EL - MILH: Ras el Milh, a coastal landmark in North Africa used as a navigational waypoint.
Operational Context
Target File 272_18 is a Reconnaissance Report (R.A.F. Form 401) documenting a strike and intelligence-gathering mission against Axis assets at Bardia on 24th September 1941. The strategic importance of Bardia during this phase of the North African campaign was its role as a vital coastal supply hub and defensive anchor for Axis forces near the Libyan-Egyptian frontier.
The mission, piloted by the Officer Commanding Col. P. Pretorius in Maryland 1669, involved 3 aircraft dropping a total of 24 x 250 lb G.P. Bombs. Execution constraints included variable cloud cover (MET), which ranged from 6/10 to 8/10 during the approach. Over the target at 18,000 feet, despite 4/10 cloud, the crew achieved a strike that "fell amongst dispersed ammunition boxes" and severed the local road with a five-bomb stick.
The sortie provided critical tactical intelligence: the sighting of 200-300 M.T. vehicles south of the road at Bardia and an additional 200-300 M.T. dispersed between Aber Ziqdan and Aber Abu Safafi. These large concentrations of motor transport indicated a significant logistical buildup by the Afrika Korps. Furthermore, the report notes a "square-winged silver underside" ME 109 feinting an attack but choosing not to close within 2,000 feet, likely deterred by the coordinated defensive fire of the Maryland formation. This document illustrates the technical and tactical efficacy of 21 Squadron's Martin-built aircraft in the dual role of interdiction and deep reconnaissance during the desert war.

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Phase 1: Verification & Extraction
Identity Check: 24. 9. 41.