Recon Report — Wednesday, 24 September 1941

Observations

RECONNAISSANCE REPORT.
Sheet No. .............
ROYAL AIR FORCE
Date 24. 9. 41
Unit: 21 Squadron S. A. A. F.
Ref. No. 1
Aircraft Type Maryland
Serial No. 1664 N
Orders or nature of duty:— Bombing Bardia dumps North West of Town.
Map or Chart Reference :— Alexandria 1: 1000000
Pilot Maj. Fowler
Crew 2/Lt. M. A. Oberholzer
A/Sgts White and Hattingh
Time up 1146
Time down 1405
Total time 2. 19 min.
Visibility. Good obscured by clouds
Weather. 4/10 s/c
Sea Reconnaissance only.
Wind
Direction ............. °True
Speed at ............. feet knots/m.p.h.
*Cross out term not applicable.
| Place | Serial No. | Time (Hrs.) | Height (Feet) | Report | Track (True) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L. G. 21 | 1 | 1146 | | Airborne | |
| | | | | On course to Bardia 5/10 cloud all the way | |
| BARDIA | 2 | 1300 | 17500 | Air Gunner in Aircraft G saw three ships in harbour could judge size or tonnage. | |
| | | | | Air Gunner in Aircraft M also reported ships in harbour but could not judge size either. | |
| On the Way | | 1303 | 17500 | Left Target. Loosing height slowly. M.T. 10 miles South West of Target 5 Fighters chased from 1000 yards, but could not catch up with us. Went into clouds. | |
| | 1314 | 8000 | Air Gunner reported another Fighter, evasive action in cloud and lost it at 1320. | | |
| | 1350 | 5000 | Aircraft on the ground. Position 27° 43' E and 31° 21' N. | | |
| | 1405 | | Landed at base. | | |
SIGNED. 2/LTS. M. A. Oberholzer, D. C. Elliott and G. B. Smith.
P.T.O.
19
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 SQUADRON S.A.A.F.: No. 21 Squadron, South African Air Force. In September 1941, the unit operated as a light/medium bomber force within the Western Desert Air Force, supporting Allied operations against Axis logistical nodes in Libya.
* BA-BH (MARTIN BALTIMORE): A twin-engine light/medium bomber manufactured by the Glenn L. Martin Company. While the squadron later converted to this type in 1942, during this 1941 mission they utilized the Martin Maryland (e.g., Serial No. 1664 "N"), which was the technical and operational precursor to the Baltimore in SAAF service.
* L. G. 21: Landing Ground 21, the Egyptian base from which the squadron operated during the Western Desert campaign.
* M.T.: Motor Transport.
* MC/GP (MEDIUM CAPACITY / GENERAL PURPOSE): The classification for standard Allied high-explosive bombs. During the strike phase of this mission, Maryland aircrews dropped 250 lb General Purpose munitions on Axis supply caches.
* MET: Meteorological data or section. The report cites visibility as "Good" but significantly obscured by clouds (4/10 to 5/10 cloud), which dictated the tactical decision to use cloud cover for evasive maneuvers.
* S/C: Small cloud or scattered cloud (referring to the weather/MET conditions).
Operational Context
Target File 272_19 is a Reconnaissance Report (R.A.F. Form 401) detailing the tactical and defensive aspects of a high-level bombing mission against Axis supply dumps northwest of Bardia on 24th September 1941. The strategic importance of Bardia centered on its function as a fortified logistical hub for the German-Italian frontier defensive line; degrading its ammunition and fuel caches was a primary Allied objective in preparation for the upcoming winter offensive.
The mission, flown by Maj. Fowler in Maryland 1664 "N", provides evidence of the coordinated intelligence gathering performed alongside bombing duties. At 17,500 feet, air gunners from adjacent aircraft (G and M) identified shipping in Bardia harbour, though technical constraints regarding height and atmospheric conditions (5/10 cloud) prevented an accurate assessment of tonnage.
Execution constraints during the egress—a slow descent from the target area—led to a persistent aerial threat. At 13:03 hours, the formation was pursued by five enemy fighters (likely ME 109s) from a distance of 1,000 yards. The Maryland crew utilized local MET conditions, intentionally entering cloud banks to break the chase. A second interception attempt by a lone fighter at 13:14 hours was similarly defeated by evasive action in the clouds. Furthermore, the crew identified a grounded aircraft at coordinate 27° 43' E and 31° 21' N during their return. This report, signed by 2/Lts. Oberholzer, Elliott, and Smith, underscores the reliance on environmental factors for the survival of unescorted SAAF medium bombers against superior Axis fighter opposition in the pre-Crusader phase of the desert war.

20
Phase 1: Verification & Extraction
Identity Check: 27. 9. 41.