The performance of our machines yesterday has definitely ruled our squadron out of operations so there can only be one decision regarding our future fate. But still no official news.
Only three of our machines are serviceable for operations but the Jerries recce. machines don’t reveal that — they only show a number – a large number, too — of aircraft scattered about the aerodrome and so we remain a potential target for the enemy without hope or means of replying. Jerry was in fact overhead at a very early hour this morning and the Tobruk A.A. was again going "great guns" but Jerry passed overhead without "unloading"anywhere that was uncomfortably near for us.
Two raids today and instructions received from Wing that we may be required for operations tonight.
First raid: Oprep No. 165, Sortie Report and Crew list
Second raid: Oprep No. 166, Sortie Report and Crew list
From the first raid, the aircraft piloted by Captain BUDD failed to return. It was last seen going down under control on our side of the line. It is believed that he was hit by heavy ack-ack and shortly before going down was seen with a Me. 109 delivering a stern attack. Major A.C. JANDRELL took an aircraft up to engine-test fly it and, if satisfactory, intended to fly to TAMET to fetch Lieut. LIDDIARD and the two other survivors of his crew. On arrival at TAMET the undercarriage refused to lock in the down position. Major JANDRELL returned to base where further attempts to get the under-cart out, wereunsuccessful. He then flew to 51 R.S.U. at SOLUCH where he crash-landed after further efforts to get the wheels out. The landing was made in soft sand and the aircraft was put down with a minimum of damage. Three other aircraft are grounded for engine changes, one of which – after repair here – will be flown to 51 R.S.U. The other two will have to be done on site.
Another raid was carried out on the factory area and Tank Repair Shops at LORETA. The visibility in the target area was poor and only in the SOUTH was there a small break in the clouds, the results were thus not fully observed. Pattern started SOUTH of factory area with a few bombs in the S.W. corner of the town, and extended under the cloud into the factory area where the majority of the bombs were considered to have fallen.