A telephone call was received from S.A.A.F. Headquarters in CAIRO giving us advance notice that about 125 of our artisan personnel would be required for maintenance work at SHANDUR and KASFAREET and preliminary arrangements were to-day made for the selection and temporary posting of these men.
Operations again today. Oprep. No. 231, Sortie Report, and Crew List.
We sent 18 Aircraft to Bomb MARETH Village. The show was a success most of the bombs falling in the target area and causing two explosions. The A/A was heavy, and accurate.
Fourteen aircraft were holed, none badly. F/Sgt JARVIS, Lt. BLIEDEN’s gunner, was wounded in the left forearm and BLIEDEN landed at NOFFATIA to leave his gunner at 21 M.R.S. there. Two aircraft were sent back to the R.S.U. with holed petrol tanks. Capt. CORMACK did a repeat performance of his show on the 13th. He got his machine holed in the oil cooler again in the same place. Same engine. It has been suggested that one engine be taken out of his machine.He needs only one!!!
No operations to-day but practice flying was carried out. Lieut. Otto Greder and W.O.1. Greyling, two popular members of the Squadron, were cleared as R.T.U. Both have broken the Squadron record for the number of ops.
A warning was received that paratroops were expected and the Adjutant instructed that a guard be put on the aerodrome.