Movement Order No. 526 received from Movement Control referring to the departure of the Squadron.
The departure date, after two amendments, was fixed for July 14.
All ranks are settling down happily to their new surroundings. Arrangements are now in hand for daily swimming parades in nearby LAKE TIMSAH —and there is no need to make these parades compulsory. ISMAILIA is but 2 ½ miles distant and all in all we are beginning to wonder why we could not have found this place a lot earlier, instead of having to put up with the dust and dirt and general lack of amenities at our former base landing ground for so many months.
There are certain disadvantages in the present 'drome - the runways are on the short side and are flanked by soft soil and it cannot be denied that it will not be able to serve as an operational 'drome. Trucks have been bogged in the yielding sands off the runway and a reminder of the unsuitable nature of this landing ground to perhaps all but experienced pilots was the sight of a Hurricane which had left the end of the runway on landing and plunged, nose first, into the sand as its wheels left the hard surface of the tarmac.
However, for a squadron awaiting aircraft – our last two Baltimores which were flown here have now been “vouchered off” to No. 55 Squadron, R.A.F. – this site could not have been improved upon. Showers, running water supplies, permanent offices and buildings which are being employed as living quarters are among the luxuries we now enjoy and the men can spend the warm afternoons bathing, boating or fishing. Yes, we seem very far from the war at the present moment!
Notification has been received from Headquarters, S.A.A.F., that seven Air Gunners, who have completed their term of operational service in the Middle East, are to be sent on the morrow to ALMAZA en route for the Union. A suitable party to mark the passing of the last of the "BENGHAZI OLD BOYS” from the squadron was held in the Sergeants’ Mess tonight. We are sorry to lose them but they are one and all eager to "get cracking" on Pilots’ and Observers' Courses down in the Union and after many months of enforced idleness they have experienced after intensive operations one cannot blame them for chafing at the delay they have experienced.
0940
A formation of 12 Baltimores took off to bomb the landing ground at TRAPANI/MILO in SICILY. The formation encountered heavy and accurate A. A. and enemy fighters with the result that four of our aircraft failed to return and several others were damaged. Major SCHRAVESANDE was hit by A. A. over the target before bombing and the aircraft was seen to blow up, no parachutes seen to open. Capt. McBRIDE was hit after dropping two bombs and was seen to go down in flames, two parachutes were seen to open from this aircraft. Lieuts MEREDITH and OAKES were shot down by fighters over the sea, S. E, of FAVIGNANA Island, two parachutes were seen to open from one aircraft. Lt HARGRAVE was hit by A. A. end also by cannon fire from enemy fighters, he managed to reach CAP BON and forced landed at EL MAOUARIA L.G. His gunner F/Sgt. MacQUEEN was wounded. Lt. DUGMORE was also hit by A.A. and cannon fire but reached base. The remaining aircraft all sustained damage by A. A. and enemy fighter action. Three enemy fighters confirmed shot down and two probables. It is hoped that more parachutes opened as it was very difficult to tell due to a very heavy ground haze over the target at the time.
“Oprep” No. 324 Sortie Report & Crew List
Two raids to-day. First raid twelve Baltimores took off (one returned early with bomb-load due to engine trouble) at 09.30 hours to bomb PORTO DI CORSINI. One direct hit on edge of quay, and one near-miss on barge. Second box owing to steep turn on, exceptional lateral error to the right from N631463 to N627465. No enemy opposition, visibility hazy. Close support of six Spitfires. Sortie Report No. 747.
Second raid with twelve Baltis airborne at 14.46 hours to bomb same target. Some hits on wharves on both sides of harbour and on a building on N. bank. No enemy opposition and all aircraft returned to base at 17.12 hours. Eight Spitfires provided escort. Sortie Report No. 748.
Wing phoned this morning to say that an analysis had been made of the Vino sold by the local inhabitants which revealed 20% +,-, urine. What a shock to those unfortunates who thro’ their desire to partake of the wine of the country were inadvertently sipping the excreta of the Iti - Hell !!
In spite of operations the Squadron is also busy converting onto Marauders. We persuaded the powers to give us four Marauders so as to start a conversion plan to run concurrently with ops.
Our chief desire is to cut the stand-down period to the minimum for the sake of the war effort and in the interest of the spirit of the Squadron.
2/Lieuts. WINN, DICKENSON and BAILEY (Observers) reported for duty.