A windy day and nil operations.
Appendix to war diary – 21 Squadron, 3 S.A.A.F Wing Period – 1st to 30th April 1944
During April, the Squadron's monthly raids average was comparatively low, due mainly to bad weather on some days and towards the latter part of the month, the allotment to 3 Wing and 223 Wing of alternative days for operations, owing to the restricted number of fighters available for escort duties. The total number of raids was 22, constituting 254 sorties; the total operational flying time was 568 hrs 40 mins. Non-operational flying time amounted to 55 hrs 50 mins.
The Squadron’s first target this month was the FOLIGNO South Marshalling Yards, of which, photographic evidence revealed direct hits on the power station, a factory and railway lines.
The following day the Squadron's assault was directed against Military Barracks (S.W. of MACERTA) believed to contain Fascist personnel, for which the leading crew were specially briefed at Wing. The attack was crowned with a fair measure of success — the bombs falling on and between the bungalows. One bomb was seen to actually burst among a crowd of 20 people running out of a bungalow.
The PAPIGNO and GALLETO Hydro-Electric Stations were the Squadron’s next objectives, a couple of raids on which resulted in appreciable damage being done.
On the 7th, the Squadron was briefed to attack NIKSIK, a town in Yugoslavia to be occupied by Germans and surrounded by partisans; several direct hits on buildings were scored.
For the next few days bad weather prevented the aircraft from undertaking operational sorites, but as soon as the weather cleared the tempo of operational raids increased — railway and road bridges (on the Adriatic coast) and marshalling yards in Central ltaly mainly attracting the Squadron's attention,.
Several raids were carried out against an Ammo. dump (near SPOLETO) which proved rather an obstinate target. However, a highly successful raid on the POPOLI Chemical Factory resulted in several explosions and direct hits on buildings. Good results were also obtained on Supply Dumps near Lake Trasimeno.
Towards the end of the month the Squadron again concentrated on bridges and marshalling yards with fair success. On the 29th, the last raid of the month, made by only three aircraft, on Wireless Installations West of PALENA, proved abortive as the target was completely obscured by cloud.
On most occasions no enemy opposition, whatsoever, was encountered. Squadron aircraft suffered no serious ill-effects from spasmodic attacks by heavy and light AA, mainly from the CHEITI area.