FAENZA Marshalling Yards and a road bridge near IESI bombed to-day. On the first operation the bombs blew up on being jettisoned from the aircraft piloted by Lieut. ELLIOT-WILSON.
The machine went down in flames over the target, crashing in FAENZA town. One parachute was seen to open. Crew - Lieut. ELLIOT-WILSON, pilot; Lieut. STEWART, observer; W.O.11 POSTHUMUS WT/AG; F/Sgt. BRICE, A.G. Sortie Reports Nos. 741 & 742.
Major DALLING, D.F.C., O.C. “B” Flight, Lieut. McARAVEY, observer, and. Lieut. FERGUSON, Admin. Officer, have been posted R.T.U. The weather has been fine for the past few weeks enabling the Squadron to operate almost daily.
Fifteen new flying personnel arrived at the Squadron to-day comprising R.A.F., N.Z., Aussies and Canadians. A couple of Yanks and Poles would certainly make this Squadron cosmopolitan, however, we are all in the war together - so what ! The newcomers were Lieuts. du BRUYN and PARSONS, F/O HANNA, F/Sgts. QUAIFE, GOBLE, MacDONALD R.J., MacDONALD T.D.I., RAMSAY, MARKHAM, CARTER, BLACKFORD, DALE, LONG, RICHARDSON, STUART (all pilots).
This area is highly malarious and the M.O. has issued the necessary warning to all ranks to strictly adhere to anti- malarial precautions. These orders are being strictly enforced and
the intention is to have a 100% anti-malarial Squadron.
APPENDIX TO WAR DIARY — 21 SQUADRON — 3 3AAF WING PERIOD — 1st to 30th June, 1944
No 21 Squadron aircraft were airborne on raids into enemy territory on seventeen days during the month of June, the total number of raids being 30, involving 766 hrs 55 mins operational flying time. Non-operational flying accounted for an additional 122 hrs 15 mins.
Now that the Squadron's Marauder strength has increased to four aircraft, the impetus of conversional training is rapidly gathering momentum.
During the month, the Squadron was briefed — on no less than twenty
occasions — to attack rail and road bridges at points stretching from the centre of Italy to the Adriatic coast, the bridges actually being in the following localities: Cagli, Torre, Cattolica, Chiaravalle, Fabriano, Fano, Fossato, Fossombrone, Rimini and lesi.
Though, on the whole, bombing patterns were reasonably accurate, damage to the brldgss proper was only effected on a couple of occasions, numerous near misses and direct hits on approaches, however, being, reported and later confirmed by photographic interpretation.
During the attack on Fossato rail bridge, the formation leader — owing to a hang-up — Jettisoned bombs over target; the bombs — colliding immediately below the aircraft — exploded, causing considerable damage to four aircraft,
Early in the month, support was given to the Americans on the road leading to Rome, when 21 Squadron successfully bombed enemy gun positions. Unfortunately ,the ack was intense and accurate, one aircraft (Lt Mackay and crew) being badly damaged and having to crash-land in the Gaeta area. One member of the crew was seriously injured — the remainder suffered from minor injuries,
Two interesting raids were directed against harbour installations at Split and Omis (Yugoslavia). These raids were particularly successful — numerous explosions and direct hits on quays and buildings being observed.
Marshalling yards at San Marino, Cesena and Porto San Giorgio were attacked, the letter two being effectively straddled.
Late in the month, gun positions — East of Macerata — were bombed, without any apparent results,
A raid on the last day of the month — an attack on Faenza Marshalling Yards — proved disastrous for Lt Elliot-Wilson and crew. Over target their bombs hung-up and on jettison, collided, exploding immediately below the aircraft, causing the aircraft to crash in flames over target area. One parachute was observed to land, apparently safe.
On most occasions slight ack was encountered — generally inaccurate.