The long awaited final offensive in Italy resulted in April, 1945 being our busiest month on Marauder aircraft. The end of the Italian campaign caused great jubilation in the Squadron as the final "Ve" Day seemed imminent.
Not many difficulties have been encountered by “T” Stores as regards to the supply and obtaining of stores. However, it is worth stating that some items which were urgently required while the Squadron was on active operations were most difficult to obtain, and now on the cessation of hostilities we are receiving these items. Two examples are - Cable Electric Unicel 4 Section 5 E Reference 1358 and Regulators Voltage, Section 105U, Ref. 807. The latter item especially has caused endless amount of trouble and as stated above has been most difficult to obtain.
Much praise is due to No. 31 A.S.P. for their excellent co-operation as regards to the supply of stores.
This Section was inspected by Major Robin, S.O.Q., S.A.A.F. Advanced H.Q. and Major v.d. Linde, S.E.O. 3 Wing and high praise was given for the layout of the section and for the neat and orderly way in which it is kept.
The aircraft on strength to this squadron remained at 18. The operational hours flown during one period of the month averaged approximately 48 hours per day - this necessitated a 50 hours inspection daily and much longer working hours. This rate of inspection was only required to be maintained during the offensive and bombline support.
50 hrs. Insp. Receipt Insp. Sorties Plying hours.
14 2 347 7\*15.30
During the month under review all aircraft briefed took off and carried out their missions; on one occasion only there was an early return due to technical faults. Serviceability averaged throughout the month at 16 against 2 unserviceable.
There was not one electrical or mechanical bomb hang-up during the 347 sorties carried out, and this is a very fine effort. Maintenance of aircraft, equipment and plant remained excellent. This was partly due to the close co-operation of “T” stores in their excellent effort of supplying the necessary spares, and the will to work on the part of the artisans. Although aircraft were damaged by A.A. and various other reasons all were repaired by this section except 10 which were beyond the repair scope of the Squadron. These were sent to R.S.E. and by their very close co-operation were soon back in the Squadron. There were no aircraft lost during the month of April, 1945.
During the month of April, 1945 perfect weather increased the tempo of operations of the Squadron. Working conditions ware excellent and the keenness and efficiency of the Armament Staff was of the highest degree.
On the 5th of the month a change over was made from English type bombs to American type. Minor difficulties were encountered but soon overcome.
The following figures shew the type, weight and quantity of bombs released over enemy territory.
250lbs. – 1072
500lbs. – 1608
20lbs. Clusters – 1631
ESIftJU.
This made a total weight of 633 tons 1720 lbs in 25 days of operations without a single non-release due to mechanical, electrical or maintenance trouble.
During this period every type of firing was encountered including long-delay, which at times meant the removal of certain American bombs to be replaced with English type. This was done at great speed to meet operational demands and done well.
The best co-operation possible was shown by Technical Stores and Motor Transport Section, who never failed to keep the required amount of explosives up to and beyond the strength required. Special mention is made of M.T. drivers who co-operated with the Armament Staff to the full, no matter what was asked of them.
The Staff position of the Signal Section is now satisfactory owing to the arrival of a Wireless Mechanic. Aircraft serviceability is highly satisfactory, and no trouble has been experienced during the period under review with regard to Aircraft W/T Equipment. No further modifications have been effected and regular and methodical maintenance has been maintained. The spares position is satisfactory.
Anti-malarial work has consisted in oiling pools, wells and streams in the vicinity with the exception of the lake in the camp. No mosquitoes have been seen breeding there and the water is used daily for showers. It is also well populated with fish, frogs etc. Mosquito breeding has only been noticed in one spot and no anopholis seen.
All cowsheds, pig-stys, etc. in the neighbourhood have been inspected and the farmers instructed on their cleanliness. Manure dumps have all been covered over with mud and the practice is kept up thrice a week. No difficulty was encountered from the farmers who have all co-operated well.
The showers have been extended and now eight operate in place of four.
Italian labour in the kitchens is becoming difficult as most of them want to return to their homes now that they are in Allied hands.
Sick incidence has remained low. One case of airsickness occurred in an air gunner. He has since been permanently grounded by C.M.B. no problems arose with aircrew.
The serviceability of the M.T. Section for the month of April, 1945 was maintained at a very satisfactory standard. No new vehicles were issued and none was written off. The mileage for the month totalled 50,000 and we are glad to be able to report only one slight accident with repairable damage.
N.M.C. personnel have continued to play their part in the functions of the Squadron and this past month has called for even greater exertions, which made them a tired but happy group.
The N.M.C. had been on the same ration scale as the Europeans until about 15th April, 1945. From this date they reverted to N.M.C. scale, which, sufficient as it is, excluded popular items such as bacon, sausages, eggs and chocolate. The changeover was made without great difficulty and rations are well prepared and sufficient.
School classes are still functioning and satisfactory progress being made. Information lectures and topical talks are part of their education. A novel feature introduced is the debate - this has met with great success.
Soccer continues to be the main form of exercise and recreation. The U.D.F.I. Cinema in Jesi has closed and the regular bi-weekly cinema show is no longer available to the N.M.C. No. 3 Cape Corps Concert Party gave a special performance for N.M.C. at 30 Squadron, S.A.A.F. on 24th April and approximately 60% of the N.M.C. personnel attended.
With effect from 18th April, 1945 a separate dry canteen was opened and this is functioning satisfactorily.
Most details avail themselves of the one day a week “off” and have casual passes to Jesi. All eligible details have had seven days leave to Florence, and it is hoped that parties will be sent to Rome in the near future.
The standard of discipline remains satisfactory and only occasional breeches occur.
All details have been equipped with complete summer dress.
Wing Fire Fighting duties have been re-organised and three trained Fire Fighters from this squadron have been attached temporarily to 3 Wing for duty on the aerodrome. This scheme obviates the necessity for alternating crews.
Capt. B. Forster and Capt. W. Nichol have been appointed Leading Gunner and Leading Observer respectively of “A” and “B” Flights. Lieut. G.W. Mitchell has been appointed Leading Gunner of “B” Flight.
His Majesty the King on the recommendation of the C. in C., R.A.F., Med. M.E. has approved of the non-immediate award of the D.F.C. to Commandant G.N. Dieu of this Squadron.
Early in April Major G. Wegger arrived to replace the Adjutant Major J.W. Rautenbach who left the Squadron for R.T.U. the “Q” Stores Officer - Lieut. Vinderine was posted to No. 15 Squadron, S.A.A.F.
Entertainment was plentiful during April and apart from the usual shows in Jesi, several entertainments were held in our own Camp Concert Hall. Among these was an excellent Magician show (E.N.S.A.) given by two Italians, who kept a large audience greatly amused and interested for over two hours. Another E.N.S.A. show visited the Squadron and, although very short in duration, this was very entertaining.
Air Vice Marshal Sir Guy Garrod visited the Squadron during the month of April.
Major General Mc Creedy held a party at Riccione and two Airmen from this Squadron were invited. A/M. Cronje G.F. (313372F) and A/M. Grewar S.G. (336245V) attended and formed part of a large party. The company sat down to an excellent dinner and a Military Band played during the meal. Later the gathering were entertained by the "Sundowners" Concert Party.
The end of the Italian Campaign gave a great boost to Squadron morale as it was realised that the end of the European war could now only be a matter of weeks, or even days.
The Spring weather during April was delightful and towards the end of the month daily swimming parties to the beach ware started, and this soon became a very popular recreation.
Owing to operations very little sport was played during the month of April. The most popular game was softball and a few intersection matches took place.
One soccer match was played between Officers and Other tanks which ended in a win for the latter 4 - 1.
Lieut. A.W.C. Teague and Lieut. F. du Plessis were selected from the squadron to play in the U.D.F. M.E. versus S.A.A.F. Italy Rugby Match on the 20th April at Bari. The match ended in a good win by 20 points to nil for the U.D.F. team.
No. 327808V. A/Cpl. Green G.C. of this squadron was a member of the D.A.F. Cross Country Team who were runners-up in the Mediterranean Championships held at Rome early in the month.
Operational Section
April, the Squadron's last month of operations in the European Theatre was, appropriately enough, the busiest month on Marauder aircraft. On the 25th of the month the last raid was done, and on only three days during the twenty five did the Squadron stand down for the day. One of these stand downs, on the 22nd, was occasioned by lack of close support targets, as a result of the rapidity of the Army's advance.
In all 34 raids, totalling 347 sorties, were carried out. After an early spell of semi-strategic bombing of lines of communication and centres of supply in the eneny's rear, the Squadron was switched, on the 9th to army close support tasks, and excellent results were achieved on both types of mission.
All aircrew expressed great satisfaction at being called again to army support tasks, in whioh they took a more personal Interest, and throughout the campaign aircrews and ground crews alike showed a very lively Interest in the progress of the army and the steady advance of the bomb-line. Towards the end of the month excitement grew when it was seen that the enemy was undoubtedly on the run, and the keenness on the part of all soared to new heights. Every "Bull" chalked up on the Operations board brought cheers from all assembled to await the result of the raid. Finally, when the Squadron's aircraft went out to attack the rapidly retreating enemy at his Po River crossings there was an air of expectancy in camp which indicated that all realised the end could not be far off. At this stage there was a zest and infectious enthusiasm about the work of all sections which characterised the Squadron's final all-out effort to "finish off the business".
The enemy repeatedly felt the weight of the Marauder's 20 lbs. fragmentation bombs in attacks on troop concentrations, and soft-skinned transport, while ammunition and other dumps and armoured concentrations were hit by loads of 500 and 250-pounders. These raids played a big part in helping to crack the German's strongly held Senio River positions and the heavily defended Argenta Gap, and were continued up to the Po, when the routed and disorganised enemy was severely hampered by attacks on a number of pontoon ferries and the approaches thereto.
A number of messages of thanks and congratulations were received from the Army for the excellent air support given by the Marauders of the Wing, and subsequent personal contacts with Army personnel proved that the Infantry could not speak in too glowing terms of the air support they had been given.
To the Wing fell the distinction of doing the first “Shoran” (blind-bombing) raid done by any Allied aircraft other than American. This was led by Major W.J.O. Musgrove of this Squadron, and was conspicuously successful. It demonstrated clearly the tremendous possibilities for pin-point bombing afforded by this new technique. Subsequent "Shoran" raids were equally successful.
During the month squadron aircraft on several occasions dropped pamphlets and Safe Conduct Passes applied by the Propaganda Warfare Branch, and enemy reaction reports stated that these played their part in accelerating the end by considerably undermining enemy morale
Four members of P/O Blackford's crew, posted "missing" after a raid on 8th March, returned to our lines, and three came back to the Squadron for clearance. P/O. Blackford (R.A.A.F.) and Sgt. Smith (R.A.F.) were reclassified "Missing - believed killed".
At the start of the month Wing squadrons were required to put up only eight aircraft each per raid, each squadron flying two boxes of four. Ammunition dumps, marshalling yards and a sugar refinery were attacked during the first week. In addition to these, the Squadron carried out a special operation in support of a landing by British Commandos on the sand spit separating Lake Commacchio from the sea.
The target consisted of gun positions near Porto Garibaldi, and these guns dominated the landing point further South. The raid was outstandingly successful, with 80 percent of the bombs straddling the target. On the same day, the 2nd, the Squadron attacked Porto Garibaldi Itself still in support of the Commando troops. The object of the raid was to create a roadblock and destroy troops in buildings in the village.
This raid was repeated on the following day with great success, a complete straddle of the target area being obtained. There was one explosion in the area after bombing. Both these raids were designed to prevent the enemy from bringing up reinforcements for his troops opposing the Commandos, and this object was successfully achieved.
On the 5th and 6th respecitvely, Gorizia and Rovigo Marshalling Yards were attacked with conspicuous success, bombs falling right across tracks and trucks in the yards on both occasions.
After a stand-down on the 7th the Marauders kicked off again on the 8th with a very heavy concentration of bombs on Cavanella Po Sugar Refinery, while two anti-flak Marauders successfully attacked guns defending the target.
On the following day, all Wing Squadrons participated in the massive air bombardment which preceded the Eighth Army’s new offensive. Twenty-one Squadron got away to a flying start with a perfect "Bull" on an area North of Lugo containing troops, and guns. Hereafter the squadron operated only against army targets, except when suitable targets were not available or when weather interfered, when they again attacked marshalling yards in Northern Italy. From this data also, twelve aircraft were put into the air on each raid.
On the afternoon of the 10th all three boxes straddled a gun area East of Imola with 20-lb fragmentation bombs.
The formation was recalled before bombing on the 12th on account of the proximity of our troops, after a swift advance, to the target, and the first formation on the 13th, also brought its bombs back when 10/10 cloud obscured the target.
After these two abortive raids, 12 aircraft bombed a defended area near Argenta. The third box scored a “Bull” but 6 - 8/10 cloud prevented observation of the results of the other boxes' bombing.
The main weight of the bombs hit an area near Argenta where elements of the 29th Panzer Division were dispersed on the morning of the 15th and in the afternoon explosions and fires were started in an attack on enemy troops East of Medicina, where much damage was caused. In this raid, for the first time in the Squadron's history, one complete box of four aircraft was made up of New Zealand and Australian first pilots. The box was led by F/O. J.H, Hanna (R.N.Z.A.F.)
On the 16th Major W.J.O. Musgrove with Lieut. Jordaan as observer, led a box of four aircraft (one from each squadron) in the first "Shoran" raid done by any Allied aircraft other than American, in any theatre. The target was the Tresigallo Sugar Refinery. After preliminary difficulty with the special equipment in the leading aircraft, this equipment eventually functioned satisfactorily, and the box bombed after doing no less than nine circuits near the target. Photographic coverage was fortunately possible through a break in the clouds, and this revealed that the stick of bombs, starting with a very slight undershoot, almost completely straddled the target with a very good pattern.
In the afternoon twelve Marauders very successfully bombed a troop concentration North of Argenta with 500 and 250-lb. Fragmentation bombs.
On the 17th each Squadron put up 35 aircraft for a record total of 100 sorties in one day for the Wing.
Mobile reserves of the 39th Panzer Division were attacked in the morning and the target area was well covered from North to South by all three boxes. In the afternoon a "Shoran" box scored a perfect "bull" with a complete straddle of the Tresigallo Sugar Refinery, and the 29th Panzer Division was again hit by an excellent concentration of bombs from the squadron formation.
Pill-boxes near Porto Maggiore were heavily hit by 100 percent of bombs from the first and third boxes, and by fully 50 percent from the second box on the morning of the 18th . Again in the afternoon all boxes straddled buildings containing troops at Runco, with 80 percent of bombs placed in well concentrated patterns.
On the following day another "Shoran" box of four, one from each squadron, went out, and the beginning of a very short, concentrated stick of bombs straddled the target, a railway bridge about 100 feet long by 20 feet wide.
Two boxes dropped 90 percent of their bombs on dug-in positions 10 miles North-East of Bologna in the only raid on the 20th.
Pontoon ferries and their approaches at the Po were bombed on the 21st and 23rd and on both days the target was well straddled by the big majority of the bombs.
A fair percentage of bombs hit Jesenice Marshalling Yards on the 24th and in the second raid of the day eight Marauders bombed a troop concentration just South of the Po. Both boxes dropped their loads in the centre of the target area, and scored numerous hits on roads and buildings.
Gorizia Marshalling yards was the target for the last raid of the month on the 25th. The eight Marauders, led by the officer Commanding, Lt. Col. D. Ord, D.F.C. , were escorted by four Mustangs. The first box, after a dummy run, straddled the target with 80 percent of its bombs while the second box had a slight overshoot. Three explosions were seen in the target area as a result of the bombing.
From the 25th until the end of the month the Squadron remained on standby, but consistently bad weather prevented the carrying out of any further operations.
No fighter opposition was encountered during the month, and on most occasions there was no serious flak opposition. Lieut. L. Jandrell (2nd Pilot) on the 11th, Lieut. R.J.S. Zinn (Observer) and Lieut. F. Trivett (WT/AG) on the 23rd were slightly wounded by flak. No aircraft were lost or seriously damaged, although on two occasions an aircraft had to make a one-engined landing as a result of flak damage. The first was on the 6th - pilot Lieut. J.B. Gough and the second on the 23rd by Lt. Col. D. Ord, D.F.C. On the 8th aircraft piloted by Capt. W. Spence was hit in the starboard engine and landed at Cesenatico, ran off the runway and was extensively damaged, but no personnel casualties. A number of aircraft were slightly holed on four or five occasions.
The weather was for the most part fine during the month, but as temperatures increased with warmer weather, so also did haze and cloud increase. Cloud several times interfered with the bombing, but up to the 25th the weather had been responsible for only one stand-down. The first spell of consistently bad weather began after the last raid on the 25th.
CONGRATULATORY MESSAGES
The following messages have been received from Advanced H.Q., S.A.A.F.
(1) ’Following message received by A.O.C. from Commander 8th Army
is to be conveyed to all ranks. Begins - Once again the close support given by the Desert Air Force has been beyond all praise.
Your unstinted and continuous support has been a decisive contribution towards the forcing of the River Senio and the rapid advance to the River Santerno.
I realise that this great achievement by the Desert Air Force is the result of the most careful planning combined with brilliant and daring execution. The fighter bomber attacks on the banks or the River Senio were devastating to the enemy as the manner in which the pilots dived onto the enemy positions was the admiration of all the foward troops.
I am certain that the D.A.F. has reached a standard of efficiency in close support that Is quite unique, and I am confident that this intimate co-operation during the coming weeks will be decisive. I hope you will convey the whole hearted thanks of all ranks of the 8th Army to all officers and men under your command.’
2)’Following message received by A.O.C. from Commander 5th Corps is to be conveyed to all ranks. Begins - The assistance given by D.A.F. to 5 Corps assault on Senio was magnificent. Both Generals Freyberg and Russel join me in my most sincere thanks and congratulations to yourself and your staff on the planning and direction which made the operation possible, and to the pilots who were an inspiration in gallantry to all who saw them. Good fortune and good hunting for the future to D.A.F, from all ranks 5 Corps.’
3)’Following message from A.O.C. to be conveyed to all ranks.
General Freyberg, Commander of the N. Z. Division has asked me to send his personal thanks to all D.A.F. Units who have provided close support to N.Z. Division during the last few days. He says his command are most happy for the amount and quality of air support which has been given. ’
And the following from C.G. 57th Bomb Wing.
4)’General McCreery has, through General Chidlaw, expressed the gratitude and appreciation of the 8th Army for the continuous and strong support given to the 8th Army during the current campaign.’
General Chidlaw adds :
'I wish to add my own personal gratitude for the splendid spirit shown by all units of M.A.T.A.F.’