[Col Bruggy]

Hello,

From Alun Granfield's, 'Bombers Over Sand and Snow' (p.204):

By the night of 17/18 September (1943), the target was Cerveteri, fifteen miles north-west of Rome, and seventy-three Wellingtons of all four Wings were despatched. Many aircraft had difficulty pinpointing the target due to considerable haze and darkness, and the illumination was scattered. Photographs taken during the raid revealed that Furbara, two miles away, received the brunt of the attack, but despite this many fires were stared at Cerveteri and aircraft on the ground were reported to be burning. Daylight photographs taken on the 19th confirmed the destruction of several buildings, damage to others, and craters on the landing ground. The western hangar had received a direct hit, and four Ju 52s and one other aircraft were burnt out. One of the Wellingtons of 40 Squadron failed to return, and other crews reported seeing an aircraft fall into the sea in flames off the target area. The aircraft was one of the illuminators, and one report suggested that the fire may have started from a hung-up flare.

Nb. the previous night (16/17 September 1943), Cisterna Littoria airfield (south of Rome) was attacked, Photographs sowed that a hangar, runways and aprons were well cratered, eleven aircraft were destroyed on the ground. The rome-Naples railway line adjoining the airfield also received a direct hit.

Col.

Col.