Operational sorties Detailed view
Preben Ernst Ipsen
Unit
237 Sqn
Aircraft
Spitfire IX L.F. , MJ199
Date
28.04.44
Time
18:25 - 20:00
Details
Armed Recce on road from FLORENCE-LEGHORN. 10 a/c airborn on an armed recce of the LEGHORN FLORENCE road & railway. They were over target area at 1850/P hrs. at W(Q)4666. A 3-ton truck with [...] boarded up sides was seen standing in a street. It was raked with cannon and burst into flames. It was last seen burning furiously. At the same spot two more trucks of the same size were straffed and strikes observed. A 15-cwt. truck was seen at W(Q)4776. Strikes were seen on this from cannon. 3 railway coaches were hit at W(Q)5955 and at W(Q)3278 a small engine was stationary with steam up. Strikes were observed and a large cloud of steam enveloped one side. At W(Q)2578 a train which appeared to be electrically driven was straffed and hits observed. On the return journey one pilot (F/Lt. Theodosiou) baled out 3 miles E of GORGONA, having presumably been hit by flak as glycol was pouring into the cockpit. He was last seen descending by parachute. Map Ref.: FLORENCE 1/500,000. Four aircraft were airborne on search for missing aircraft. Nothing was seen.
Source
AIR 27/1451
Note