The Ack-Ack Record

Credit for shooting down an Me109F which exploded in the air over Poggiofiorito on the 11th was curiously apportioned. B₁ of 4₁ Battery was awarded a quarter, H6 of 43 Battery also was allowed a quarter, and the other half was credited to an RA regiment. This brought the total account of the 14th Light Ack-Ack since 19 November 1943 to three and a half Me109Fs shot down and four damaged and two FW109s shot down and one damaged, all but the last one being exclusively credited to 41 Battery. Conditions were against the Bofors gunners throughout this period. Only the fast and elusive fighter-bombers came within reach, usually when visibility was poor. Only gunners who maintained a constant alert in instant readiness for action could hope to engage them successfully. Mostly they came over in mid-afternoon; but the pattern was not well enough established for the Bofors crews to relax at other times of the day. They had to keep a close watch from first light until last light in gun positions that were often in a sea of mud.