Headquarters no doubt to receive a full brief on the future plans for the breaching of the Gothic Line. This latter was the last real bastion of the Germans before reaching the Po Valley and it was the Po Valley which contained the major part of Italian industry still available to them.
By the middle of the month the Squadron was left in sole charge of Malignano to support 5th Army whilst the rest of the Wing together with 8th Army moved silently to the east coast from which front the main offensive was to be launched. This time regrettably the Squadron was left out of the front line offensive which commenced on 25th August. However, all personnel were briefed on the situation, and morale was high as it was realised that the Allies were making progress. The weather, which throughout the summer had been very hot and unpleasant, was gradually beginning to change and cloudy skies, heavy rain and poor visibility hampered the Allies both on the ground and in the air. The Germans who were fighting delaying actions once more found these conditions to their advantage and further hindered the Allies advance by demolishing roads and bridges in their path.
During September the Squadron completed
173 tactical reconnaissance missions, 40 artillery reconnaissance missions and 18 photographic reconnaissance missions, each mission involving two aircraft. 553 hours were flown during the month with a maximum of 36 sorties flown in one day - a new record. What a superb achievement by the groundcrew who throughout this period had to repair several badly damaged aircraft.
On one particular Sortie Flight Lieutenant Scott was looking for a railway gun which had been shelling Pisa and Lucca from 50 miles away. Whilst over Massa in his Spitfire VIII he was engaged in intense heavy anti-aircraft fire. His aircraft was hit several times, the cockpit filled with black smoke, the port aileron cable was severed making it useless and the rudder controls on the same side suffered a similar fate. The pilot turned round as best he could and started to make for our own lines. En route he called in his number two to inspect him for damage having discovered that he could only turn one way. In fact to carry out a 10 degree alteration in course one way he had to turn an almost complete orbit the other way. He staggered on over Pisa while his number two flew on ahead to alert the fire tenders, ambulances etc. of an impending emergency landing.
