DEFE3/130
DEFE3/130 covers the decryption period between 15th January 1944 and 19th January 1944 – however, some information relates to dates outside this period
In the page below are some notes/summaries gleaned from the pages of DEFE 3/130 I hope that these are of assistance to any fellow researchers.
The link to the National Archives for DEFE3/130 is here should you need to refer to it.
To download the notes as a pdf document click here
Note the date of the event refers to a date in the message not necessarily the date of the message.
Flifue = FliegerFührer
Note –
- Number of pages refer to “GAF sightings” - these are for the most part not included in the summaries below as they do not refer to specific aircraft types or units.
- Flivos of Divisions are also not included below
- Code “Yoke” appears to refer to “Y” service.
- Times are direct from the message i.e. Zulu time.
| Page | Report | Date of event | Notes |
| 342-5 | VL4003 | 13/01/44 | Luftwaffenkommando Süd-Ost – sorties for 13/01/44
Ju 88 Hohentwiel Kastelorizo – Cape Sideron from 22.30 hrs Z 12/01/44 to 00.45 hrs Z 13/01/44. 4 Ju 88 Ras El Kanayis and sea. 1 Ju 88 Met and sea recce 15.15 hrs Z to 18.30 hrs Z. Two aircraft shot down in Podgorica and Split area. 14/01/44 – 2 Ju 88 sea area Rhodes off shore Nile Delta 13.45 hrs Z to 17.00 hrs Z of which one ditched off Cape Sunion due to fuel shortage. 1 Ju88 met and sea recce Kythera 04.45 hrs Z - 08.00 hrs Z. Recce to Alex not carried out owing to weather. Further Ju 88 Met and sea recce – 3737,1645 E. 3957, 1855E, 4042,1835E, 06.00hrs Z to 09.00 hrs Z. One Ju 88 Otranto Spartivento. |
| 341 | VL4004 | 14/01/44 | 10.00hrs Z to 11.00 hrs Z fighters scrambled against raid on Mostar of which 3 force landed. |
| 334 | VL4011 | 13/01/44 | Photo Recce Bari Harbour not carried out due to strong fighter defence. |
| 324 | Vl4019 | 14/01/44 | Evening return by JG 27 (Nisch) to Luftwaffe Mission Bulgaria
Stab./JG 27 aircraft available 3 serviceable 3. Crews 5 available 3. IV./JG 27 (Skoplje) aircraft available 7 serviceable 6, crews 12 available 3. IV./JG 27 (Mostar) Aircraft available 27 serviceable 17, crews 21 available 20. III./JG 27 (Nisch) Aircraft 13 serviceable 12, crews 13 available 13. I./JG 5 not mentioned. |
| 315-317 | VL4023 | 14/01/44 | Luftwaffenkommando Süd-Ost – sorties for 14/01/44
Total 83 sorties of which 20 recce; 13 bombers; 44 fighters, 5 transport and one miscellaneous. Recce – one Ju 88sea recce off Bengahzi. One Ju 88 Photo recce Alexandria, not carried out. One Ju offshore Otranto – Spartivento. 4 Me 109 Photo and Met. Lecce not carried out. 2 Me 109 Met to Bari. 4 Ju search for missing auxillary sailing vessel Euboea – Lemnos. 2 Ju south east Rhodes – Nile Delta. One ditched due to fuel shortage. 2 Me 109 islands south of Split. One Me 109 guerilla areas southern Peloponnese. 2 Me 109 guerilla airfields Albania. Bombers – Seven Ju 87 against shipping in Vis harbour. Three ships of 200-300 tonnes sunk, several damaged. One Ju 87 Hvar harbour. 1 Do 17 and 3 Hs 126 armed recce Senj and Ogulin. One Hs 126 Petrinja. Fighters – 14 Me 109from Nisch and 185 from Bojuriste at 09.35 hrs Z scrambled without contact as raid warning proved wrong. 2 Me 109 from Skoplje and 10 from Nisch scrambled at 10.45 hrs Z. Fighter screen over Nisch without result as allied formation attacked Mostar. Transport – 5 Ju 52 Greece – Serbia. Misc – one Me 110 leaflet dropping in Peloponnese. |
| 314 | VL4024 | 15/01/44 | Luftwaffenkommando Süd-Ost evening 15/01/44 intentions for 16/01/44
Visual recce Alexandria. Sea recce between Malta and Bengahzi and on south east coast of Italy. Photo recce of Apulia according weather. |
| 311 | VL 4027 | 15/01/44 | Flifue Luftflotte intentions evening 15/01/44 for 16/01/44
Recce as early as possible of offshore area, Tiber mouth, island of Ischia, in case any shipping movements in case any shipping movements are reported by Aufklgr (F) 122 evening recce 15/01/44. Battle recce in front of 44 ID and 5 MD. Ground attack aircraft readiness from 07.00 hrs Z for immediate support of the Army. Fighters – readiness from dawn for escort and defence. |
| 310 | VL 4028 | 14/01/44 | III./JG 53 located at Villaorba. |
| 309 | VL 4029 | 14/01/44 | 4./126 strength return – Aircraft total 9 serviceable 3; crews 11 with 9 ready. |
| 307 | VL 4031 | 15/01/44 | Evening 15/01/44 Fl;ifue Albania intentions 16/01/44
Met recce Bari – Brindisi. Photo recce harbours Bari, Taranto, Airfields – Gioia; Manduria; Pancrazio; Vito; Grottaglie; Lecce; Leverano and guerilla airfield Kolasin. Air photo Podgorica and Scutari. Leaflet dropping southern Albania. Flifue Croatia – recce order from unchanged. Photo recce Malta morning of 15/01/44 not carried out due to weather. |
| 306 | VL 4032 | 15/01/44 | Effort Flifue Luftflotte
7 ground attack aircraft against Cervaro. No further operations as aircraft moved to an airfield further northowing Allied raids in the Rome area. 46 fighters on escort, scrambles and freelance patrol. 2 Me 109 (06.10 hrs Z – 07.10 hrs Z) offshore recce Tiber estuary – Isle of Ischia 60 km depth. 2 aircraft battle recce, 2 aircraft photo recce in front of left wing of XIV Korps, 2 further aircraft broke off task owing to technical trouble. 4 aircraft broke of photo recce of Corsica but two other aircraft carried out the sortie. |
| 299 | VL 4035 | 10-15/01/44 | TG 4 transferred to Tatoi. |
| 294 | VL 4040 | 15/01/44 | Flifue Croatia preliminary appreciation early 15/01/44 of Allied attacks on Mostar on 14/01/44.
Luftwaffe casualties 1 dead; 7 seriously injured; 5 slightly injured. 5 Me 109 and 3 Ju 87 seriously damaged. 18 Me 109 slightly damaged. 1 Me 109 shot down; 1 Me 109 forced landed. |
| 282 | VL 4048 | 15/01/44 | III./JG 27 requested its Kalamaki detachment to send over, by the next ferry flight, 4 mortar aircraft with mortars installed. |
| 278 | VL 4050 | 15/01/44 | JG 53 gave following airfields as serviceable, in some cases only on marked out runway, Ciampino North and South; Trvi; Viterbo; two airfields in (indications) Rome-Florence area; one (fair indication) Marcigliana area and fair indication Fabrica or satellite. |
| 274 | VL 4054 | 15/01/44 | Aquino closed even for emergency landing according to report from JG 53 same afternoon. II./JG 51 informed. |
| 272 | VL 4056 | 15/01/44 | III./JG53 afternoon 36 aircraft and 16 mortar. On airfield 34 and 15 mortar. Serviceable 26 and 10 mortar.
Two scrambled 12.55 hrs Z to 13.05 hrs Z against approaching Lightning. |
| 270 | VL 4058 | 15/01/44 | Shooting down of Fortress into Lake of Bolsena by II./SG 4 witnessed by a member of II./JG 51 |
| 261 | VL 4066 | 15/01/44 | Flifue Croatia strength on 15/01/44 (Total and serviceable)
1./NSGr 7 – 17 (14) NAGr 12 – 11 (3) 13./SG 151 – 14 (7) IV./JG 27 not available. Croatian Bombers – 15 (8). Croatian Fighters – 9 (8). |
| 259 | VL 4068 | 15/01/44 | Luftwaffe Rumania strength evening 15/01/44 (Total and serviceable)
Able – 39 (3) Baker - 12 (10) Charlie – 23 (17) Dog – 1(1) Easy – 10 (6) and 2 (2) See VL3901 for interpretation. |
| 250 | VL 4075 | 15/01/44 | 24 Aircraft attacked Foligno in two waves at 13.35 hrs Z-13.40 hrs Z and 18 aircraft at 13.55 hrs Z
No damage airfield serviceable according to airfield detachment at 16.45 hrs. No warning, (fair indications Sirens) out of order. |
| 249 | VL 4076 | 15/01/44 | Orders evening 15/01/44 to (strong indications ) 3./126 included from dawn 16/01/44 – three aircraft to be at readiness for recce against light naval forces and for anti-submarine patrol. |
| 247-8 | VL 4077 | 15/01/44 | Western Med - Some sorties for II Fliegerdivision on 15/01/44.
1 Ju 88 security recce 40 degrees N between 3 and 8 degrees E and using cloud cover north and west coast of Corsica 20.00 hrs Z – 01.00 hrs Z. 1 Ju 88 between 1 and 7 degrees E north of 39 degrees N – 07.00 hrs Z to 12.30 hrs Z. 4 Ar 196 close escort 06.30 hrs Z – 08.00 hrs Z. Other units - 1 Ju 88 course 4127, 1155 E – Gulfs of Gaeta and Naples – 4017, 1415E – 3957, 1355E – 4107, 1205 E – 17.30 hrs Z to 20.45 hrs Z. Benedetto – Bari by unspecified aircraft 09.30 hrs Z – 11.30 hrs Z, offshore Tiber Mouth- Ischia to depth of 60 kms 06.15 hrs Z – 07.15 hrs Z. |
| 245-6 | VL 4078 | 15/01/44 | Luftwaffenkommando Süd-Ost some sorties for 15/01/44
Ju 88 sea rescue search for Ju 88 ditched Cape Sunion area – search between 23.45 hrs Z 14/01/44 to 02.00 hrs Z 15/01/44 broken off due to technical trouble. 2 Ju 88 Met and Sea Recce south east of Rhodes to 6 miles of Alexandria 07.30 hrs Z to 09.45 hrs Z and 12.00 hrs Z to 15.45 hrs Z. One Ju 88 photo recce Malta 07.00 hrs Z to 11.30 hrs Z not carried out due to cloud. One Ju 88 offshore Otranto – Spartivento 06.30 hrs Z to 09.15 hrs Z. 2 Me 109 Met recce Bari broken off due to fighters. 4 Me 109 scrabled from Kalamaki11.30 hrs Z against Allied heavy fighter patrol in the Aegean. 2 Ju 88 Met and Sea recce Castelorizo and to 3222, 2915 E morning and afternoon. Flifue Croatia – 1 Hs 126 and 3 He 46 recce and bombing guerillas in Glamoc – Mlinista area; 1 Do 17 in Sinj area. |
| 244 | VL 4079 | 15/01/44 | Assumed by Luftwaffenkommando Süd-Ost that ALGs for Spitfires on Dodecanese recce were on Cyprus, ALGs for Crete and Aegean recce in north Cyrenaicia. |
| 241 | VL 4082 | 15/01/44 | 16 Me 109 arrived Florence afternoon 15/01/44 from Viterbo. (Comment: see VL4032) |
| 239 | VL 4084 | 16/01/44 | Luftwaffe aircraft sighted 12.30 hrs Z 16/01/44 – in position (indications) 3117, 2325 E) convoy of 33 merchant ships, 3 escorts, one presumed auxilliary cruiser, course 260 degrees.
Same time 10 large ships stopped off Alexandria harbour including several tankers. |
| 238 | VL 4085 | 12/01/44 | Strong indications that II./SG3 was operating under Fliegerkorps I in south Russia on 12/01/44. |
| 237 | VL 4086 | 16/01/44 | Luftwaffe aircraft sighted 08.00 hrs Z 16/01/44 – one ship about 500 tonnes in 4022, 1345 E, and same time one ship about 400 tonnes , in 4007, 1345E – speeds and courses not known. |
| 232 | VL 4090 | 16/01/44 | At 15.00 hrs Z 16/01/44 Villaorba closed to all classes due to bomb craters. |
| 231 | VL 4091 | 15/01/44 | 4 aircraft of IV./JG 27 transferred to Skoplje.
Return from Luftwaffe Mission Bulgaria to Luftwaffenkommando Süd-Ost evening 15/01/44: Stab./JG 27 aircraft 3 and 3 serviceable Unspecified gruppe JG 27 Aircraft 11 and 10 serviceable. Crews 16 and 6 available. |
| 224 | VL 4096 | 17/01/44 | Programme for transfer of IV./KG 76 from Francazal to Finow as laid down on 14/01/44
4th airfield servicing company of the gruppe together with advanced detachment echelons, to transfer by train on 01/02/44. Flying elements to transfer between 08/02/44 and 10/02/44. Rear detachment to remain behind for short period to service unserviceable aircraft and bring them over later. (See also VL3711) |
| 222 | VL 4098 | 16/01/44 | Unchanged as for 16/01/44 were intentions Flifue Luftflotte evening 16/01/44 for 17/01/44 |
| 220 | VL 4100 | 16/01/44 | Damage Foligno according to the airfield detachment morning 16/01/44: buildings on the eastern side of the airfield and two hangers damaged, airfield serviceable, railway will be unserviceable for a long timeaccording to the railway authority. Aircraft works damaged again, locomotive works slightly damaged. Town hall badly hit, post office and civilian buildings damaged. |
| 213 | VL 4104 | 15/01/44 | Morning – Lavariano airfield (slight indications German and Italian aircraft on airfield) 44 and 1. Airfield serviceable but not night serviceable. |
| 204 | VL 4110 | 17/01/44 | 16.00 hrs Z 20/01/44 (?) – Flifue Luftflotte intended to support the defensive battle of the Tenth Army on 17/01/44 in main area of operations employed: II./SG 4 at half hour readiness after speediest possible arrival of aircraft transferred to Rieti. I./JG 53 and JG 4 and II./JG 51 – operations as on 16/01/44. Recce Orders to be given separately. |
| 202 | VL 4112 | 16/01/44 | Ops Flifue Luftflotte on 16/01/44.
By exerting all forces to utmost ground attack aircraft employed in three operations in support of defensive fighting of the 5th Mountain Division, 09.30 hrs – 13 Fw 190, 11.40 hrs Z – 12.30 hrs Z 11 Fw 190 and 14.30 hrs Z – 15.15 hrs Z 10 Fw 190 attacked motor traffic and concentrations around Valle Rotonda. 41 fighters operated as escort, one Me 109 lost. 31 fighters freelanced along the west coast and the Casino area, one Me 109 crashed and one missing. 6 aircraft on battle recce and photo recce in front of central and left wing of XIV Korps, 2 me 109 shot down, of which one belly landed and one missing. |
| 185 | VL 4121 | 16/01/44 | 10 Würzburg Giants had been brought up for Luftwaffe Mission Rumania. Spares to be sent to Bucharest by 15/02/44 |
| 183 | VL 4123 | 16/01/44 | Perugia on 16/01/44 required 15 blast bays. Three to be started on 17/01/44 plus four more to be built, all seven on the temporary dispersal area. Labour shortage makes completion difficult. |
| 181 | VL 4125 | 16/01/44 | No battleships seen at Alexandria in recce on 16/01/44 |
| 174 | VL 4130 | 17/01/44 | Sighted at 06.55 hrs Z 17/01/44 in position 3137, 2735E 30 steamships, 3 destroyers course east. |
| 173 | VL 4131 | 14/01/44 | 3./126 reported 10 aircraft of which 8 serviceable. |
| 172 | VL 4132 | 16/01/44 | 2. Fliegerdivision Sorties -
One Ju 88 20.30 hrs Z 15/01/44 – 01.00 hrs Z 16/01/44 – security recce between 4 and 8 degrees 30 minutes E, north of 40 degrees N. 2 Ar 196 06.10 hrs Z to 09.10 hrs Z probing recce west of Toulon to Spanish coast. Other units:- 1 Ju Cape Linaro – 4337, 1355 E – 3902, 1455 E – 3832, 1335E – Cape Linaro.(At 08.00 hrs Z in 4022,1345E) One Ju 88 screening west coast Italy to Naples covering Gulf Gaeta and Naples. |
| 160-1 | VL 4139 | 16/01/44 | Luftwaffenkommando Süd-Ost total of 40 sorties: 10 recce; 15 escort; 11 transport; 4 miscellaneous.
Recce – 1 Ju 88 Benghazi 06.30 hrs Z to 09.15 hrs Z. 2 Ju SE Rhodes – Nile Delta – 12.00 hrs Z to 15.45 hrs Z including security Alexandria 12.30 hrs Z – 12.45 hrs Z. 1 Ju Otranto – Spartivento 13.00 hrs Z to 15.45 hrs Z. 2 Me 109 Met recce Bari area. 2 Me 109 islands south of Split. 2 Hs 126 Ogulin area. Escort: 9 Ar 196 with Aegean convoy. 6 Ju with Air transports. Transport – 11 Ju area Greece – Rhodes. Miscellaneous – 3 Ju 53 Mausi – Khalkis area. 1 Fi 156 leaflets Tirana. Night 16-17/01/44 no operations. |
| 154-5 | VL 4144 | 16/01/44 | Evening 16/01/44 intentions Flifue Albania for 17/01/44 were as in VL4031, except that leaflets to be dropped Tirana as well as South Albania.
At same time 1./NAGr 12 9 aircraft serviceable out of 14; 9 crews ready out of 14. Airfields: Shijak closed; Podgorica and Scutari serviceable for all classes; Tirana and Devoli land and taxi only on runway. Orders midday 16/01/44 for 17/01/44 for Flifue Albania - Recce harbours Bari and Brindisi and airfields in Apulia. Weather recce Bari-Brindisi during which cloudbase to be established with view to attack. Orders evening 16/01/44 to advanced battle headquarters Sarajevo for 17/01/44 - Flifue Croatia to support army in combating guerillas, especially in capture of islands. Weather permitting ground attack operations with fighter protection on military installations and supply depots on Vis. |
| 149 | VL 4147 | 16/01/44 | Now known that intentions Luftflotte 2 for night 15-16/01/44 and day 16/01/44 isued early 16/01/44 were: Night Hohentwiel recce Tyrrhenian with special attention to offshore Naples and Gaeta. By day recce tasks unchanged, close support forces support of X Armee. |
| 147 | VL 4149 | 17/01/44 | Luftwaffe sighted 07.00 hrs Z 17/01/44 in position 3137, 2735 E 30 cargo ships and (fair indications four) destroyers, course east. |
| 145 | VL4151 | 16/01/44 | Recce orders byFlifue Croatia evening 16/01/44 for 17/01/44: watch Allied occupied islands and shipping traffic, battle recce in conjunction with operations against guerillas. |
| 144 | VL 4152 | 16/01/44 | Luftwaffe Mission Bulgaria return evening 16/01/44.
Stab./JG 27, III./JG 27 and the two unspecified gruppen mentioned in VL 4091 unchanged. IV./JG 27 (Skoplje) aircraft total 11 (serviceable 7; pilots total 16 (ready 6). I./JG 5 aircraft 22 (serviceable 15); pilots 44 (seady 26 with 8 conditionally ready). |
| 143 | VL 4153 | 16/01/44 | Mostar still unserviceable 17.15 hrs 16/01/44. Repair work in progress. Comment – VL 4040 refers. |
| 119 | VL 4166 | 17/01/44 | Orders to X Fliegerkorps Kiphissia at 17.00 hrs Z 17/01/44 for 18/01/44: battle operations as ordered fo r17/01/44 (comment – these not known). Comment – battle operations covers all operations exclusive of recce. |
| 112-3 | VL 4169 | 16/01/44 | Following according to Flifue Croatia.
Proposed disposition units Flifue Croatia:- Stab and 2./NaGr 12 Mostar 13./SG 151 Agram-Gorica. Stab and 1./NSGr 7 – Agram Town (?) (fair indications less) one kette Butmir for co-operation with 5 SS Korps. 2./NSGr 7 (CR 42) Banjaluka. Close Recce Staffel Croatia Agram Lucko less 2 aircraft Mostar for co-operation with 5 SS Korps. Of Croatian Air Force Legion – Bomber gruppe – Lucko; fighter gruppe Gorica. Battle Headquarters Flifue Croatia Agram. |
| 104 | VL 4175 | 17/01/44 | Flifue Luftflotte total operations up to 17.15 hrs Z 17/01/44
Owing to weather conditions and repeated alerts on airfields no ground attack operations possible. 4 sorties on battle recce partially carried out, due to weather. No photo recce for same reason. 84 fighter sorties free jagd over front and over 14 Pz Korps; one lost due to technical failure. |
| 98 | VL 4179 | 17/01/44 | As for 17/01/44 were Flifue Luftflotte’s intentions for 18/01/44 at 19.30 hrs Z 17/01/44 |
| 89 | VL 4185 | 17/01/44 | Luftflotte 2 informed evening 17/01/44 of Luftwaffenkommando Süd-Ost recce intentions for 18/01/44 unchanged if weather suitable. |
| 84 | VL 4188 | 17/01/44 | X Fliegerkorps intentions evening 17/01/44 for night 17/01/44 and for 18/01/44.
Offshore recce Straits of Otranto – Spartivento. Met and sea recce in area north of Cyrenacia. Probing recce off Nile Delta. Battle ops unchanged. Flifue Albania recce unchanged. Flifue Croatia recce and battle tasks unchanged. Luftwaffe Mission Rumania defensive task unchanged. Luftwaffe Mission Bulgaria air protection main effort Sofia. |
| 75 | VL 4194 | 15/01/44 | Fliegerkorps II HQ was at Compiegne. (Comment – FK II not mentioned in Italy since 22/12/43) |
| 74 | VL 4195 | 16/01/44 | Operations orders for 17/01/44 (strong indications 3./126)
3 Ar 196 from first light at half hour readiness for anti submarine patrol and sea recce against light Allied naval forces. Bv security patrol as ordered for 16/01/44 (Comment – no details here of BV aircraft this area). |
| 71 | VL 4198 | 17/01/44 | Flifue Albania intentions evening 17/01/44 for 18/01/44 same as those in VL 4031 but without photo recce Podgorica and Scutari and with leaflet dropping Tirana instead of south Albania. |
| 69 | VL 4200 | 17/01/44 | 1./NAGr 12 strength evening 17/01/44 aircraft 14 (8 serviceable) crews 14 (9 ready) |
| 67 | VL 4202 | 17/01/44 | Mostar evening 17/01/44 closed to visiting aircraft. 4 Me 109 sorties that day from Mostar. |
| 45 | VL 4219 | 18/01/44 | Owing to the weather 2 He 46 of 1./NSGr 7 had not transferred to Zara by 08.00 hrs Z 18/01/44 |
| 43 | VL 4221 | 17/01/44 | 2 Fliegerdivision sorties on 17/01/44
Ju 88 security recce, one aircraft 03.30 hrs Z to 08.20 hrs Z between 04E and 0830E; one aircraft 12.50 hrs Z to 17.20 hrs Z between 03 and 08 E; one aircraft 22.00 hrs Z and 24.00 hrs Z on 18/01/44 between 03 and 08 E; all above to limit 40N Ar 196 close escort, 6 aircraft 06.30 hrs Z to 10.40 hrs Z westward of Toulon; 4 aircraft 09.30 hrs Z to 14.30 hrs Z Unspecified aircraft of Aufklgr 122 Tyrrhenian sea recce 07.50 hrs Z to 10.10 hrs Z on 17/01/44. |
| 40 | VL 4224 | 17/01/44 | Morning 17/01/44 4./126 had 9 crews ready out of 11, 6 aircraft serviceable and one conditionally serviceable out of 9.
Afternoon 16/01/44 3./126 had 10 crews ready Leros out of 12, 8 aircraft serviceable Leros out of 10. |
| 12 | VL 4244 | 17/01/44 | Some sorties Luftwaffenkommando Süd-Ost 17/01/44.
Flifue Croatia: 2 Me 109recce Hvar. 2 Me 109 escort. 1 Hs 126 and 1 He 46 broke off recce owing weather. Flifue Albania: Leaflet dropping west of Argyrocastro. Met recce Bari – Brindisi. Photo recce Brindisi, Podgorica and Scutari. Unspecified 1 Ju 06.45 hrs Z to 09.00 hrs Z in area Ras El Kanais – Ras Assas. 1 Ju 06.30 hrs Z to 10.00 hrs Z in area Benghazi – Sirte Gulf. 1 Ju 07.00 hrs Z to 10.00 hrs Z Met recce SE Rhodes to off Nile Delta. Recce Dalmatian islands south of Split. No ops night of 17-18/01/44. |
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