| Original caption: “A Bristol Beaufighter TF Mark X of Number Nineteen Squadron, South African Air Force, releases its rocket projectiles at an enemy target in the town of Žužemberk, Yugoslavia.” After completing pilot training, Lieutenant Steven J. Stevens (August 27, 1919 – June 5, 2016), South African Air Force, was posted to Number 19 Squadron, South African Air Force, at Biferno, Italy in the summer of 1944. Number 19 Squadron was charged with air support of the partisan forces of Communist leader Josip Broz Tito (May 7, 1892 – May 4, 1980) and interdicting Axis shipping in the Adriatic Sea. Žužemberk, in modern day Slovenia, was heavily contested between Repubblica Sociale Italiana (“Italian Socialist Republic of Salo”), Nazi German soldiers and Slovene White Guard, and Yugoslavian partisans. 2/3 of Žužemberk was damaged or destroyed by the fighting or air attack by Axis or Allied bombings. Axis forces pushed the Communists out of Žužemberk on February 9, 1945, so they requested air support from the British Mission to Yugoslavia. Number 1916 Squadrons were ordered to attack Žužemberk in modern-day Slovenia. Stevens attacked with rockets at 500 feet (a 150 meters). Lieutenant Steven Schoenveldt (???? – ????) took the photo from another Beaufighter of Number 16 Squadron with a nose-mounted camera. Schoenveldt’s Beaufighter was so close his aircraft was dented from Stevens’s 20 millimeter (0.78 caliber) spent cannon shell casings. The attack destroyed the Nazi German command post and killed many White Guards. The supporting air strike allowed Tito’s partisans to capture Žužemberk the same day. Stevens flew 35 missions with Number 19 Squadron. After the war, Stevens became the Australian Festival of Light, a Christian relief organization that merged with CARE. Žužemberk’s castle was rebuilt through the 1960s. | |
| Image Filename | wwii0709.jpg |
| Image Size | 359.97 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 1411 x 1687 |
| Photographer | Steven Schoenveldt |
| Photographer Title | South African Air Force |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | February 13, 1945 |
| Location | |
| City | Žužemberk |
| State or Province | Carniola |
| Country | Yugoslavia |
| Archive | Imperial War Museum |
| Record Number | C 5032 |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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