BERGEN
32 Lancasters and 1 Mosquito of 9 and 617 Squadrons attacked U-boat pens and shipping in Bergen harbour. 3 Lancasters of 617 Squadron and 1 from 9 Squadron were lost; the Germans told the local people that 11 bombers had been shot down.
A local report says that 3 Tallboys penetrated the 3_-metre-thick roof of the pens and caused severe damage to workshops, offices and stores inside. 2 U-boats - U-775 and U-864 - were slightly damaged. The minesweeper M-1 was sunk in the harbour and the 3,347-ton German cargo ship Olga Simers was damaged and had to be either beached or brought into dry dock (the expression used in the Bergen report is 'had to be shored').
Bergen had suffered many civilian casualties in 2 earlier raids but the more accurate bombing on this day resulted in no deaths or damage to civilian houses being incurred in the town. 20 of the 34 German sailors in the minesweeper's crew were killed and 2 other Germans died.
2 Mosquito fighters of 100 Group flew long-range escort for an air-sea rescue operation and 2 Stirlings flew R.C.M. sorties, all without loss.
---
MINOR OPERATIONS
11 Mosquitoes to Bochum and 9 to Recklinghausen, both forces to bomb synthetic-benzol plants, and 32 Halifaxes minelaying off Flensburg and Kiel. 4 Halifaxes lost.
