The final phase of the land war opened on this day, with the amphibious crossing of the Rhine on the Wesel sector and the airborne landings among the enemy defences a few hours later. British Commandos captured Wesel in the early hours, just after the Bomber Command raid had left the defenders dead or too dazed to fight properly.
The weather remained good for further Bomber Command operations. It is interesting to observe that the Ruhr was still supplying fuel and munitions for the fighting front which was now only 15 miles away and that tactical bombing and strategic bombing were taking place almost side by side.
STERKRADE
177 aircraft - 155 Halifaxes, 16 Lancasters, 6 Mosquitoes - of 4 and 8 Groups attacked the railway yards so successfully that, according to Bomber Command, there was 'complete destruction of a well packed marshalling yard'. No aircraft lost.
GLADBECK
175 aircraft - 153 Halifaxes, 16 Lancasters, 6 Mosquitoes - of 6 and 8 Groups attacked this town situated on the northern edge of the Ruhr and not far from the new battle area. The target was 'devastated'. 1 Halifax lost.
BENZOL PLANTS
173 Lancasters and 12 Mosquitoes of 1, 6 and 8 Groups attacked the Harpenerweg plant at Dortmund and the Mathias Stinnes plant at Bottrop. 3 Lancasters were lost on the Dortmund raid.
Total effort for the day: 537 sorties, 4 aircraft (0.7 percent) lost.
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MINOR OPERATIONS
67 Mosquitoes to Berlin, 8 to Nordheim and 2 which bombed both Berlin and Magdeburg on a 'siren tour', 38 R.C.M. sorties, 33 Mosquito patrols. No aircraft lost.
