MANNHEIM/LUDWIGSHAFEN
146 aircraft - 69 Wellingtons, 42 Whitleys, 24 Hampdens, 11 Manchesters. 1 Wellington and 1 Whitley lost.
Mannheim's records show a successful raid on these two neighbouring cities. Totally destroyed buildings: military 1, war industry 4, other commerce 29, houses and shops 19. 11 railway wagons full of industrial fuel were burnt out. A large number of buildings of many kinds were damaged. 22 large and medium industrial plants suffered various production interruptions because of the damage. Casualties were: 64 killed, 122 injured and 3,533 bombed out (2,134 in Mannheim and 1,399 in Ludwigshafen). One third of the bombed out would return to their homes later.
Minor Operations: 5 aircraft to Berlin, 5 to Calais, 4 to Texel, 2 Hampdens minelaying in Frisians. No losses.
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5 Blenheims on shipping strike off La Pallice; ships were attacked but not hit. No aircraft lost.
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HAMBURG
119 aircraft - 60 Wellingtons, 35 Hampdens, 23 Whitleys, 1 Manchester - to shipyards, Altona power-station and the general city area. 3 Wellingtons and 1 Whitley lost.
The raid was carried out in perfect visibility. 128 fires - 47 large - were started in Hamburg with the worst of the fires in the city-centre area where a large department store (Ksters), a bank and part of the Hamburg Stock Exchange were among buildings destroyed by fire. 31 people were killed, 151 injured and 837 bombed out.
BERLIN
23 aircraft, of which only 12 reported bombing targets in the city. 3 aircraft - 2 Stirlings and 1 Manchester - lost.
Minor Operations: 18 Blenheims to the Dutch coast, 6 Wellingtons to Emden, 1 Hampden minelaying in the Frisians. There were no losses. A Wellington whose pilot, Pilot Officer Ball of 103 Squadron, and his crew were flying their first operation, claimed an Me 110 and a Ju 88 shot down on the Emden raid.
