BOCHUM
442 aircraft - 135 Halifaxes, 104 Wellingtons, 98 Lancasters, 95 Stirlings, 10 Mosquitoes; 5 Group did not take part in this raid. 24 aircraft - 13 Halifaxes, 6 Wellingtons, 4 Stirlings, 1 Lancaster - lost, 5.4 percent of the force.
This raid started well but, after 15 minutes, what were believed to be German decoy markers drew much of the bombing away from the target. The only information available from Germany is that 394 buildings in Bochum were destroyed, 716 were seriously damaged and 302 people were killed.
PILSEN
156 Lancasters and 12 Halifaxes were dispatched in a further attempt to bomb the _koda armaments factory. 120 aircraft from this force were from 5 Group; the remainder were Pathfinders. 9 aircraft were lost.
This target again proved to be a difficult one to find and mark accurately and nearly all the bombs fell in open country north of the _koda works.
Minor Operations: 12 Mosquitoes to Berlin, 8 aircraft minelaying in the Frisians, 12 O.T.U. flights. 1 Mosquito on the Berlin raid was lost.
Total effort for the night: 642 sorties, 34 aircraft (5.3 percent) lost.
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6 Mitchells sent to the steelworks at Ijmuiden were recalled.
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5 O.T.U. Wellingtons dropped leaflets over France without loss.
