AACHEN
442 aircraft - 264 Lancasters, 162 Halifaxes, 16 Mosquitoes - of all groups except 5 Group to attack 2 railway yards at Aachen - Aachen-West and Rothe Erde (east of the town). These were important links in the railway system between Germany and France. 18 Halifaxes and 7 Lancasters lost, 5.7 percent of the force.
The Aachen report duly records that the 2 railway yards were the targets attacked, with the railways to the east of Aachen being particularly hard hit. But, because this was a German town, Bomber Command sent more aircraft than normal for railway raids and many bombs fell in Aachen itself and in villages near the railway yards. The Monheim war-industry factory and the town's gasworks were among many buildings destroyed. 207 people were killed in Aachen and 121 were seriously injured. 14,800 people were bombed out. Several villages near the railway yards also incurred casualties; Eilendorf, near the Rothe Erde yards, had 52 people killed.
The Aachen report comments on the great number of high-explosive bombs and the small number of incendiaries dropped. There were only 6 large fires. 288 high-explosive bombs were found to be duds, approximately 10 percent of those dropped.
EINDHOVEN
59 Lancasters and 4 Mosquitoes of 5 Group were dispatched to attack the Philips factory but the Master Bomber ordered the force not to bomb because of bad visibility. 1 aircraft did not hear the order and released its load. No aircraft lost.
COASTAL BATTERIES
106 Halifaxes, 102 Lancasters and 16 Mosquitoes, split into small forces, attacked coastal gun positions at Boulogne, Colline Beaumont, Le Clipon and Trouville without loss.
ANTWERP
44 Lancasters and 7 Mosquitoes of 5 and 8 Groups to attack the Ford motor factory but the bombing missed the target. Some bombs fell on nearby dockside buildings. No aircraft lost.
Minor Operations: 15 Mosquitoes to Berlin, 6 R.C.M. sorties, 31 Serrate and 8 Intruder patrols, 18 Halifaxes and 7 Stirlings minelaying in the Frisians and off Brest, 23 O.T.U. sorties, 1 R.C.M. Halifax lost.
Total effort for the night: 888 sorties, 26 aircraft (29 percent) lost.
