4 Bostons on a sweep off the Dutch coast. A ship was bombed but not hit. No aircraft were lost.
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HAMBURG
272 aircraft - 177 Wellingtons, 41 Hampdens, 22 Stirlings, 13 Manchesters, 12 Halifaxes, 7 Lancasters - on yet another record raid for aircraft numbers to 1 target. 4 Wellingtons and 1 Manchester lost.
Icing and electrical storms were again encountered. Although 188 aircraft reported bombing in the target area, the raid was a failure. According to Hamburg's records, bombs equivalent to only 14 aircraft loads fell on the city, causing 8 fires - 3 large; no particular incidents of property damage are mentioned. 17 people were killed and 119 injured.
Bremen reports a load of incendiaries dropped very accurately on the Vulkan shipyard where 4 U-boats under construction and several surrounding buildings were damaged by fire.
Minor Operations: 13 Wellingtons to Le Havre, 3 Blenheims Intruding over Holland, 24 aircraft minelaying near Heligoland, 16 aircraft on leaflet flights to Belgium and France. 1 Manchester on a leaflet flight was lost in the sea.
Total effort for the night: 328 sorties, 6 aircraft (1.8 percent) lost.
