BREMEN
141 aircraft to Bremen and in smaller raids to ports in Holland, Belgium and France. Many fires seen in target area.
Bremen reports accurate bombing, particularly by the first wave of aircraft, which hit the Focke-Wulf factory in the southern suburb of Hemelingen. 2 other industrial firms received serious damage and several others light damage. A large fire was started in stacks of straw and hay at an army depot. Fire units from outside Bremen were called in to help and the firemen had a difficult time in the prolonged bombing raid in a temperature of - 12 Celsius. The bombing spread to the town centre where 14 housing units (blocks of flats) were destroyed and 313 damaged, though much of the damage consisted only of broken windows. 11 people were killed (including 3 firemen) and 30 people injured.
No aircraft were lost but 4 crashed in England.
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1 Blenheim to Dortmund-Ems Canal turned back.
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BREMEN
47 Hampdens, Wellingtons and Whitleys to Bremen and small raids to Emden and Amsterdam. 1 Whitley lost. 2 O.T.U. sorties.
This raid was not as effective as that of the previous night. About 15 bomb loads hit Bremen, mainly in the town centre and harbour area, where a store of 50,000 new jute sacks was burnt out. Reinforcement fire units were called in over icy roads and through snow showers from as far away as Hannover and Hamburg. 7 houses were destroyed and 576 damaged, mostly lightly. 8 people were killed and 44 injured.
