HAMBURG
188 aircraft - 100 Wellingtons, 78 Hampdens, 9 Manchesters, 1 Stirling - 119 aircraft to shipyard targets and 69 to the city. 3 Wellingtons and 1 Hampden lost.
Returning crews claimed good bombing results and this is borne out by the Hamburg reports. 83 fires were started of which 38 were classed as large. The source from which most of the Hamburg information comes, Hans Brunswig, selects 2 incidents for description, a large fire at an oil depot - the Deutschen Erdlwerken - from which many new lessons were learnt by the fire services (Brunswig was a fire officer), and the complete destruction by a 4,000-lb bomb of 10 substantial apartment buildings in the street named Tielch in a closely built-up area of the Barmbek district where 79 people were killed. These new bombs are described as causing many problems for the air-raid services. 185 people were killed in Hamburg on this night, 518 injured and 1,966 bombed out. It was the highest fatal casualty figure in Germany so far in the war.
BREMEN
133 aircraft - 78 Whitleys, 55 Wellingtons - to shipyards and city targets. 3 Wellingtons and 2 Whitleys lost.
Good bombing was claimed in clear weather conditions. Bremen reports widespread bombing in the town but no hits in the vital A.G. Weser submarine yards. The only casualties mentioned are 2 prisoners of war killed and 22 injured when a wooden camp in or near the harbour was hit by high-explosive bombs.
KIEL CANAL, BREMERHAVEN
23 Blenheims, most in an unsuccessful attempt to seal the Kiel Canal by sinking ships in it. 4 of the Blenheims were sent to Bremerhaven to attack the liner Europa but only the general dock area was bombed. No aircraft losses.
Minor Operations: 5 aircraft to Rotterdam, 5 to Berlin, 4 to Flushing, 3 to Emden and 3 minelaying in the Frisians. 1 Wellington lost on the Berlin raid.
Total effort for the night: 364 sorties, 10 aircraft (2.7 percent) were lost. The effort on this night was a new record, the previous record being 265 sorties on
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13 Blenheims on sweeps of French and Norwegian coasts. 1 ship was hit and seen to be abandoned by its crew. 1 aircraft was lost.
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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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but still less than the 367 French people killed at Billancourt earlier in this month.
Lbeck was not raided by the full strength of the R.A.F. again during the war, A Swiss diplomat who was president of the International Red Cross later negotiated an agreement with Britain that the port would not be bombed again because it was being used for the shipment of Red Cross supplies.
Minor Operations: 2 Blenheims Intruding over Holland, 7 Hampdens minelaying in the Frisians, 14 aircraft on leaflet flights to France. No losses.
Total effort for the night: 257 sorties, 12 aircraft (4.7 percent) lost.
