ESSEN
106 aircraft - 54 Hampdens, 32 Wellingtons, 9 Halifaxes, 8 Stirlings, 3 Manchesters - to attack the Krupps factory. 2 Hampdens and 1 Stirling lost.
Essen reports only 39 high-explosive and 200 incendiary bombs in the city, causing light damage. A bakery which was destroyed was the most serious incident. There were no casualties in Essen.
HAMM
45 Wellingtons and 1 Stirling to bomb the railway yards. No aircraft were lost. Large fires were started with smoke rising to 11,000 ft.
DORTMUND
20 Wellingtons and 20 Whitleys. No losses.
Minor Operations: 6 Wellingtons to Boulogne, 8 Hampdens minelaying in the Frisians and off Denmark, 2 O.T.U. sorties. No losses.
---
KIEL
50 Hampdens and 4 Whitleys to attack the submarine yards. 2 Hampdens and 1 Whitley lost.
The Kiel diarist makes some interesting points on this raid. The Flak barrage was so intense 'that it reminded old soldiers of 1914-1918 Western Front offensives'. 13 people were killed but 11 of these were Italian workers housed at an experimental farm outside Kiel. The survivors of 'our allies' then expressed a wish to return to Italy. There was little damage in Kiel; a gasometer is mentioned as having been damaged.
HAMBURG
44 Wellingtons to railway and shipyard aiming points. 1 aircraft lost. The target was cloud-covered and only scattered bombing resulted. 5 people were killed, 8 injured and 20 bombed out and the fire brigade had to deal with only one fire.
7 Hampdens minelaying in the Frisians, off Kiel and in the Norwegian fjords. No losses.
