MAINZ
154 aircraft - 68 Wellingtons, 33 Lancasters, 28 Stirlings, 25 Halifaxes - on the first large raid to this city. 6 aircraft - 3 Wellingtons, 2 Halifaxes, 1 Lancaster - lost.
Much damage was caused in the centre of Mainz, with some ancient cultural buildings being hit; the castle and its museum were burnt out. The number of people killed is believed to be 152 - 87 men, 64 women and 1 soldier - but there may be some doubt about this.
Minor Operations: 16 aircraft to Le Havre, 9 Blenheim Intruders, 9 Hampdens minelaying in the Elbe, 3 Lancasters on leaflet flights. 1 Halifax and 1 Lancaster lost on the Le Havre raid.
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1 Mosquito attacked a chemical factory at Wiesbaden but its bombs fell short. The aircraft returned safely.
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MAINZ
138 aircraft of 4 types followed up the previous night's raid. 5 aircraft - 2 Lancasters, 1 Hampden, 1 Stirling, 1 Wellington - were lost.
More damage was caused in the centre of Mainz and also in industrial areas. The main railway station was seriously damaged. Again there is some confusion over casualties; figures of 40 and 163 are quoted for numbers killed. Bomber Command estimated that 135 acres of Mainz were destroyed in the two raids. The roof of the cathedral and the bishop's palace were both burnt out but it is not known on which night these events happened.
The town of Bingen, 15 miles west of Mainz, recorded that the nearby villages of Kempten and Gaulsheim were each hit by a 4,000-lb bomb on this night. 130 houses were damaged in Kempten and 97 in Gaulsheim but only 1 person, in Kempten, was injured.
Minor Operations: 6 Blenheim Intruders, 9 aircraft minelaying in the Frisians, 2 Lancasters on leaflet flights. No losses.
