GERMANY, FRANCE, ITALY
68 Wellingtons and Whitleys to 5 targets in Germany. 2 Whitleys lost. One of the targets was Stuttgart, which recorded its first casualties on this night, 4 people being killed and 5 wounded when bombs dropped into suburbs of the city, hitting some houses and a garage.
28 Wellingtons went minelaying, 25 Blenheims attacked targets in France and 10 further Whitleys attacked Milan.
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AIRFIELDS
18 Blenheims, only 6 bombed 4 airfields in Holland and 1 in Germany. 6 Blenheims on sea sweep. No losses.
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BERLIN, GERMANY, FRANCE
Following raids by German bombers on London and other English cities the previous night, the War Cabinet sanctioned the first raid on Berlin. 103 aircraft were dispatched on operations and approximately half of these, mostly Hampdens and Wellingtons, were sent to Berlin. (Bomber Command records on this night are not clear on the numbers dispatched to different targets.) Berlin was found to be covered by thick cloud, which prevented accurate bombing, and a strong head wind was encountered on the return flight. The Hampdens were at the limit of their fuel capacity in such conditions and 3 of them were lost and 3 more ditched in the sea on their return flight.
The only bombs falling within the city limits of Berlin destroyed a wooden summer-house in a garden in the suburb of Rosenthal and 2 people were slightly injured. The Berlin records show that many bombs were dropped in the country areas south of the city and that some of these fell into large farms - Stadtgter - owned by the city of Berlin. The joke went round Berlin: 'Now they are trying to starve us out.'
Approximately 24 Whitleys and Wellingtons bombed Bremen, Cologne and Hamm, and 12 Blenheims attacked airfields in France and Holland. 3 Blenheims were lost.
