ESSEN
54 aircraft; 35 bombed, claiming large fires. 6 aircraft - 3 Wellingtons, 2 Whitleys, 1 Hampden - lost. 8 further Hampdens made searchlight-suppression flights; 1 of these was lost.
Minor Operations: 18 aircraft to Dunkirk and 8 to Ostend. 1 Wellington was lost from the Dunkirk raid.
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HAMBURG
103 aircraft of 6 types. 1 Wellington lost.
71 aircraft claimed to have bombed Hamburg, starting fires in docks and city areas. Hamburg reports 3 large fires, 13 people killed, 56 injured and 393 bombed out. One bomb caused a major disappointment to the people of Hamburg when it set fire to the express-goods parcel store at the main railway station. It was 'film changeover day' in Hamburg and the entire stock of films for the area was destroyed. No other major incident was recorded.
Minor Operations: 9 aircraft to Ostend, 7 aircraft to Dunkirk, 5 Hampdens minelaying in the mouths of the Elbe and Weser rivers. 1 Hampden lost from the Ostend raid.
Operational Statistics, 7/8 July to
