DÜSSELDORF
132 aircraft - 66 Wellingtons, 30 Hampdens, 29 Whitleys, 7 Manchesters. 5 Whitleys and 2 Wellingtons lost.
96 aircraft claimed to have bombed DÜSSELDORF but the city reports only 32 high-explosive bombs and 3 batches of incendiaries. There was only very light damage and no casualties.
Minor Operations: 34 'freshmen' crews to Boulogne, 23 Wellingtons and 6 Stirlings to Brest, 6 Blenheims to Soesterberg airfield and 5 Hampdens minelaying off Kiel. There were no losses.
The Blenheims attacking Soesterberg were flying the first in a new series of Intruder raids against Luftwaffe airfields. Using far better intelligence on the identity of which airfields were likely to be active, this represents the start of a determined R.A.F. Intruder campaign which would be waged until the end of the war using aircraft of both Bomber and Fighter Commands. The Blenheims operating on this night, from 82 Squadron, dropped bombs on Soesterberg airfield and attacked 2 German bombers in the air with machine-guns.
Total effort for the night: 206 sorties, 7 aircraft (3.4 percent) lost.
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WILHELMSHAVEN
86 Wellingtons, 1 lost.
The visibility was excellent and crews claimed good results. Wilhelmshaven records this as a heavy raid with widespread damage. Among the buildings mentioned as damaged were: the main railway station, the town library, 3 large business buildings, a naval clothing store, the naval fencing academy, the Christuskirche and much private housing. 10 people were killed and 75 injured.
HLS
81 Hampdens to attack the chemical works. Good bombing claimed. 4 aircraft lost.
EMDEN
40 aircraft - 25 Wellingtons, 14 Whitleys, 1 Stirling - claimed good results. 1 Whitley lost.
Minor Operations: 4 Wellingtons to Dunkirk, 6 Blenheim Intruders to Dutch airfields. There were no losses.
Total effort for the night: 217 sorties, 6 aircraft (2.8 percent) lost.
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. Crews reported large fires in the railway-station area but the only report from Mnster records the death of 5 people with no other details. 1 Wellington lost.
Minor Operations: 5 aircraft to Dunkirk, 6 Blenheim Intruders to Dutch airfields, 9 Hampdens minelaying in the Frisians and off Wilhelmshaven, 5 Hampdens on leaflets flights to France. 1 minelaying Hampden lost.
