ROSTOCK
161 aircraft-93 Wellingtons, 31 Stirlings, 19 Whitleys, 11 Hampdens, 6 Manchesters, 1 Lancaster. 4 aircraft - 2 Wellingtons, 1 Manchester, 1 Whitley - lost.
This was the first of a series of 4 raids on this Baltic port town. These raids had many of the characteristics of the successful raid on nearby Lbeck 1 month earlier - a concentrated, incendiary, area-bombing attack on the narrow-street Altstadt of a town with only light defences. An added feature on each night, however, was the inclusion of a small force of bombers, from 5 Group on the first 3 nights, to attempt a precision attack on the Heinkel aircraft factory on the southern outskirts of Rostock.
On this first night, 143 aircraft were sent to bomb the town and 18 the Heinkel factory. Bombing conditions were good but the results of the raid were disappointing. The Heinkel factory was not hit and most of the main bombing intended for the Altstadt fell between 2 and 6 miles away. (Details of damage and casualties can only be given in combined totals for the series of raids; these are included in the fourth and last raid of the series, on
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12 Bostons bombed Flushing docks; 6 further Bostons to Abbeville were recalled. No Bostons lost.
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ROSTOCK
125 aircraft of 6 types, 91 to the town and 34 to the Heinkel factory. 1 Hampden lost.
The centre of the town was bombed heavily on this night but the Heinkel factory buildings were not hit, although some bombs did fall in the general factory area.
Minor Operations: 39 aircraft to Dunkirk, 4 Blenheim Intruders, 3 leaflet flights. 1 Intruder lost.
