ESSEN
This was the second raid carried out by the 'Thousand Force' although the full 1,000 aircraft could not be provided on this night. 956 aircraft were dispatched: 545 Wellingtons, 127 Halifaxes, 77 Stirlings, 74 Lancasters, 71 Hampdens, 33 Manchesters and 29 Whitleys.
The plan was similar to the recent raid on Cologne except that many more flares were dropped by the 'raid leaders' flying in Wellingtons of 3 Group. Despite a reasonable weather forecast, crews experienced great difficulty in finding the target; the ground was covered either by haze or a layer of low cloud. Bombing was very scattered.
Essen reports only 11 houses destroyed and 184 damaged, mostly in the south of the city, and one prisoner of war working camp burnt out. Casualties were 15 people killed and 91 injured. Bombs also fell on at least 11 other towns in or near the Ruhr. Particularly heavy bombing occurred in Oberhausen with 83 people killed, Duisburg with 52 killed, and Mlheim with 15 killed.
31 bombers were lost: 15 Wellingtons, 8 Halifaxes, 4 Lancasters, 1 Hampden, 1 Manchester, 1 Stirling, 1 Whitley. This was 3.2 percent of the force dispatched.
INTRUDERS
48 Blenheims to German airfields. 10 aircraft made attacks; 3 were lost. Fighter and Army Co-Operation Command aircraft were also operating.
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6 Bostons to Dieppe and 2 Mosquitoes to Essen; no losses.
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ESSEN
195 aircraft - 97 Wellingtons, 38 Halifaxes, 27 Lancasters, 21 Stirlings, 12 Hampdens. 14 aircraft - 7 Wellingtons, 2 Halifaxes, 2 Lancasters, 2 Stirlings, 1 Hampden - lost.
This attack was also widely scattered. Essen records only 3 high-explosive and 300 incendiary bombs in the city, with no serious damage or casualties.
Minor Operations: 6 Wellingtons to Dieppe, 11 aircraft minelaying off Lorient and St-Nazaire, 4 Hampdens on leaflet flights to France. 1 Hampden minelayer was lost.
