MINOR OPERATIONS
36 Mosquitoes to Bremen, 9 R.C.M. sorties, 29 Mosquito patrols, 6 Halifaxes minelaying off Heligoland, 8 O.T.U. sorties. No aircraft lost.
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V-WEAPON SITES
369 aircraft - 174 Lancasters, 165 Halifaxes, 30 Mosquitoes - attacked 6 flying-bomb launching sites and the V-weapon site at Wizernes. All raids were successful except the small raid by 20 aircraft on the Fort-de-Croc site where the Oboe leader Lancaster was shot down on the bombing run and the bombs of this force all missed the target. This was the only aircraft lost.
8 Mosquitoes flew uneventful Ranger patrols.
The unsuccessful attempt on Hitler's life at his headquarters in East Prussia took place on this day.
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COURTRAI
302 Lancasters and 15 Mosquitoes of 1, 5 and 8 Groups attacked the railway yards and a 'triangle' rail junction at Courtrai. The Bomber Command report states that both targets 'were devastated'. 9 Lancasters lost.
BOTTROP
166 aircraft - 149 Halifaxes, 13 Mosquitoes, 4 Lancasters - of 4 and 8 Groups attacked the synthetic-oil refinery. The northern part of the target was badly damaged. 7 Halifaxes and 1 Lancaster lost.
HOMBERG
147 Lancasters and 11 Mosquitoes of 1, 3 and 8 Groups attacked the oil plant and caused severe damage. German documents show that the production of aviation fuel, which had stood at nearly 6,000 tons per day at the end of April, was now fluctuating between 120 and 970 tons per day, following Bomber Command and American Eighth Air Force raids. But German night fighters caught the Homberg bomber force and 20 Lancasters were lost. 75 (New Zealand) Squadron, from Mepal, lost 7 of its 25 aircraft on the raid.
V-WEAPON SITES
87 aircraft - 54 Halifaxes, 23 Lancasters, 10 Mosquitoes - of 4, 5 and 8 Groups attacked sites at Ardouval and Wizernes without loss but only 23 aircraft bombed at Ardouval and none at Wizernes.
SUPPORT AND MINOR OPERATIONS
106 aircraft from training units on a diversionary sweep over the North Sea, 6 Lancasters and 5 Mosquitoes on a 'spoof' raid to Alost, 26 Mosquitoes to Hamburg, 33 R.C.M. sorties, 42 Mosquito patrols, 8 Stirlings minelaying off Lorient, 17 aircraft on Resistance operations. 1 Mosquito lost from the Hamburg raid.
Total effort for the night: 971 sorties, 38 aircraft (3.9 percent) lost.
