MINOR OPERATIONS
Mosquitoes: 10 to Duisburg, 9 to DÜSSELDORF, 1 to Cologne, 11 O.T.U. sorties. No losses.
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BERLIN
712 aircraft - 457 Lancasters, 252 Halifaxes, 3 Mosquitoes. A long approach route from the south, passing south of the Ruhr and then within 20 miles of Leipzig, together with Mosquito diversions at DÜSSELDORF, Leipzig and Magdeburg, caused the German controller great difficulties and there were few fighters over Berlin. Bad weather on the outward route also kept down the number of German fighters finding the bomber stream. 20 aircraft - 11 Lancasters, 9 Halifaxes - were lost, 2.8 percent of the force.
Berlin was again cloud-covered. The Bomber Command report claiming a concentrated attack on sky-markers is not confirmed by the local report. The heaviest bombing was in the southern and south-eastern districts but many bombs also fell to the east of the city. 388 houses and other mixed property were destroyed but no item of major interest is mentioned. 182 people were killed, more than 600 were injured and over 10,000 were bombed out.
Minor Operations: 8 Mosquitoes to Magdeburg, 6 to DÜSSELDORF, 5 to Leipzig, 4 to Bristillerie - a suspected V-weapon site near Cherbourg - and 3 to Leverkusen, 6 R.C.M. sorties, 2 Beau-fighters on Serrate patrols, 5 Stirlings minelaying in the Frisians and off French ports, 4 O.T.U. sorties. No losses.
