MINOR OPERATIONS
2 Mosquitoes to Essen and Mulheim, 20 Lancasters and 15 Stirlings minelaying over a wide area from Biscay to Swinemnde in the Baltic, 5 O.T.U. sorties. 2 Lancaster minelayers lost.
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STUTTGART
314 aircraft - 152 Lancasters, 109 Halifaxes, 53 Stirlings. 11 aircraft - 6 Halifaxes, 3 Stirlings, 2 Lancasters - lost, 3.5 percent of the force.
This raid was not successful. The Pathfinders claimed to have marked Stuttgart accurately but the Main Force is reported to have been late arriving. The first use by the Germans of dummy target indicators is also reported. Most of the bombing fell in open country but the south-western suburbs of Vaihingen and Kaltental were hit. 118 buildings - nearly all houses - were destroyed, 112 people were killed and 386 were injured. The only industrial damage reported was to a small packing store at the Bosch factory.
11 Stirlings and 3 Lancasters laid mines in the Frisians and the River Gironde without loss.
