BREMEN
288 aircraft - 216 Lancasters, 65 Halifaxes, 7 Mosquitoes. 1 Lancaster lost.
Visibility over the target was clear and the Pathfinders provided perfect marking throughout the raid. Bremen's own records show this to have been the most destructive raid of the war, although only 274 aircraft attacked, dropping just over 1,100 tons of bombs. The whole of the centre and the north-western parts of Bremen, including the port area, were devastated. The 10-page report from Bremen is a more emotive and erratic document than normal, much of it describing the effect of the fierce fires (described as a firestorm), the condition of the packed bodies of victims later found in shelters (300 bodies were found in the Lesmona public shelter), the distress of the rescue workers and the sufferings of the bombed-out people. At least 1,058 bodies were recovered, of which 375 bodies could not be identified. The number of people classed as 'missing' far exceeded the 375 unidentified bodies.
8,635 'dwelling-houses', as usual in German cities, many of them being blocks of flats, were burnt out and 611 were severely damaged. The official who compiled the report made no attempt to list the commercial and industrial buildings hit, 'it would be endless', he wrote, but he did stress the severe damage caused to the port area, mentioning that 18 ships were sunk in the harbour and 61 seriously damaged alongside wharves.
Special ration cards were issued to the civilian population after this raid to help restore morale - 100 grammes of real bean coffee and 2 half bottles of spirits, 250 grammes of sweets for the children.
STERKRADE
234 aircraft - 210 Halifaxes, 14 Mosquitoes, 10 Lancasters - mainly from 4 Group, to attack the synthetic oil plant. 1 Halifax and 1 Lancaster lost. Bomber Command documents state that the raid was successful and that the plant was seriously damaged.
CONNANTRE
144 aircraft - 122 Halifaxes, 18 Lancasters, 4 Mosquitoes - of 6 and 8 Groups. No aircraft lost.
The target here was a railway station and yards 70 miles east of Paris. The Pathfinder marking was accurate and much damage was caused. This raid marked the end of the long series of attacks on the French and Belgian railway systems.
ERTVELDE RIEME
108 Lancasters and 5 Mosquitoes of 1 and 8 Groups attacked and caused severe damage to the oil depot and storage tanks. No aircraft lost.
SUPPORT AND MINOR OPERATIONS
139 training aircraft on a diversionary sweep to the Normandy area, 21 Mosquitoes to Berlin and 19 to five other targets, 33 R.C.M. sorties, 62 Mosquito patrols, 11 Halifaxes minelaying off Biscay ports, 5 aircraft on Resistance operations. 1 Mosquito lost on a raid to Harburg.
Total effort for the night: 1,069 sorties, 4 aircraft (0.4 percent) lost.
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LA PALLICE
52 Lancasters of 5 Group attempted to bomb two groups of oil-storage tanks but the targets were difficult to identify and the effects of the bombing could not be seen. No aircraft lost.
1 Wellington of 100 Group carried out a 'signals watch' flight.
