STETTIN
402 Lancasters and 1 Mosquito of 1, 3, 6 and 8 Groups. 23 Lancasters lost, 5.7 percent of the force.
This was a successful raid, hitting parts of Stettin which had escaped damage in previous attacks. A German report states that 1,569 houses and 32 industrial premises were destroyed and that 565 houses and 23 industrial premises were badly damaged. A ship of 2,000 tons was sunk and 7 other ships (totalling 31,000 tons) were damaged. 1,033 people were killed and 1,034 people were injured.
KNIGSBERG
189 Lancasters of 5 Group carried out one of the most successful 5 Group attacks of the war on this target at extreme range. Only 480 tons of bombs could be carried because of the range of the target but severe damage was caused around the 4 separate aiming points selected. This success was achieved despite a 20-minute delay in opening the attack because of the presence of low cloud; the bombing force waited patiently, using up precious fuel, until the marker aircraft found a break in the clouds and the Master Bomber, Wing Commander J. Woodroffe, probably 5 Group's most skilled Master Bomber, allowed the attack to commence. Bomber Command estimated that 41 percent of all the housing and 20 percent of all the industry in Knigsberg were destroyed. There was heavy fighter opposition over the target and 15 Lancasters, 7.9 percent of the force, were lost.
SUPPORT AND MINOR OPERATIONS
93 training aircraft on a diversionary sweep over the North Sea, 53 Mosquitoes bombing Berlin, Hamburg and 4 other targets, 35 R.C.M. sorties, 49 Mosquito patrols, 31 Lancasters and 12 Halifaxes minelaying off Baltic ports, 8 aircraft on Resistance operations. 2 O.T.U. Wellingtons from the sweep and 1 Lancaster minelayer lost.
Total effort for the night: 873 sorties, 41 aircraft (4.7 percent) lost.
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MINOR OPERATIONS
36 Mosquitoes to Frankfurt, 6 R.C.M. sorties, 6 Mosquito patrols, 4 Halifaxes minelaying off La Pallice. No aircraft lost.
