On 6 days during this period, Bomber Command Oboe Mosquitoes flew as 'formation leaders' in Second Tactical Air Force attacks on small targets in Northern France. There were no losses from the 12 Bomber Command sorties flown.
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DÜSSELDORF
30 Mosquitoes. The target area was cloud-covered and the Oboe markers quickly disappeared into the cloud. Most aircraft bombed on dead reckoning but this must have been inaccurate; Wuppertal, 17 miles east of DÜSSELDORF, reports 71 people killed on this night. No Mosquitoes lost.
Minor Operations: 14 Mosquitoes to Reisholz, 5 Serrate and 4 Intruder patrols, 12 Halifaxes and 4 Stirlings minelaying off French Atlantic ports, 7 O.T.U. sorties. No aircraft lost.
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DUISBURG
510 Lancasters and 22 Mosquitoes of 1, 3, 5 and 8 Groups carried out the first large raid on this target for a year. 29 Lancasters were lost, 5.5 percent of the force.
The target was covered by cloud but the Oboe sky-marking was accurate and much damage was caused in the southern areas of the city. 350 buildings were destroyed and 665 seriously damaged but no other details of material damage are available. 124 people were killed.
MINELAYING
70 Lancasters and 37 Halifaxes to the Frisians, Heligoland, the Kattegat and Kiel Bay. 3 Lancasters lost.
Minor Operations: 25 Mosquitoes to Hannover and 8 to Courtrai, 9 R.C.M. sorties, 28 Serrate and 7 Intruder patrols. No aircraft lost.
Total effort for the night: 716 sorties, 32 aircraft (4.5 percent) lost.
