ESSEN
254 aircraft - 192 Wellingtons, 26 Stirlings, 20 Manchesters, 9 Hampdens, 7 Lancasters - in the largest force sent to 1 target so far. 9 aircraft - 5 Manchesters (out of the 20 dispatched), 3 Wellingtons, 1 Hampden - lost.
Visibility was good and 181 crews claimed to have bombed Essen, many claiming hits on the Krupps works, but bombing photographs showed that much of the effort was drawn off by the decoy fire site at Rheinberg, 18 miles west of Essen. Essen's report says that only 9 high-explosive bombs, 700 incendiaries and 1,627 leaflets were dropped there, the last figure being an example of German thoroughness. 1 house was destroyed and 2 seriously damaged. 5 people were killed and 11 injured.
Minor Operations: 27 aircraft to St-Nazaire, 38 aircraft minelaying off Lorient, 30 aircraft on leaflet flights to France. 1 Wellington on the St-Nazaire raid and 1 minelaying Hampden were lost.
Total effort for the night: 349 sorties, 11 aircraft (3.2 percent) lost.
---
24 Bostons to Le Havre. Hits were reported on ships in the harbour. 1 Boston lost.
---
ESSEN
104 Wellingtons and 11 Stirlings. 10 Wellingtons and 1 Stirling lost.
The bombing force encountered heavy Flak at the target and many night fighters on the routes. Hits on the Krupps works and fires in Essen were claimed but the raid was actually another failure on this difficult target. Only 22 high-explosive bombs were counted in Essen, with 2 houses destroyed, 6 people killed and 14 injured. The bombers had suffered nearly 10 percent casualties for this disappointing return.
Minor Operations: 8 aircraft to Le Havre, 11 Blenheims Intruding over Holland, 36 aircraft minelaying off Wilhelmshaven, in the Frisians and in the River Gironde, 15 aircraft on leaflet flights to France. 2 Blenheim Intruders and 2 Hampden minelayers lost.
