HANNOVER
711 aircraft - 322 Lancasters, 226 Halifaxes, 137 Stirlings, 26 Wellingtons - on the first major raid to Hannover for 2 years; this was the first of a series of 4 heavy raids on this target. 5 American B-17s also took part in the raid, their first night raid on Germany. 26 aircraft - 12 Halifaxes, 7 Lancasters, 5 Stirlings, 2 Wellingtons - lost, 37 percent of the force.
Visibility in the target area was good but stronger winds than forecast caused the marking and the bombing to be concentrated between 2 and 5 miles south-south-east of the city centre. It has not been possible to obtain a German report but it is unlikely that serious damage was caused.
OLDENBURG
21 Lancasters and 8 Mosquitoes of 8 Group carried out a diversionary raid, dropping much Window and many flares and target indicators to simulate the arrival of a larger force. The losses on the Hannover raid, lower than the recent average, may indicate that this tactic was partially successful. No aircraft were lost on the diversionary raid.
Minor Operations: 12 Mosquitoes on a further diversion to Emden, 4 Stirlings minelaying in the Frisians, 7 O.T.U. sorties. No losses.
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MANNHEIM
628 aircraft - 312 Lancasters, 193 Halifaxes, 115 Stirlings, 8 Mosquitoes. 5 B-17s also took part. 32 aircraft - 18 Lancasters, 7 Halifaxes, 7 Wellingtons - lost, 5.1 percent of the force.
This raid was intended to destroy the northern part of Mannheim, which had not been so severely hit in the successful raid earlier in the month. The Pathfinder plan worked well and concentrated bombing fell on the intended area, although later stages of the raid crept back across the northern edge of Ludwigshafen and out into the open country. The following buildings were destroyed in Mannheim: 927 houses, 20 industrial premises, 11 schools, 6 public buildings and a church. A large number of other buildings were damaged and approximately 25,000 people were bombed out of their homes. 102 people were killed and 418 were injured. There were more than 2,000 fires.
Local records (provided on this night by Herr Erwin Folz and not from the local authorities) show that the later stages of the bombing crept back across the Rhine to the northern part of Ludwigshafen, where the I.G. Farben factory was severely damaged, and then to the smaller outlying towns of Oppau and Frankenthal. Ludwigshafen suffered 47 people killed and 260 injured. A further 8,000 people were bombed out, of whom 4,289 were foreign workers. The centre of the small town of Frankenthal was completely burnt out and 38 people were killed there.
DARMSTADT
21 Lancasters and 8 Mosquitoes of 8 Group carried out a diversionary raid on Darmstadt without loss.
The diversionary purpose of this raid was not achieved because Darmstadt was too close to Mannheim and the German night fighters could see the main attack only 20 miles away quite clearly. But the small force of bombers caused much damage in this university town which had little industry and which had not been seriously bombed before. 273 buildings were damaged and 147 people were killed.
Minor Operations: 6 Mosquitoes to Aachen, 28 O.T.U. sorties. 1 O.T.U. Wellington lost.
