BERLIN
379 aircraft - 364 Lancasters, 8 Mosquitoes, 7 Halifaxes. The bomber casualties were not as heavy as on recent raids, partly because German fighters encountered difficulty with the weather and partly because the German controller was temporarily deceived by the Mosquito diversion at Leipzig. The main force of fighters only appeared in the target area at the end of the raid and could not catch the main bomber stream. 16 Lancasters were lost, 4.2 percent of the force.
The Berlin area was covered by cloud and more than half of the early Pathfinder aircraft had trouble with their H2S sets. The markers were scattered and sparse. The Berlin report shows that only the south-eastern suburbs of Kpenick and Treptow received any serious number of bombs. 287 houses and other mixed property were destroyed. 1 canal cargo ship was sunk and 3 seriously damaged. 178 people were killed: 157 civilians, 11 police and soldiers, 10 foreign workers.
Minor Operations: 12 Mosquitoes to Aachen, 9 to Duisburg and 7 to Leipzig, 4 R.C.M. sorties, 3 Beauflghters on Serrate patrols, 7 O.T.U. sorties. 1 Beaufighter lost.
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No bombing raids were carried out on Christmas Eve but 35 Halifaxes were sent minelaying in the Frisians and returned without loss.
