PLITZ
475 Lancasters and 7 Mosquitoes of 1, 5 and 8 Groups. 12 Lancasters lost, 1 of them coming down in Sweden.
The attack took place in 2 waves, the first being marked and carried out entirely by the 5 Group method and the second being marked by the Pathfinders of 8 Group. The weather conditions were clear and the bombing of both waves was extremely accurate. Severe damage was caused to this important synthetic-oil plant. It produced no further oil during the war. Speer mentioned this raid, in his post-war interrogations, as being another big setback to Germany's war effort.
WANNE-EICKEL
228 aircraft - 200 Halifaxes, 20 Mosquitoes, 8 Lancasters - of 4, 6 and 8 Groups. 2 Halifaxes crashed in France.
This raid was not a success. The local report says that the bombing was scattered, with only light damage to the oil refinery. 45 Germans and 17 foreigners were killed.
KREFELD
151 Lancasters of 3 Group attacked the Hohenbudberg railway yards but photographic reconnaissance was unable to detect any new damage. 2 Lancasters lost.
Minor Operations: 47 Mosquitoes to Berlin, 9 to Neubrandenburg (a 'spoof' for the Plitz raid) and 4 to Nuremberg, 47 R.C.M. sorties, 42 Mosquito patrols, 10 Lancasters of 5 Group minelaying off Swinemnde. 1 R.C.M. Halifax lost.
Total effort for the night: 1,020 sorties, 17 aircraft (1.7 percent) lost.
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1 Halifax flew an R.C.M. sortie.
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Minor Operations
7 Sterlings of 3 Group flew on Resistance operations but none were able to carry out their tasks (the reasons were not recorded) and 1 Stirling was lost. 1 Mosquito flew an R.C.M. sortie.
