MINOR OPERATIONS
32 Mosquitoes to Mannheim, 6 each to Berlin and Bremen and 3 on 'siren tours' of various towns in Central Germany, 34 R.C.M. sorties, 18 Mosquito patrols, 21 Lancasters and 4 Halifaxes minelaying in the German Bight. 2 Lancasters were lost from the minelaying force.
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WESEL
168 Lancasters of 3 Group carried out a good attack with the best concentration of bombs being in the railway area. 1 Lancaster lost.
1 Halifax flew an R.C.M. sortie.
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BHLEN
254 Lancasters and 6 Mosquitoes of 5 Group. 1 Mosquito lost.
This raid was not successful, probably because the aircraft of the Master Bomber, Wing Commander E. A. Benjamin, was shot down by Flak over the target. Post-raid reconnaissance showed that damage to the target was 'superficial'; there was no evidence to show where the main bombing fell. (The body of Wing Commander E. A. Benjamin, D.F.C. and Bar, is buried in the Berlin War Cemetery.)
Minor Operations: 82 Mosquitoes to Erfurt and 24 in small numbers to 6 other targets, 9 R.C.M. sorties, 29 Mosquito patrols. No aircraft lost.
