GERMAN TARGETS
12 aircraft - 6 Hampdens and 6 Wellingtons - to oil targets in the Ruhr; 1 Wellington lost. 9 Whitleys to bomb communications between Germany and the battle front, no losses.
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GEMBLOUX
12 Blenheims, all from 82 Squadron, sent to bomb German troops who had created a gap in the Allied lines. Flak forced the squadron to loosen its formation and German fighters then attacked. 11 Blenheims were lost; the only surviving plane was badly damaged and crash-landed in England.
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HAMBURG, BREMEN, COLOGNE, BELGIUM
48 Hampdens to Hamburg and 24 Whitleys to Bremen, all attacking oil refineries; 6 Wellingtons to railway yards at Cologne. 46 Wellingtons and 6 Hampdens attacked German troop communications in Belgium. By contrast with the almost complete loss of the Blenheim bomber formation the previous day, there were no losses from the 130 aircraft dispatched on this night.
A report from Hamburg lists 36 separate fires, the largest causing the complete gutting of the Mercksche fertilizer factory, and 160 buildings damaged by high-explosive bombs. The most seriously damaged building after the fertilizer factory was in the Reeperbahn. 34 people - 28 civilians and 6 servicemen - were killed and 72 people injured.
In Bremen, 6 fires were started, the largest being in 2 warehouses at the docks which were full of furniture confiscated from emigrating Jews. 13 people were killed and 55 injured.
