KIEL
591 Lancasters and 8 Mosquitoes of 1, 3 and 8 Groups. 3 Lancasters lost.
This was an accurate raid, made in good visibility on two aiming points in the harbour area. Photographic reconnaissance showed that the Deutsche Werke U-boat yard was severely damaged, the pocket battleship Admiral Scheer was hit and capsized, the Admiral Hipper and the Emden were badly damaged. The local diary says that all 3 shipyards in the port were hit and that the nearby residential areas were severely damaged. 81 civilians were killed; there were probably naval casualties as well. The Kiel diarist comments on the effects of shortages - the shoes removed from the body of a dead woman, the flesh all cut from a dead horse.
Minor Operations: 22 Halifaxes in a diversionary raid to Stade, 44 Mosquitoes to Berlin, 37 to Plauen and 24 to Hamburg, 45 R.C.M. sorties, 37 Mosquito patrols, 70 Lancasters and 28 Halifaxes minelaying in Kiel Bay and the Little Belt. 1 Halifax from the diversion raid crashed in France.
Total effort for the night: 906 sorties, 4 aircraft (0.4 percent) lost.
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LEIPZIG
230 aircraft - 134 Lancasters, 90 Halifaxes, 6 Mosquitoes - attacked the Engelsdorf and Mockau railway yards. The weather was clear and the bombing was accurate. 1 Halifax and 1 Lancaster lost.
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PLAUEN
307 Lancasters and 8 Mosquitoes of 1 and 8 Groups. No aircraft lost.
The bombing fell around the railway yards in the northern half of the town. The railways were hit and 365 acres, 51 percent, of the town's built-up area were also destroyed.
LEIPZIG
76 Lancasters and 19 Mosquitoes of 5 and 8 Groups attacked the Wahren railway yards. The eastern half of the yards was destroyed. 7 Lancasters lost.
Minor Operations: 77 Mosquitoes to Berlin, 21 to Chemnitz and 7 to Bayreuth, 53 R.C.M. sorties, 26 Mosquito patrols. 1 Mosquito from the Berlin raid and 1 R.C.M. Halifax were lost.
Total effort for the night: 594 sorties, 9 aircraft (1.5 percent) lost.
