The story
DORTMUND
208 aircraft - 142 Wellingtons, 34 Hampdens, 20 Stirlings, 8 Halifaxes, 4 Manchesters - a force which was several times greater than any previously sent to this city. 5 Wellingtons and 4 Hampdens lost.
132 aircraft claimed to have bombed Dortmund but bombing photographs showed that bombs fell across a 40-mile stretch of the Ruhr. Dortmund reports 1 unspecified industrial building destroyed, 1 military establishment severely damaged, 4 dwelling-houses destroyed and 31 damaged with 4 people killed and 27 injured. It is probable that other Ruhr cities and towns were hit but no details are available.
Minor Operations: 23 aircraft to Le Havre (all bombs fell in open country), 5 Blenheim Intruders to Soesterberg airfield, 1 Stirling minelaying near Heligoland. 1 Wellington lost on the Le Havre raid.
Total effort for the night: 237 sorties, 10 aircraft (48 percent) lost.
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9 Bostons bombed harbour and railway targets at Cherbourg without loss.
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DORTMUND
152 aircraft - 111 Wellingtons, 19 Hampdens, 15 Stirlings, 7 Manchesters. 3 Wellingtons and 1 Stirling lost.
Thick cloud and icing were encountered. Only 88 aircraft claimed to have bombed Dortmund which reports 1 house destroyed and 13 seriously damaged, 2 people killed and 6 injured. Bombs falling in Dortmund were equivalent to eight aircraft loads.
Minor Operations: 18 Whitleys to St-Nazaire, 8 Wellingtons to Le Havre, 4 Blenheim Intruders, 11 aircraft minelaying off St-Nazaire, 4 leaflet flights to France. No aircraft lost.
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You have arrived at just one small part of Back to Normandy — a personal project dedicated to preserving stories, images, music and memories of the Second World War.
Every record is a doorway to a larger story. Explore Back to Normandy to discover more, or visit Fred Vogels' personal website to learn about the person and the projects behind it.