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Bomber Command raid - night of 19/20 October 1944

Stuttgart · Germany

The story

STUTTGART
565 Lancasters and 18 Mosquitoes of 1, 3, 6 and 8 Groups in 2 forces, 4_ hours apart. 6 Lancasters lost.
The bombing was not concentrated but serious damage was caused to the central and eastern districts of Stuttgart and in some of the suburban towns. Among individual buildings hit were the important Bosch factory, 4 churches and the Karl-Olga Hospital. 376 people were killed and 872 injured.
NUREMBERG
263 Lancasters and 7 Mosquitoes of 5 Group. 2 Lancasters lost.
This was only a partial success for the 5 Group method and the knock-out blow on Nuremberg, which had eluded Bomber Command for so long, was not achieved. The target area was found to be almost completely cloud-covered. The aiming point is believed to have been the centre of the city but the local report says that the bombing fell almost entirely in the southern districts, but this was the industrial area of Nuremberg. 397 houses and 41 industrial buildings were destroyed. 306 people were killed - 122 civilians, 28 soldiers and air-raid workers, 91 foreign workers and 65 Russian officer prisoners who were killed, with 5 of their guards, when their earth shelter was hit.
Minor Operations: 48 Mosquitoes to Wiesbaden and 6 to DÜSSELDORF, 49 R.C.M. sorties, 82 Mosquito patrols. 1 Mosquito Intruder was lost but other Mosquitoes claimed 2 Ju 88s, 1 Ju 188 and 1 Me 110 destroyed and 3 other night fighters damaged, a better-than-average night's success.
Total effort for the night: 1,038 sorties, 9 aircraft (0.9 percent) lost.

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