The story
ESSEN
180 aircraft - 98 Wellingtons, 33 Halifaxes, 25 Stirlings, 13 Lancasters, 11 Hampdens. 12 aircraft - 8 Wellingtons, 2 Stirlings, 1 Halifax, 1 Lancaster - lost.
This was another failure, with bombing being scattered over a wide area. Essen suffered minor property damage, 10 people killed and 68 injured.
Minor Operations: 15 aircraft minelaying to the Frisians and Quiberon Bay, 3 aircraft on leaflet flights to France. No losses.
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11 Bostons to Fcamp harbour turned back.
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EMDEN
233 aircraft - 124 Wellingtons, 40 Stirlings, 27 Halifaxes, 20 Lancasters, 15 Hampdens, 7 Manchesters - on the first large raid on this target since November 1941. 9 aircraft - 3 Manchesters, 3 Wellingtons, 2 Stirlings, 1 Halifax - lost.
Crews reported good bombing results and this was confirmed by later photographic reconnaissance. Emden reports briefly that approximately 300 houses were destroyed and 200 seriously damaged and that 17 people were killed and 49 injured. Some unspecified damage was also experienced in the docks area.
6 Blenheims on Intruder operations to airfields without loss.
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