The story
. The bomb aimer and the navigator were killed but the pilot, Flying Officer Wilson, was able to bring the aircraft back to what appears to be an airfield near Brussels where many damaged bombers were able to land in this period of the war.
Bomber Command assessed this raid, on the railway yards, as being extremely accurate and effective. The only local report says that 20 people - 18 men and 2 women - were killed.
PLITZ
218 Lancasters and 7 Mosquitoes of 5 Group attacked this oil plant, near Stettin. 2 Lancasters lost.
This raid had been planned as a blind-bombing attack but, because the weather conditions were better than forecast, low-level marking was carried out and very accurate bombing followed. Bomber Command, on the basis of photographic reconnaissance, states that the oil plant was 'reduced to a shambles'.
Minor Operations: 19 R.C.M. sorties, 22 Mosquito patrols, 10 Lancasters minelaying off Swinemnde. 1 Mosquito of 100 Group lost.
Total effort for the night: 550 sorties, 4 aircraft (0.7 percent) lost.
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