The story
MINOR OPERATIONS
43 Mosquitoes to Berlin, 43 to Erfurt, 4 to Nordingen and 3 each to Hamburg and Kiel, 36 R.C.M. sorties, 31 Mosquito patrols, 6 Mosquitoes minelaying in Jade Bay and the River Weser. 1 Mosquito was lost from the Berlin raid.
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HAMBURG
469 aircraft - 361 Lancasters, 100 Halifaxes, 8 Mosquitoes - of 1, 6 and 8 Groups attempted to attack the Blohm & Voss shipyards, where the new types of U-boats were being assembled, but the target area was completely cloud-covered. The local report describes 'considerable damage' to houses, factories, energy supplies and communications over a wide area of southern Hamburg and Harburg. 75 people were killed.
8 Lancasters and 3 Halifaxes were lost, a number being victims of an unexpected intervention by the Luftwaffe day-fighter force. This was Bomber Command's last double-figure aircraft loss of the war from a raid on one city.
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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.