The story
MOLBIS
175 Lancasters and 11 Mosquitoes of 5 Group attacked the benzol plant at Molbis, near Leipzig. The weather was clear and the bombing was so effective that all production at the plant ceased. No aircraft lost.
6 R.C.M. sorties and 14 Mosquito patrols were flown by 100 Group without loss.
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HAMBURG
440 aircraft - 263 Halifaxes, 160 Lancasters, 17 Mosquitoes - of 4, 6 and 8 Groups. 3 Halifaxes and 3 Lancasters lost.
This attack was intended for the shipyard areas but partial cloud caused the raid to become dispersed. Some damage was probably caused to the shipyards but, as an American raid on the yards had taken place a few hours earlier, damage seen in photographs could not be allocated between the two forces. Other areas of Hamburg, particularly the Altona district, were badly damaged and 292 people were killed.
This was the last major Bomber Command raid of the war on Hamburg.
LTZKENDORF
231 Lancasters and 11 Mosquitoes of 5 Group attacked the oil refinery, which had escaped serious damage the previous night. The refinery was rendered 'inactive'. 6 Lancasters lost.
Minor Operations: 22 Halifaxes of 4 Group in a diversionary raid on Travemnde, 71 Mosquitoes to Dessau, 28 to Berlin (where Oboe from forward ground stations was used for the first time) and 8 to Munich, 64 R.C.M. sorties, 43 Mosquito patrols. No aircraft lost.
Total effort for the night: 918 sorties, 12 aircraft (1.3 percent) lost.
50. The empty ruins of Hamburg typify the vast amount of damage wreaked in German cities by Bomber Command.
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