6 Group Unavailable
660 aircraft - 297 Lancasters, l 85 Halifaxes, 107 Stirlings, 57 Wellingtons, 14 Mosquitoes. 25 aircraft - 8 Halifaxes, 7 Lancasters, 6 Stirlings, 4 Wellingtons - lost, 3·8 per cent of the force.
This was a 'double' attack, with a z-minute pause after the first phase while the Pathfinders transferred the marking from Monchengladbach to the neighbouring town of Rheydt. It was the first serious attack on both towns. The visibility was good and the Oboe-assisted marking of both targets was described in Bomber Command's records as 'a model' of good Pathfinder marking. The bombing was very concentrated with little creepback. Approximately half of the built-up area in each town was destroyed.
Only short reports are available from Germany. Mdnchengladbach recorded 1,059 buildings destroyed - 171 industrial, 19 military and 869 domestic, with II7 people killed. The town's telegraph office is the only building mentioned by name.
The number of buildings destroyed in Rheydt is given as 1,280 with damage to the main railway station and many rail facilities being stressed, and with 253 people being killed. A further 2,152 people were injured and 12 were missing but these last figures are combined ones for the two towns.
source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt
Wellington aircraft JA 118 missing during night operations to Monchengladbach, Germany.Warrant Officer B.J. Pierce, P/Os D. Collins (RAF), R.C. White (RAF), Flying Officer G. Jarvis (RAF), FS J.E. Pendelton and FS Jacob Jensky (RAF) were killed.
