159 aircraft - 71 Lancasters, 41 Wellingtons, 34 Stirlings, 13 Halifaxes.
Crews were ordered to attack Nuremberg from as low as possible. The Pathfinders found their aiming point and, for the first time, marked it with target indicators adapted from 250lb bomb casings. Photographs showed that these were placed with great accuracy and the crews of the Main Force claimed to have carried out a good attack.
A report from Nuremberg does not quite confirm this. Bombs were dropped as far away as the town of Erlangen, nearly 10 miles to the north, and 4 people were killed there. In Nuremberg itself, the number of bombs recorded would indicate that approximately 50 aircraft hit the town.
137 people were killed; 126 civilians and 11 foreigners.
23 aircraft - 14 Wellingtons, 4 Lancasters, 3 Stirlings, 2 Halifaxes - lost, 14.5 per cent of the force. The Wellington losses were 34 per cent of those dispatched!
Shot down by night fighter Hptm Bietmann of the II./NJG1. Crashed at Grant-Hallet, near Hannut.
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