On the evening of 24 August the Luftwaffe, whilst targeting London's docks, also
dropped bombs on the city's financial heart and Oxford Street in the West End.
This was probably not intentional, as it was in defiance of Hitler's strict
instructions that central London should not be attacked. Winston Churchill was
outraged and, 24 hours later, RAF Bomber Command retaliated.Berlin was just in range for British bombers. It could only be bombed at night
during the summer when days were longer and skies clear, making it riskier for
the pilots. However, on the evening of 25 August, a force of over 70 Armstrong
Whitworth Whitleys, Handley Page Hampdens and Vickers Wellingtons set out for
Berlin. Their principal targets were armament factories in the north of the city
and Tempelhof Airport.