I was across in the States from Wildenrath, briefing an ANG Sqn prior to a deployment, when the raid took place. On the very night, I was at a small dinner party at the Generals house as the news broke, the dinner table was abandonded and the evening spent around the TV.
For the next few nights, as I was living in a motel and wearing uniform/flying kit, the locals and hotel management couldn’t do enough for the Brit Air Force, didn’t have to buy a drink for days. Was even taken out to dinner one night, very nice and not allowed to pay for anything. Interestingly, French flags were burnt in the streets in town as it became common knowledge of the denial of overflight rights.