April 24th, 1942 (FRIDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM: Exeter is bombed by the Luftwaffe. This becomes the first of the so-called Baedeker Raids. They are a German response to an RAF raid on Lübeck in late March.Woodley, Reading, Berkshire: The Miles Martinet target-tug prototype (LR 241) makes its maiden flight. (22)
GERMANY: Berlin: For as long as many of them can remember, German women have been told that their true vocation is motherhood. No longer is that the case, it seems. Under a new decree by Gauleiter Fritz Sauckel, the plenipotentiary-general for employment, they are obliged to work in industry. This means that many mothers will be working in factories for the first time - and earning some 20% less than men for doing the same jobs. The women are not happy about that - nor about the extra problems of shopping and bringing up their children.
Jews are barred from using all forms of public transport.
FINLAND: Kenraalimajuri (Major General) K. I. Viljanen, the commander of the 4th Infantry Division, is killed when inspecting the front line near Seesjürvi. Gen. Viljanen and the small party of officers accompanying him get lost and wander into a Finnish minefield. A major steps into a tripwire and is killed instantly, while Gen. Viljanen and two other officers are mortally wounded. Only one officer escapes with lighter wounds.
ARCTIC OCEAN: Soviet submarine "Sch-401"
of the Polar fleet and White Sea Flotilla, is accidentally sunk, by torpedoes
and depth charges of torpedo-cutters "TKA N13" and "TKA
N14", close to Cape Kumagnes Submarine "Sch-411" (uncompleted
hull) - sunk by artillery fire at Leningrad (later raised)
(Sergey Anisimov)(69)
U.S.A.: The motion picture "Larceny, Inc." is released in the U.S. Directed by Lloyd Bacon, the film stars Edward G. Robinson, Jane Wyman, Broderick Crawford, Jack Carson and Anthony Quinn with Jackie Gleason in a bit part as a soda jerk. This comedy has three ex-cons buying a luggage store so they can tunnel into a bank next door but the store prospers and...........