Discover which 1942 newspaper articles made the headlines with one of our authentic newspapers. 1942 historical events include the bombing of Cologne by British forces which resulted in the death of 475 civilians and the destruction of the city’s infrastructure. The war saw the transportation of thousands of Jews to Nazi concentration camps, the introduction of gas chambers, and the deportation and displacement of millions of people as Hitler’s regime swept Europe. On the homefront, the war seemed endless. Read about the terrible events of World War II as they were reported on at the time. Old 1942 newspapers offer fascinating insights into the reality that people lived during this dark period in history.

10th January 1942
The last German air-raid on Liverpool destroys the home of William Patrick Hitler, Adolf Hitler’s nephew. After his house is destroyed, William Hitler travels to the United States, joining the navy to fight against his uncle.

25th February 1942
Princess Elizabeth, heir to the throne, registers for war service.

15th April 1942
King George VI awards the George Cross to Malta in honour of the bravery and resilience shown by their people during the attempted siege by Germany and Fascist Italy in the early stages of the Second World War. The King says in a letter, “To honour her brave people, I award the George Cross to the Island Fortress of Malta, to bear witness to a heroism and a devotion that will long be famous in history.”

5th May 1942
United Kingdom forces invade the French colony of Madagascar in ‘Operation Ironclad‘.

8th May 1942
The Battle of the Coral Sea draws to a close in the Pacific Ocean, having been fought by the Imperial Japanese Navy and the successful Allied forces of the U.S. Navy and the Royal Australian Navy. It is the first battle in Naval history where two enemy fleets had fought without seeing each other.

31st May 1942
Japanese submarines infiltrate Sydney Harbour in an attempt to attack Allied warships.

12th June 1942
Annelies Marie “Anne” Frank writes the first entry in her new diary, on her 13th birthday.

1st July 1942
The First Battle of El Alamein begins between Axis and Allied forces in Egypt. The fighting lasts until 27th July 1942.

6th July 1942
Anne Frank’s family goes into hiding during the German occupation, in an attic above her father’s office in an Amsterdam warehouse. Her experiences and thoughts whilst hiding are recounted in her diary.

22nd July 1942
The systematic deportation of Jews from the Warsaw Ghetto begins.

31st July 1942
The Oxford Committee of Famine Relief (OXFAM) is founded.

23rd October 1942
British troops go on the offensive against the Axis forces in the Second Battle of El Alamein.

29th October 1942
Leading clergymen and political figures hold a public meeting in the United Kingdom to register outrage over Nazi Germany’s persecution of Jews.

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