Timeline of World War II (1942) - October 1942

October 1942

3: First successful launch of A4-rocket at Peenemünde, Germany. The rocket flies 147 kilometres wide and reaches a height of 84.5 kilometres and is therefore the first man-made object reaching space.

4: British Commandos raid Sark, a Channel Island, capturing one German soldier.

6: By mutual arrangement, the Allies agree on a strategy whereby Americans will bomb in the daytime and the RAF at night.

7: Third Battle of the Matanikau

11: Battle of Cape Esperance - On the Northwest coast of Guadalcanal, United States Navy ships intercept and defeat a Japanese fleet on their way to reinforce troops on the island. With the help of radar they sink one cruiser and several Japanese destroyers.

12: The Red Army methods of ferrying troops across the Volga and into Stalingrad directly seems to be a success, as the German advance comes to a halt.
: The US 100th Infantry Battalion, a force of over 1,400 predominantly Nisei became active.

13: Heavy bombardment of Henderson Field, Guadalcanal by the Japanese navy.

14: A German U-boat sinks the ferry SS Caribou, killing 137.

18: Hitler issues Commando Order, ordering all captured commandos to be executed immediately.
: Admiral William "Bull" Halsey is given command of the South Pacific naval forces.

21: Heavy RAF activity over El Alamein.

22: Conscription age in Britain reduced to 18.
: American General Mark Clark secretly lands in Algeria to confer with Vichy officials and Resistance groups in preparation for impending Allied invasion.

23: Second Battle of El Alamein begins with massive Allied bombardment of German positions. Then Australian forces, mainly, begin advance while offshore British naval forces support the right flank (n.b. the ongoing concurrent victories being prepared at Guadalcanal and Stalingrad).

23: Battle for Henderson Field

24: US Navy Task Force 34, consisting of aircraft carriers, a variety of support ships, including Troop Ships and other vessels, set sail from Hampton Roads, Virginia with Patton's forces for Operation Torch, the landing in North Africa. The other two task forces of Operation Torch, the first American-led force to fight in the European and African theatres of war, depart Britain for Morocco.
: Crisis at El Alamein: British tanks survive German 88mm fire; Montgomery orders the advance to continue despite losses.

25: Rommel hurriedly returns from his sickbed in Germany to take charge of the African battle. (His replacement, General Stumme, had died of a heart attack).
: The Japanese continue their attacks on the Marines west of Henderson field.

26: The naval Battle of Santa Cruz. The Japanese lose many aircraft and have two aircraft carriers severely damaged. The USS Hornet is sunk and the USS Enterprise is damaged.

29: The Japanese continue to send troops as reinforcements into Guadalcanal.
: In the United Kingdom, leading clergymen and political figures hold a public meeting to register outrage over Nazi Germany's persecution of Jews.
: United States 1st Armored Division moves from Northern Ireland to England.

31: The British make a critical breakthrough with tanks west of El Alamein; Rommel's mine fields fail to stop the Allied armour.