http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/month/thismonth/01.htm
October 1st, 1940
UNITED KINGDOM:
Battle of Britain:
A new phase opens in which the Germans use their main bomber force almost entirely under cover of darkness. In daylight they send over only small numbers of fast Ju88s together with Messerschmitt fighters at high altitude carrying bombs, protected by further fighters above. This activity occurs every day and proves extremely difficult to deal with, but strategically is of little benefit to the Germans. At night London is bombed heavily (by an average of 150 bombers) every night of the month except one.
Losses: Luftwaffe, 6; RAF, 4.
Corvette HMS Monkshood laid down. Corvette HMS Verbena launched. (Dave Shirlaw)
GERMANY: U-90, U-155, U-213, U-380, U-439, U-440, U-583, U-584, U-585, U-586 laid down. (Dave Shirlaw)
POLAND: Germany starts Operation Otto to improve road and rail links to the USSR. Slaves will provide the labour.
FINLAND: The government signs an agreement with Germany giving it sole rights to Finnish nickel exports in exchange for arms.
CHINA: The Nationalist 89th Army attacks Chen Yi’s New Fourth Army at Taixing.
Weihhaiwei is occupied by the Japanese.
INDIA: Sloop INS Sutlej launched. (Dave Shirlaw)
CANADA: Minesweeper HMCS Nipigon launched. Minesweepers HMCS Swift Current and Drummondville laid down. (Dave Shirlaw)
U.S.A.: The first 160 miles (257.5 km) of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, the pioneer toll superhighway in the country, opens today. The section extends from Irwin, 15 miles (24.1 km) east of Pittsburgh, to Middlesex, 13 miles (20.9 km) west of Harrisburg. The road is built at a cost of US$61 million (US$753 million in year 2000 dollars) and the toll for the 160 mile trip for cars is US$1.50 (US$18.50 in year 2000 dollars) one way and US$2.50 (US$30.86 in year 2000 dollars) round trip. (Jack McKillop)
ATLANTIC OCEAN: U-32 sank SS Haulerwijk.
U-38 sank SS Highland Patriot. (Dave Shirlaw)
http://worldwar2daybyday.blogspot.com/
Day 397 October 1, 1940
Battle of Britain Day 84. As a result of the mauling handed out by RAF over the last 4 days, Göring changes tactics again and large-scale daylight raids are abandoned. Despite good weather, Luftwaffe mounts only reconnaissance flights and numerous small raids of 20-70 aircraft, which target RAF airfields and do not approach London. 4 Messerschmitts are shot down and RAF loses 5 fighters (4 pilots killed). There is widespread bombing overnight, although on a reduced scale compared to recent nights, and London is again targeted. With the air battle apparently won by RAF and the relatively settled weather of Summer giving way to Autumn gales in the English Channel, the threat of German invasion of Britain recedes. London and other large cities will continue to be the target of night bombing.
Italian submarine Maggiore Baracca sinks Greek steamer Aghios Nicolaos 400 miles West of Porto, Portugal. U-32 sinks Dutch steamer Haulerwijk 400 miles West of Ireland (4 killed, 27 survivors). At 6.47 AM, 300 miles West of Ireland, U-38 sinks Highland Patriot (3 crew lost, 136 crew and 33 passengers picked up by sloop HMS Wellington and landed at Greenock). http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/573.html