Diffusion

Of the eight weeks of continuous bombing of London, last week was the lightest.

One whole night went by without a single bomb dropped. There were reasons for the lull. Autumn gales were at full whistle by last week, and some of the nights in Britain were too foul for planes to reach specific targets. The Nazis had preoccupations and preparations afoot elsewhere, and were perhaps diverting strength to other areas, such as Spain and the Balkans.

Hopeful Britons conjectured that the pace was beginning to tell, that the supplies of lubricating oil, explosives and metal might be thinning faster than the Germans wished (no one thought they were running out, however). But the main reason was another of the periodic changes in German tactics.

Said Air Marshal Sir Philip Bennet Joubert de la Ferte in a broadcast explaining the new German agenda to U. S.

listeners: "Whereas at first London was the sole target, and as many as 200 aircraft on any one night attacked the capital, the present procedure is to reduce the total number on London and to use more in the provinces. Several of our Midlands industrial towns have been receiving attention, and there is the usual scattered and useless bombing on an even more extended scale over country districts. . . .

Instead of formations of 50 and 60 at a time, a larger number of twenties and thirties have been scattering up and down the Eastern Counties." The Germans weVe diffusing their terror.

On Sunday all over England they came hedgehopping and machine-gunned the people as they strolled. The attackers also resorted to booby traps--little metal boxes the size of cigaret tins with dangling wires which the curious were tempted to pull. If they did, they blew themselves up.

London was not entirely spared, however. In one raid 3OO-year-old Kensington Palace, where British monarchs from William III down through the German Georges lived, where Queen Victoria and Queen Mary were born, was damaged.

For the first time Italians took part in the raids. Their part was apparently a mere token, granted by Hitler to Mussolini so that II Duce could feel that he was helping, granted by Mussolini to his people so that they could feel easier about British raids on Italy. The Italians' first effort was certainly a token. Five Italian bombers surrounded by swarms of Messerschmitts tentatively approached Dover, saw squadrons of British fighters, dropped their bombs in the sea, then turned around and skinned for camp, while the Messerschmitts proceeded inland for serious business.

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