On November 5th, Franklin D. Roosevelt was re-elected by an overwhelming margin to his third term in office. Also during this month, the Germans changed their tactics and began bombing provincial cities, shifting some of their attention away from London. Liverpool, Southampton, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow and Coventry were all pounded. The Coventry raid on the 14th destroyed the cathedral and much of the medieval city, killing 1000 in the process. At the height of the raids, civilian deaths reached 6000 a week.

Distributed with this issue:

THE GENTLEST ART #1 - ed. Douglas Webster - 4 pages

Vol. 1, No. 3................... ........................................................... ............................................December 1940

Latest news of "Tales of Wonder" from Wally Gillings is that the 13th issue, whilst still a doubtful proposition, is yet a probability. In any case it will not see the light of day till the end of January; making it a month late. Fannews - incidentally Wally him self has been before the Fulham CO Tribunal which after probing, the depths of his conscience for fully nearly five minutes, decided that tho' he was quite sincere he had no conscience really. Gunner William F. Temple has now settled down in an obsolete printing works (it is just a lot of holes held to together by a lot of bricks) at Whalley , Lancs; & has already paid a visit to Bert Lewis 10 miles away at Preston. R(A)Forster is now at Calne, Wilts. Via R.G.Medhurst, a note from S. Fowler Wright "A difficulty of copyright is keeping 'The World Below' out of print at present, & I believe copies are hard to get. But I hope that the position will shortly be cleared up so that it may appear again." Just one of those ironies of fate. A piece of shrapnel which passed thro' George's bookcase voyaged via his copy of "Things To Come". And Ron Holmes too had a present from Ado1f, when an incendiary bomb landed on the roof of the Holmes' residence. It bounced on to the ground where the irrepressible Ron promptly put the ashbin on top of it. No harm done.

FULL SPEED AHEAD - says the newly formed COLORADO FANTASY SOCIETY, already preparing for next summers "Denvention"; the composite word succeeding "Chicon" and meaning the convention at Denver. At their first meeting plans were made and officials elected as follows: Director, Olon F. Wiggins Secretary - Treasurer and official editor, Lew Martin; Assistant editor and artists Roy Hunt and representatives for various territories include Paul Freehafer, Bob Tucker Doc Lowndes and your editor (to my astonishment). As guest of honour, they elected Robert A.Heinlein who has accepted the invitation, which was tendered to him by Ackerman at a meeting of the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society. The CFS will issue a monthly "Review" alternating with "The Denventioneer" which is to be formed mainly from sheets contributed gratis by fans in an almost similar manner to FIDO and companions, but stapled into a regular magazine. Membership costs 5 cents, and any fan is eligible for membership. The society is formed only to sponsor and organise the 1941 convention.' Back east in Newark, New Jersey, certain fans would like a 'local' convention; as they feel Denver is too far away for many people. The Solaroid Club is apparently behind this idea, and if care is taken not to clash in any way with the official affair, it may be a good idea.

Even in these days we still manage to run across a few new fantasy books, and here are some I have recently read:

The Undying Monster - Jessie Douglas Kerruish (Philip Allan 3/6), a tale of a family haunted through the ages by a "monster", & finally laid by a competent modern-day 'sensitive' with the aid of a smattering of psychology, creating a surprise ending that your reviewer unfortunately guessed. Red meat for the lovers of mystic-scientific fiction, and a gripping thrilling story withall.

A Journey in Other Worlds - A Romance of the Future, by John Jacob Astor (Longmans, Green, and Co.), English edition, published 1894, Printed from, American plates. Our heroes go exploring the solar system in a spaceship powered by an anti-gravitational device, and the same, wonderful force is employed back home on this old, world of ours, to straighten the earth's axis. Whoopee! Plenty of excitement and far too much pseudo-philosophical and out-of-date (Thank God) theology.

Air Bandits - David T Lindsay (John Hamilton 3/6), a refreshing juvenile book for the air-minded youth, and all about a marvellous new plane, and the wicked men who steal the invention. Quite original. Perhaps.

Out of the Silence - Erle Cox (John Hamilton). Many thousands of years ago, an extremely evolved race put its finest discoveries, inventions and art into super-caches - for the benefit of posterity. And a present day Australian finds one of these treasure troves and falls in love with its attendant priestess. We'll skip the rest.

Epilogue - a grand, and humorous scientific fantasy "Imitation Man" by John Hargreaves has just been published in the Big Ben series of 6d. books. A mannequin is made by a chemist from a modernised version of recipe of ancient alchemist. The life and actions of the being.

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SPECIAL NOTE After this issue the price of FWD. will be raised to 3d. per copy; 2/9 a year. Naturally we are extremely sorry to have to take this step but we feel that you will appreciate the causes. Primarily, of course, the Purchase Tax is responsible but the jumping costs of paper, stencils and ink also play their part. Nevertheless we intend to give you value to the limit of our available finances and in particular to persuade and help other people to break into print with their own productions. Moreover we hope in the near future. to conclude arrangements to distribute the "FUTURIAN OBSERVER", organ of the Futurian Society, of Sydney, Australia; with FIDO, & vice versa. All subscriptions will be adjusted, accordingly and we hope You will not think we are trying to profiteer.

Introducing................... .......................... No. 3 Christopher Samuel Youd Editor of the "FANTAST" and its war time successor, Fantasy War Bulletin. One of the most prominent of 'newer' fans, brought out by the forming of the SFA. 19 years, old; clerk in the employ of corporation of Eastleigh, Hampshire; where he lives. Saith Sam regarding himself: "lazy, unable to concentrate - vague about what I like and even dislikes. Want to write but no technique. Poetaster of the worst type. Agnostic. Introvert (unfortunately) Socially a misfit only sports - swimming and tennis, good at neither". And then Sam accuses others of being pessimistic! Actually quite a promising writer, but searching frantically for an adequate philosophy of life, which he hasn't found yet.

CLIPPINGS FROM CANADA

WEIRD TALES is contemplating returning to the monthly basis. New magazine soon to hit stands is UNCANNY TALES. SOUTH SEA STORIES, sister to AMAZING etc. went under. Rumours say AMAZING is sinking fast also. Fearn tells me Orlaine Tremaine is editor of s-f's newest, publication soon to hit stands. MARVEL TALES has been cleaned up and No 1 of the new MARVEL will have a Fearn yarn in it. Doc Lowndes working hard collecting contents for first two experimental issues of new fantasy magazine, soon to hit stands. Kuttner and C.L returning to west coast very soon, if not having left already. - - Leslie A. Croutch.

Street & Smiths UNKNOWN will be published every two months after the Dec. 1940 issue.

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Received Recently David McIlwain, 14 Cotswold Str., Liverpool 7, having temporarily stirred in his hibernation, has produced two bonny little hectographed pamphlets. One "CONFITEOR" -defined as 'a confession of sins in the form of a prayer' is dated June 1940 and is an out-of-date apology for the non-appearance of GARGOYLE, 3. Other entitled "FORERUNNER" is a preface to this same illusive issue, and includes the readers dept. in advance. Someday we will see GARGOYLE 3. "SCIENTI-COMICS" - edited by Phil Bronson, 224 W.6th.St.Hastings, Min, USA, price 10 cents. 36 octavo pages, quite well hectoed and mainly devoted to a reprint, in picture form, of a story by R.W.Lowndes "When Sthanee Wakes" first published in "Spaceways" As this is only the second issue the magazine shows promise. "COSMOS" issue of Sep. 1st & 10th published by Vol Molesworth, Kangaroo Pt. Rd., Sylvania, NSW, Australia Each issue consists of two sides of a quarto sheet, mimeoed, one is devoted to the "Chicon" and the second is admittedly modelled on Pseudo-Futurian" and consists of fan news & notes. I understand that this is the last issue, which is a great pity.

PERSONAL COLUMN Donald Doughty, 31 Bexwell Rd. Downham Market, Norfolk is considering issuing a sheet dealing with his favourite magazine; Astounding. He would like "anything concerning any Astounding past, present or future issues, American or BRE!" to be sent to him. Rally round please WANTED:- FANTAST Nos.2,8 -- POSTAL PREVIEW Nos.1,2,11,13-17, 19, 21-23 onwards -- SATELLITE Vol. 3, No.1 onwards -- SCIENCE FANTASY REVIEW Nos.1,13 -- WAR DIGEST Nos. 1,4 onwards. S-On-T Science Fiction Club, 26 Edward St., Shelton, Stoke-on-T. D.Houston, 142 Ardington Rd., Northampton would like to correspond with anyone who has for sale at low price (send list first) - any W.S. or S.W.S. before Nov.33, or any W.S. Quarterlies. Must be in good. cond. Letters from the following are gratefully acknowledged - D.R.Smith Damon Knight, W.H.Gillings, J.Bristow, A.Clarke, R.Lane, J.Parr, (6d held for instructions) H.P.Knight. Please accept in lieu of proper reply. Requests or notices appertaining to fantasy will be printed in this column. Replies and other letters sent c/o FIDO will be forwarded.

1) The 'Anderson' referred to on page 2 was an Anderson air-raid shelter.