101 years ago today 11/1/1915: Company Quartermaster Serjeant WH Swain (Age 38) 9th Bn. Middlewich Cemetery, United Kingdom. Son of William Swain and Mary Swain; husband of Mable Louise Swain, of 64, Easton Rd., New Ferry, Cheshire. Born at Rose Heath, Sandbach.

100 years ago today 11/1/1916: Private JF Goodwin 11th Bn. London Rifle Brigade Cemetery, Belgium.

Meanwhile in World War 2:

1946: Private Robert Lyons (Age 22) 30th Bn. Rome War Cemetery, Italy. Son of Robert and Margaret Lyons, of Swinton, Nottinghamshire.

also today…

1879 – Zulu War starts (am thinking of treating myself to a tour of the ZW for my 50th, boyhood dream)

1986 – Gateway bridge, Brisbane opened (I have run/walked over this during ‘Bridge to Brisbane’ fun run)

happy birthday…

1920 – Mick McManus (wrestler)

1938 – Arthur Scargill (NUM leader)

and of course we  lost David Bowie today

99 years ago today 10/1/1917: Private D Jones 1st/4th Bn. Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery, Iraq.

Private William John Thomas (Age 24) 22nd Bn. Longuenesse (St. Omer) Souvenir Cemetery, France. Son of Rose Thomas, of Llaswernfach, Llangattock, Crickhowell, Breconshire, and the late William Thomas.

Private Richard Ward (Age 30) 1st/6th Bn. Mendinghem Military Cemetery, Belgium. Husband of Hannah Smith (formerly Ward), of 6, John St., Heywood.

Private John James Shaw (Age 33) “C” Coy. 10th Bn. Stockport (Willow Grove) Cemetery, United Kingdom. Son of James Shaw; husband of Eva Lane (formerly Shaw), of 9, Higher Union St., Heaton Norris, Stockport.

Meanwhile in World War 2:

10/01/1940: Lance Corporal Francis Day (Age 21) Derrington (St. Matthew) Churchyard, United Kingdom. Son of Edward and Emma Day, of Derrington.

Todays VC Winner…

1904: Clement Smith of Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry in Fourth Somaliland Expedition, Jidballi, Somaliland.

also today….

49BC – Julius Caesar crosses the Rubison with his 13th Legion, starting a civil war

101 years ago today 9/1/1915: Corporal Charles Morley Brock (Age 23) 13th Bn. Ludgershall (St. James) Churchyard, United Kingdom. Son of Charles Brock.

100 years ago today 9/1/1916: Private Isaac Nelms (Age 19) 2nd/6th Bn. Stockport (Willow Grove) Cemetery, United Kingdom. Son of Joseph and Sarah Nelms, of 2, Barkers Buildings, Churchgate, Stockport. Alternative Commemoration – Buried in Brunswick Methodist Church Burial Ground.

also….

1799 – British PM introduces income tax to pay for Napolionic Wars

1806 – state funeral of Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson

1916 – end of battle of Gallpoli (who won?)

1941 – first flight of Avro Lancaster

happy birthday…

1913 – Richard Dixon

1920 – CLive Dunn

99 years ago today 8/1/1917: Private JA McKean 3rd Bn. Tottenham Cemetery, United Kingdom. Son of Mrs. Louisa McKean, of 3, Birstall Rd., South Tottenham.

happy birthday…

1817 – Theophilus Shepstone

1934 – Roy Kinnear

1935 – Elvis Presley

and we lost….

1941 – Robert Baden-Powell

101 years ago today 7/1/1915: Private Frank Croft (Age 19) 6th Bn. Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, France. Son of Christopher and Mary Ann Croft, of 3, Compton St., Stalybridge, Cheshire.

Private William Mullock (Age 18) 1st Bn. Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium. Son of Thomas and Emma Mullock, of 67, Goddard St., Crewe, Cheshire.

Private Edward Thomas Phipps 1st Bn. Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.

in more modern times….let us not forget Charlie Hebdo in 2015……

we lost…

1536 – Catherine of Aragon

1694 – Charles Gerald 1st Earl of Macclesfield

VC Winners

1901: John Barry of Royal Irish Regiment in 2nd Boer, Monument Hill, South Africa.

1915: Eustace Jotham of 51st Sikhs in WW1 7 January 1915, Spina Khaisora, India

1917: Thomas Mottershead No. 20 Squadron RFC in WW1, Ploegsteert Wood, Belgium

101 years ago today 5/1/1915: Private JS Tindall 16th Bn. Whickham (St. Mary) Churchyard, United Kingdom.

100 years ago today 5/1/1916: Private E Axon MID (Age 23) 10th Bn. Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension, Nord, France. Husband of Edith May Axon, of “Maple,” 22, Queen’S Rd., Hale, Cheshire.

Private  E Cartlidge (Age 36) 8th Bn. Lancashire Landing Cemetery, Turkey (including Gallipoli). Husband oAlice Cartlidge, of 22, River St., Congleton, Cheshire.

Meanwhile in World War 2:

5/01/1941: Private Samuel Edwin Slaney (Age 34) 8th (H.D.) Bn. Congleton (St. Stephen) Churchyard, United Kingdom. Son of Edward and Sarah Ellen Slaney, of Congleton.

5th January 1984: Cheshires finished a tour based in Londonderry, Northern Ireland (started 10th March 1982)

also….

1895 – Dreyfus Affair (Alfred Dreyfus stripped of rank and sentanced to life on Devil’s Island, Fench Guiana.

1919 – the Germany Worker’s Party formed…..I wonder where that will lead????

VC Winner…

1900: John Milbanke of 10th Hussars in 2nd Boer, Colesberg, South Africa.

101 years ago today 3/1/1915: Private H Riley (Age 34) 2nd Bn. Winchester (West Hill) Old Cemetery, United Kingdom. Son of John and Ann Riley, of Angel St., Manchester.

100 years ago today 3/1/1916: Captain   AE Harry 3rd Bn. attd. 1st Bn. Citadel New Military Cemetery, Fricourt, France.

Meanwhile in World War 2:

3/01/1945: Private Oscar Launcelot Tempest, Kirk Christ Rushen (Holy Trinity) Churchyard Extension, United Kingdom.

happy birthday…

106BC – Cicero

1883 – Clement Atlee (UK Labour MP 1945)

1892 – JRR Tolkien

1929 – Sergio Leone

1945 – David Starkey

VC Winner…..

1942: Arthur Cumming of Frontier Force Regiment in WW2,Kuantan, Malaya.

100 years ago today 2/1/1916: Private Arthur Aspey (Age 25) 9th Bn., Nephew Of Mr. H. Aspey, Of Bow Lane, Bowdon, Cheshire.

Private E Barker 9th Bn.

Private T Hall 9th Bn.

All commemorated at St. Vaast Post Military Cemetery, Richebourg-L’Avoue, France.

Meanwhile in World War 2:

2/01/1944: Private Percival Turner (Age 34) 4th Bn. Prague War Cemetery, Czech Republic. Son of George and Winnifred Turner, of Loftus, Yorkshire.

alos today…

1981 – Peter Sutcliffe (Yorkshire Ripper) was caught

VC Winner…

1859: Henry Addison of 43rd Regiment of Foot in Indian Mutiny, Kurereha, India.

1858: Frederick Roberts of Bengal Horse Artillery in Indian Mutiny, Khodagunge, India.

1920: William Kenny of 39th Garhwal Rifles in Waziristan Campaign, Kot Kai, Waziristan.