Leap Year Day…

96 years ago today 29/2/1920: Private Thomas Henry Salt (Age 22) 1st Bn. Liverpool (Allerton) Cemetery, United Kingdom. Son of John and Clara Salt, of Wolverhampton.

VC Winner…

1884: William Marshall of 19th Hussars in Sudan Campaign, El Teb, Sudan.

1884: Arthur Wilson of HMS Hecla in Sudan Campaign, El Teb, Sudan.

Once again thanks to the wonderfully accessible www.cwgc.org  (Commonwealth War Graves Commission) and Wikipedia.

100 years ago today 28/2/1916: Private W Seddon (Age 35) 9th Bn. Merville Communal Cemetery, France. Husband of Christina Crawford (formerly Seddon), of 21, Copeland St., Everton, Liverpool.

Meanwhile in World War 2:

1943: Private Walter Ramond Mannquel Manley (Age 34) 2nd Bn. Benghazi War Cemetery, Libya. Husband of Harriet Manley, of Ellesmere Port, Cheshire.

1944: Serjeant Frank Louis Baines (Age 27) 6th Bn. Beach Head War Cemetery, Anzio, Italy. Son of George and Ethel Baines; husband of Mary Katherine Baines, of Waringstown, Co. Down, Northern Ireland.

Private Joseph Higginson (Age 20) 6th Bn. Beach Head War Cemetery, Anzio, Italy. Son of Thomas and Ethel Higginson, of Knutsford, Cheshire.

Private Alan Tom Sanders (Age 22) 6th Bn. Cassino Memorial, Italy. Son of Tom and Emily Sanders; husband of Margaret Ellen Sanders, of Bournemouth, Hampshire.

Private Arthur Edward Wright (Age 23) 6th Bn. Beach Head War Cemetery, Anzio, Italy. Son of John Samuel and Bridget Wright, of Newcastle, Staffordshire.

1947: Private Joseph William Massey (Age 41) Feltham Cemetery, United Kingdom. Son of George and Emily Massey; husband of Rosaline Massey, of Feltham.

Also…

1900 – siege of Ladysmith lifted

1993 – Waco stormed by ATF

happy birthday…

1928 – Stanley Baker (thanks for getting “Zulu” made)

101 years ago today 26/2/1915:

Private Arthur Edward Harrison (Age 22) 2nd Bn. St. Sever Cemetery, Rouen, France. Son of Israel and Jane Harrison, of 16, Walker St., Higher Tranmere, Birkenhead, Cheshire.

1st/6th Bn. Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium…

Private Wilfred Eaton (Age 21). Son of Mrs. Edna Eaton, of 17, Bentley Rd., Denton, Manchester.

Private William Houlton (Age 18). Son of James and Martha Houlton, of 30, Christie St., Stockport.

Private William Meikle (Age 39). Son of the late Frederick Conrad Meikle and Jane Meikle; husband of the late Martha Ann Meikle.

Meanwhile in World War 2:

1943: Lance Corporal Vincent Joseph Burns (Age 22) Medjez-El-Bab Memorial, Tunisia.

1944: Private Frank Barber (Age 25) 6th Bn. Beach Head War Cemetery, Anzio, Italy. Son of Hannah Barber, of Reddish, Stockport, Cheshire.

VC Winner…

1903: Wallace Wright of 2nd Regiment of Foot in Kano-Sokoto Expedition, Northern Nigeria.

1915: Eric Robinson of HMS Vengeance in WW1, Dardanelles, Turkey.

Also…

1815 – Napoleon escapes Elba

happy birthday…

1882 – Husband E Kimmel, US Admiral (commander of Pearl Harbour 7/12/41)

1903 – Orde Wingate (Chindit)

96 years ago today 24/2/1920: Private Herbert Willis (Age 26) Bacup (Fairwell) Cemetery, United Kingdom. Son of John and Harriet Willis, of 172, Lancaster Rd., Morecambe. Born at Rawtenstall.

95 years ago today 24/2/1921: Serjeant Arthur Wainwright (Age 39) Depot Bn. (formerly 1st Bn.) Longdendale (Mottram-In-Longdendale) Cemetery, United Kingdom. Husband of Mary Jane Wainwright, of 60, Lower Market St., Broadbottom, Manchester.

Meanwhile in World War 2:

1943: Corporal Richard Ayres (Age 28) 2nd Bn. Ancona War Cemetery, Italy. Son of Richard and Annie Ayres; husband of Rosella Ayres.

Private W Christie (Age 29) 30th Bn. Bathgate (Boghead) Cemetery, United Kingdom. Son of William and Mary Ellen Christie; husband of Margaret Christie, of Blackridge.

1944: Corporal John Allen (Age 33) 6th Bn. Anzio War Cemetery, Italy.

Private William Henry Thompson (Age 24) 6th Bn. Beach Head War Cemetery, Anzio, Italy. Son of Albert and E. Thompson, of Saltney, Chester.

1945: Lieutenant John Wynne Rowlands (Age 25) Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany. Son of William John and Ethel Wynne Rowlands, of Barry, Glamorgan.

VC Winner…

1901: John Clements of Rimington’s Guides in 2nd Boer War, Strijdenburg, South Africa.

1900: James Firth of Duke of Wellington’s Regiment in 2nd Boer War,Arundel near Colesberg, South Africa.

1900: Edgar Inkson of Royal Army Medical Corps in 2nd Boer War, Colenso, South Africa.

Also…

1920 – NAZI Party formed

happy birthday…

1885 – Chester Nimitz

97 years ago today 23/2/1919: Private David Tudor (Age 35) 51st Bn. Cardiff (Cathays) Cemetery, United Kingdom. Son of William and Mary Tudor, of 42, Heathfield Rd., Gabalfa, Cardiff.

Lance Corporal CP Price 23rd Bn. Hereford Cemetery, United Kingdom.

Private Albert Victor Wainwright (Age 26) 1st/5th Bn. Runcorn Cemetery, United Kingdom. Son of Samuel and Mary Anne Wainwright, of 10, Back Robert St., Runcorn.

Meanwhile in World War 2:

1942: Private Albert Dawson 2nd Bn. Alamein Memorial, Egypt. Son of Thomas and Sarah Dawson; husband of Frances Mabel Dawson, of Waterloo, Liverpool.

VC Winner…

1858: James Innes of Bengal Sappers and Miners in Indian Mutiny, Sultanpore, India.

1900: Albert Curtis of East Surrey Regiment in 2nd Boer War, Onderbank Spruit, South Africa.

1917: George Wheeler of 9th Gurkha Rifles in WW1, Shumran, Mesopotamia.

1945: Edwin Swales of No. 582 Squadron RAF in WW2, Pforzheim, Germany.

1967: Peter Badcoe of Australian Army Training Team Vietnam in Vietnam War, Huong Tra, Vietnam.

Also…

1945 – flag riased on Mount Suribachi, Iwo Jima

happy birthday…

1915 – Paul Tibbets pilot of Enola Gay

101 years ago today 22/2/1915: Private CA McKay 1st Bn. Wulverghem-Lindenhoek Road Military Cemetery, Belgium.

Private A Rigby 1st Bn. Wulverghem-Lindenhoek Road Military Cemetery, Belgium.

Serjeant Arthur Whittle (Age 36) 1st Bn.                Wulverghem-Lindenhoek Road Military Cemetery, Belgium. Husband of Alice Jane Whittle, of 43, Henry Whalley St., Mill Hill, Blackburn.

100 years ago today 22/2/1916: Second Lieutenant R Shaw 9th Bn. Pont-Du-Hem Military Cemetery, La Gorgue, France.

Meanwhile in World War 2:

1940: Private William John Howes (Age 55) 8th (H.D.) Bn. Deane (St. Mary) Churchyard, United Kingdom. Husband of Margaret Ellen Howes, of Bolton.

1947: Private BB Griffiths (Age 22) 1st Bn. Hanover War Cemetery, Germany. Son of Isaac James Griffiths and Minnie Mary Griffiths, of Brynmawr, Brecknockshire.

Private Alfred Ray (Age 33) Liverpool (Allerton) Cemetery, United Kingdom. Son of Mr. and Mrs. John Ray; Husband of Doris Ray, of Dingle, Liverpool.

VC Winner…

1881: James Osborne of Northamptonshire Regiment in First Boer War, Wesselstroom, South Africa.

1917: Thomas Steele of Seaforth Highlanders in WW1, Sanna-i-Yat, Mesopotamia.

happy birthday…

1732 – George Washington

1857 – Robert Baden Powell (“be prepared”)

1926 – Kenneth Williams

1928 – Bruce Forsyth

1962 – Steve Irwin (“crocadile hunter”)

1968 – Jeri Ryan (“7 of 9”)

101 years ago today 21/2/1915: Private R Hamlett 1st Bn. Dranouter Churchyard, Belgium.

Private A Quinn (Age 24) 2nd Bn. Poperinghe Old Military Cemetery, Belgium.

Private Thomas Edward Brittain (Age 35) “C” Coy. 1st Bn. Wulverghem-Lindenhoek Road Military Cemetery, Belgium. Son of Emma Brittain, of 23, Albert St., Crewe.

Private L Chapman 1st Bn. Wulverghem-Lindenhoek Road Military Cemetery, Belgium. Son of Mrs. M. Chapman, of 4, Marland St., Dukinfield.

Private  T Flannery 1st Bn. Wulverghem-Lindenhoek Road Military Cemetery, Belgium.

Private J McMahon 1st Bn. Wulverghem-Lindenhoek Road Military Cemetery, Belgium. Son of Mrs. Mcmahon, of 3, Weaver St., Chester.

Lance Serjeant Harry Ray Vickers (Age 27) “D” Coy. 2nd Bn. Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium. Son of Mrs. Jane Vickers, of Grange Cottages, Wybunbury, Nantwich, Cheshire.

Serjeant Charles Spencer Wycherley (Age 37) 2nd Bn. Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium. Son of the late Andrew and Elizabeth Wycherley; husband of Lillie Wycherley, of Gamford Cottages, Rossett, Wrexham. Served in the South African Campaign.

100 years ago today 21/2/1916: Private Albert Edward Gaskell (Age 29) 2nd Bn. Birkenhead (Flaybrick Hill) Cemetery, United Kingdom. Son of James Henry and Sarah Gaskell, of 51, Baslow St., Beswick, Manchester.

Corporal John Charles Hulme (Age 32) Depot, Glossop (Or Whitfield) (St. James) Churchyard, United Kingdom. Husband of Elizabeth Hulme, of 32, Edward St., Glossop.

Private J Dickinson 9th Bn. Merville Communal Cemetery, France.

Private Thomas Littler (Age 30) 9th Bn. Merville Communal Cemetery, France. Son of Thomas and Katherine Littler, of Chester; husband of Eliza Ann Titman (formerly Littler), of 4, Davies Buildings, King St., Chester.

Also…

1848 – Communist Manifesto published (Marx and Engles)

1916 – Battle of Vurdun starts

1965 – Malcom X assassinated

happy birthday…

1910 – Douglas Bader

101 years ago today 19/2/1915: Private Peter McGowan 2nd Bn. Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.

Private Stanley Rule 1st Bn. Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.

100 years ago today 19/2/1916: Private John Holmes (Age 19) 1st/9th Bn. Dartmoor Cemetery, Becordel-Becourt, France. Son of John Holmes, of 6, Hunt St., Brinksway, Stockport.

Private S Allen 9th Bn. Pont-Du-Hem Military Cemetery, La Gorgue, France.

Meanwhile in World War 2:

1944: Private Angus Kennedy (Age 31) 6th Bn. Anzio War Cemetery, Italy. Son of Angus and Mary Jane Kennedy, of Rothesay, Buteshire.

Lance Corporal Harold Trevor Marshall (Age 25) 6th Bn.  Anzio War Cemetery, Italy. Son of George and Esther Pauline Marshall; husband of Doris Marshall, of Stockport, Cheshire.

1945: Private William Guy Mann (Age 39) Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, Germany.Son of William Edward and Fanny Eunice Mann; husband of Evelyn Mann, of Shepherd’S Bush, London.

Also…

1915 – first naval attack starts at Dardanelles

1942 – Darwin, NT bombed by Japanese

1943 – Kesserine Pass, Tunisia

1945 – US Marines land on Iwo Jima

happy birthday…

1924 – Lee Marvin

1940 – Smokey Robinson

1955 – Jeff Daniels