101 years ago today 20/4/1915: Private O Nicholas 5th Bn. Perth Cemetery (China Wall), Belgium.

Private J Percival 1st Bn. Tuileries British Cemetery, Belgium.

Private W Roberts 1st Bn. Tuileries British Cemetery, Belgium.

VC Winner…

1900: William Nickerson of Royal Army Medical Corps in 2nd Boer War, Wakkerstroom, South Africa.

1915: Edward Dwyer of East Surrey Regiment in WW1, Hill 60, Belgium.

1915: Benjamin Geary of East Surrey Regiment in WW1, Hill 60, Belgium.

1915: George Roupell of East Surrey Regiment in WW1, Hill 60, Belgium.

1915: Geoffrey Woolley of Queen Victoria’s Rifles in WW1, Hill 60, Belgium.

Also…

1968 – Enoch Powell “Rivers of blood” speech

Happy Birthday…

1889 – Adolf Hitler

1951 – Luther Vandross

101 years ago today 19/4/1915: Private F Sidebottom (Age 24) “A” Coy. 1st Bn. Bedford House Cemetery, Belgium. Son of Mr. and Mrs. John Sidebottom, of 70, Set St., Stalybridge.

100 years ago today 19/4/1916: Private Harry Davies 8th Bn. Basra Memorial, Iraq.          

Private Enoch Kinsella 8th Bn. Basra Memorial, Iraq.        

Private William Edward Palin (Age 21) 8th Bn. Basra Memorial, Iraq. Son of James and Margaret Palin, of 20, Stafford St., Crewe.

Meanwhile in World War 2:

1942: Private Henry Livingstone (Age 32) 1st Bn. Pieta Military Cemetery, Malta. Son of William H. Livingstone and Harriet Ann Livingstone, of Bebington, Cheshire.

VC Winner…

1855: Henry MacDonald of Corps of Royal Engineers in Crimea, Sevastopol, Crimea.

1855: John Park of 77th Regiment of Foot in Crimea, Alma, Crimea.

1917: Ernest Sykes of Northumberland Fusiliers in WW1, Arras, France.

1943: Chhelu Ram of 6th Rajputana Rifles in WW2, Djebel Garci, Tunisia.

Also…

1770 –  Captain James Cook sights Australian coast….I’m glad he did

1839 – Treaty of London guarantees Belgian neutrality (see 1914…”the scrap of paper”)

1943 – Warsaw Ghetto uprising begins

1987 – first episode of The Simpsons (on Tracey Ullman show)

 1989 – gun turret on USS Iowa killing 48

happy birthday….

1917 – Sven Hassel

101 years ago today 18/4/1915: Private H Moore 3rd Bn. Barnton Cemetery, United Kingdom.   

Private I Littlemore 1st Bn. Bedford House Cemetery, Belgium.  

Serjeant Thomas Edward Bebbington (Age 32) 1st Bn. Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium. Son of Hannah Bebbington, of 51, Martin St., Crewe; husband of Marcella Bebbington, of 34, Sandbach St., Crewe, Cheshire.

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

100 years ago today 18/4/1916: Private G French 8th Bn. Basra Memorial, Iraq.

Private D Guiray 8th Bn. Basra Memorial Iraq

Meanwhile in World War 2:

1942: Warrant Officer Class II Arthur Jones MM (Age 48) Knutsford Cemetery, United Kingdom. Husband of Annie Jones, of Knutsford.

VC Winner…

1916: Edward Baxter of King’s (Liverpool Regiment) in WW1, Blairville, France.

Also…

1942 – Doolittle Raid

1943 – Admiral Yamamoto shot down by US fighters

1945 – RAF 1000 bomber raid against Heligoland (including my Uncle Peter, a flight engineer on Canadian crewed Halifax. Below is the shot taken from his aircraft on that night)

1954 – Nasser seizes power in Egypt

101 years ago today 17/4/1915: Private Percy Edward Tiddy (Age 29) 5th Bn. Ramparts Cemetery, Lille Gate, Belgium. Son of Thomas and Hannah Elizabeth Tiddy, of 113, Foregate St., Chester. Master Draper. Volunteered for active service in Sept., 1914.

Private J Kelly 1st Bn. Tuileries British Cemetery, Belgium.            

Private Alexander Buchanan (Age 19) “A” Coy. 1st Bn. Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium. Son of Alexander and Mary Benjamin Buchanan, of “Tower View,” Gill’S Lane, Pensby, Birkenhead.

Private  M Burke 2nd Bn. Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.             

Private Charles Robert Henry Griffiths (Age 23) 1st Bn. Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium. Native of Birkenhead. Son of John F. and Elizabeth Griffiths, of 15, Washington St., Liverpool.

Lance Corporal Walter Rowland 1st Bn. Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium. 

Private John Thompson (Age 32) 2nd Bn. Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium. Son of Mrs. Hannah Haddock.

Private William Joseph Williams 1st Bn. Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium. 

100 years ago today 17/4/1916: Private Thomas Slack 8th Bn. Basra Memorial, Iraq.         

Private Samuel Hatton (Age 28) 9th Bn.  Merville Communal Cemetery, France. Husband of Sarah Alice Molloy (formerly Hatton), of 8, Bealey St., Crossley St., Gorton, Manchester.

Meanwhile in World War 2:

1945: Private William Crook (Age 29) 1st Bn. Hamburg Cemetery, Germany. Husband of Annie Crook, of Pemberton, Lancashire.

VC Winner…

1855: Matthew Dixon of Royal Regiment of Artillery in Crimea, Sevastopol, Crimea.

1942: John Nettleton of No. 44 Squadron RAF in WW2, Augsberg, Germany.

101 years ago today 16/4/1915: Private Harry Taylor 1st Bn. Tuileries British Cemetery, Belgium.

Private Fred Mathison 2nd Bn. Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.  

Private Michael Patterson 2nd Bn. Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium. Father of Eileen Patterson, of 27, Seavill St., Broughton, Chester.

Private Arthur Redfern 2nd Bn.  Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.

100 years ago today 16/4/1916: Lieutenant John Cullimore Twice MID (Age 21) 8th Bn. Amara War Cemetery, Iraq. Son of John and Mary E. Cullimore, of Christleton, Chester. Also served at Gallipoli.

Private Francis O’Sullivan (Age 34) “C” Coy. 8th Bn. Basra Memorial, Iraq. Son of Daniel O’Sullivan, of Borris, Co. Carlow; husband of Elizabeth O’Sullivan, of 15, Upper Buckingham St., Dublin.

Serjeant S Icke 8th Bn. Basra War Cemetery, Iraq.            

Lance Corporal FA Newling 9th Bn. Rue-Des-Berceaux Military Cemetery, Richebourg-L’Avoue, France.

Meanwhile in World War 2:

1945: Lance Corporal Charles Alexander Barlow (Age 37) 1st Bn. Becklingen War Cemetery, Germany.

VC Winner…

1918: Jack Counter of King’s (Liverpool Regiment) in WW1, Boisieux St. Marc, France.

Also….

73 – Masada fall to the Romans

1746 – battle of Culloden

1894 – Manchester City formed (Ardwick AFC)

1912 – Harriet Quimby, first woman to fly over the channel (the day after Titanic sank, not much coverage)…hats off to Harriet

happy birthday…

1918 – Spike Milligan

Harriet Quimby (1912)

101 years ago today 15/4/1915: Private Fred Crossland Gregory (Age 34) 1st Bn. Bedford House Cemetery, Belgium. Son of Gregory George and Anne Gregory; husband of Sarah Alice Gregory, of 80, Stamford Park Rd., Hale, Cheshire.

Private J Owen 2nd Bn. Poperinghe Old Military Cemetery, Belgium.       

Private W Brownhill 1st Bn. Tuileries British Cemetery, Belgium.

100 years ago today 15/4/1916: Private H Newton (Age 24) 8th Bn. Amara War Cemetery, Iraq. Son of Joseph and Martha Newton, of Bank View, Goostrey, Crewe.

Private George Roughley (Age 33) 9th Bn. Rue-Des-Berceaux Military Cemetery, Richebourg-L’Avoue, France. Son of Richard and Jane Roughley, of 19, Digmore, Upholland, Wigan.

Meanwhile in World War 2:

1941: Corporal George Albert Tinkler (Age 24) 5th Bn. Chester (Overleigh) Cemetery, United Kingdom. Son of Allen and Abigail Tinkler, of Chester.

1945: Private Harry Boswell (Age 26) 1st Bn. Becklingen War Cemetery, Germany.            

Private Donald Kane (Age 19) 1st Bn. Becklingen War Cemetery, Germany. Son of Alexander and Mary Kane, of Glasgow.

Lance Corporal Joseph William Lawley (Age 25) 6th Bn. Ravenna War Cemetery, Italy. Son of Clarence and Esther Anne Lawley, of Wolverhampton; husband of Iris May Lawley, of Springfields, Wolverhampton.

VC Winner…

1858: William Cafe of 56th Bengal Native Infantry in Indian Mutiny, Fort Ruhya, India.

1858: James Davis of 42nd Regiment of Foot in Indian Mutiny, Fort Ruhya, India.

1858: Samuel Morley of Military Train in Indian Mutiny, Azumgurh, India.

1858: Michael Murphy of Military Train in Indian Mutiny, Azumgurh, India.

1858: John Simpson of 42nd Regiment of Foot in Indian Mutiny, Fort Ruhya, India.

1858: Edward Spence of 42nd Regiment of Foot in Indian Mutiny, Fort Ruhya, India.

1917: Charles Pope of 11th Battalion, AIF in WW1, Louveral, France.

Also…

1865 – President Abraham Lincoln assassinated (shot night before at theatre)

1912 – Titanic sinks

1942 – Malta awarded GC

1945 – Bergen-Belsen KL liberated

1952 – maiden flight of B-52

1989 – Hillsborough disaster

2013 – Boston marathon bombing

happy birthday…

1452 – Leonardo Da Vinci

101 years ago today 14/4/1915: Private J Campbell 13th Bn. Stroud Old Cemetery, United Kingdom.

100 years ago today 14/4/1916: Private James Milhench (Age 30) 8th Bn. Amara War Cemetery, Iraq. Husband of Alice Milhench, of 231, Wigan Rd., Leigh, Lancs.

Private Arthur Podmore (Age 22) 8th Bn. Amara War Cemetery, Iraq. Son of Edwin and Mary Ellen Podmore, of 228, Moseley Rd., Fallowfield, Manchester.

Lieutenant Arnold Mathews MID (Age 21) 14th Bn. Basra Memorial, Iraq. Son of Frank Edward and Ethel Mathews, of Welsh Row House, Nantwich, Cheshire.

Private Edward Bolton 1st Bn. Roclincourt Valley Cemetery, France.        

Serjeant Archie Clement Dutton (Age 22) 9th Bn. St. Vaast Post Military Cemetery, Richebourg-L’Avoue   France. Son of Walter and Elizabeth Gertrude Dutton, of The Moselle, John St., Ellesmere Port, Cheshire.

Private Joseph Wyatt (Age 23) “B” Coy. 9th Bn. St. Vaast Post Military Cemetery, Richebourg-L’Avoue, France. Son of Joseph and Isabella Wyatt, of 14, Bateson St., Newbridge Lane, Stockport.

Meanwhile in World War 2:

1940: Private Louis Brewer (Age 19) Bolton (Heaton) Cemetery, United Kingdom. Son of Louis and Rosa Brewer, of Bolton.

1945: Corporal Edwin Brown (Age 31) 1st Bn. Hamburg Cemetery, Germany. Husband of Ethel Brown, of Stalybridge, Cheshire.

Private Sidney Joseph Cawley (Age 32) 1st Bn. Becklingen War Cemetery, Germany. Son of James and Ursula Cawley, of York; Husband of Mabel Cawley, of York.

Private Bert Ronald Clements (Age 31) 1st Bn. Becklingen War Cemetery, Germany. Son of Alfred John and Elizabeth Clements, of Kingswood, Gloucestershire; husband of Cecilia Kathleen Clements, of Kingswood.

Private Edward Walker Field (Age 23) 1st Bn. Becklingen War Cemetery, Germany. Son of Charles and Dinah Field; husband of Florence Kathleen Field, of Bermondsey, London.

Captain Frederick John Francis Becklingen War Cemetery, Germany.

Private Charles Higham (Age 29) 1st Bn. Becklingen War Cemetery, Germany. Son of Charley and Annie Higham, of Liverpool.

Private George Jones (Age 19) 1st Bn. Becklingen War Cemetery, Germany.         

Lance Corporal Stanley George Lovatt (Age 25) 1st Bn. Becklingen War Cemetery, Germany.        

Private Thomas Madden (Age 29) 1st Bn. Becklingen War Cemetery, Germany.  

Private Thomas Shaw (Age 32) 1st Bn. Becklingen War Cemetery, Germany. Son of Matthew and Elizabeth Shaw; husband of Doris Shaw, of Winsford, Cheshire.

Private John Wells (Age 28) 1st Bn. Becklingen War Cemetery, Germany.

Private Cecil Alfred Whitton (Age 29) 1st Bn. Becklingen War Cemetery, Germany. Son of Frederick and Elisa Whitton; husband of Annie Whitton, of Skipton, Yorkshire.

VC Winner…

1918: John Crowe of Worcestershire Regiment in WW1, Neuve Eglise, Belgium.

1917: John Ormsby of King’s Own (Yorkshire Light Infantry) in WW1, Favet, France.

Happy birthday…

1932 – Loretta Lynn

101 years ago today 13/4/1915: Private J Worral 1st Bn. Tuileries British Cemetery, Belgium.

100 years ago today 13/4/1916: Serjeant J Bailey 8th Bn. Amara War Cemetery, Iraq.      

Private John Moore 1st Bn. Habarcq Communal Cemetery Extension, France. Son of the late John and Phoebe Moore, of Wolverhampton.

Serjeant WW Cooke 9th Bn. La Gorgue Communal Cemetery, France.     

Private WH Ellard 10th Bn. St. Sever Cemetery, Rouen, France.

VC Winner…

1855: Samuel Evans of 19th Regiment of Foot in Crimea April, Sevastopol, Crimea.

1868: James Bergin of 33rd Regiment of Foot in Abyssinian War, Battle of Magdala, Abyssinia.

1868: Michael Magner of 33rd Regiment of Foot in Abyssinian War, Battle of Magdala, Abyssinia.

1941: John Edmondson of 2/17th Battalion, AIF in WW2, Tobruk, Libya.

Also…

1861 – Fort Sumter surrenders

1970 – “Houston…we have a problem” oxygen tank explodes on Apollo 13

happy birthday…

1570 – Guy Fawkes

1866 – Butch Cassidy

1892 – Sir Arthur “Bomber” Harris

101 years ago today 12/4/1915: Private F Fawkner (Age 18) 1st/7th Bn. Macclesfield Cemetery, United Kingdom. Son of Albert and Susannah Fawkner, of 42, Coronation St., Macclesfield.

Private Peter William (Age 22) 1st Bn. Tuileries British Cemetery, Belgium. Husband of Hannah Bell, of 167, Brook St., Birkenhead.

100 years ago today 12/4/1916: Second Lieutenant Harold Mansfield (Age 22) 1st Bn. Etaples Military Cemetery, France. Son of James Taylor Mansfield and Mary Alice Mansfield, of Crewe.

Private Thomas Spencer (Age 35) 1st Bn. Habarcq Communal Cemetery Extension, France. Native of Middleton, Wirksworth, Derbyshire.

Meanwhile in World War 2:

1942: Private Frank Webb 2nd Bn. Knightsbridge War Cemetery, Acroma, Libya  .

1943: Captain William Edward Sutton Lees (Age 26) 6th Bn. Tripoli War Cemetery, Libya. Son of William and Kathleen A. Lees, of Bramhall, Cheshire.

Private Albert Thomas (Age 22) 6th Bn. Tripoli War Cemetery, Libya. Son of Frederick John and Nell Stockley, of Feltham. Middlesex.

1944: Lance Serjeant George Summer Hewitt (Age 25) 7th Bn. Beach Head War Cemetery, Anzio, Italy. Son of George Edward and Eva Eliza Hewitt, Of Hoole, Chester. Freeman of the city of Chester.

1945: Private Harry Broadley (Age 23) 1st Bn. Becklingen War Cemetery, Germany. Son of Harry and Holly Broadley, of Barnsley, Yorkshire.

Lieutenant Leslie Hilton Kershaw MID (Age 27) Groesbeek Memorial, Netherlands. Son of Wilfred and Elizabeth Edna Kershaw, of Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire.

Private Thomas Maguire (Age 26) 1st Bn. Becklingen War Cemetery, Germany. Son of T. G. and Martha H. Maguire, of Warrington, Lancashire.

Private Leonard Cyril Rookes (Age 18) 1st Bn. Becklingen War Cemetery, Germany.

Private Sam Wright (Age 18) 1st Bn. Becklingen War Cemetery, Germany. Son of Beatrice Wright, of Osmondthorpe, Leeds, Yorkshire.

VC Winner…

1917: John Cunningham of Prince of Wales’s Leinster Regiment in WW1, Bois-en-Hache, France.

1915: Robert Morrow of Royal Irish Fusiliers (Princess Victoria’s) in WW1, Messines, Belgium.

1916: Shahamad Khan of 89th Punjab Regiment in WW1, Beit Ayeesa, Mesopotamia.

1915: George Wheeler of 7th Hariana Lancers in WW1, Shaiba, Mesopotamia.

Also…

1861 – Confederates fire on Fort Sumter, Charleston…starting American Civil War

happy birthday…

1947 – Tom Clancy

101 years ago today 11/4/1915: Private M Gaff 1st Bn. Tuileries British Cemetery, Belgium.

100 years ago today 11/4/1916: Private F Dowell 1st Bn. Doullens Communal Cemetery Extension No.1, France.  

Private Christopher Cusick (Age 26) 1st Bn. Faubourg D’Amiens Cemetery, Arras, France. Son of John and Annie Cusick, of 33, Thomas St., Macclesfield, Cheshire.

Private T Hilditch 1st Bn. Faubourg D’Amiens Cemetery, Arras, France.   

Private John Stanton (Age 23) 1st Bn. Habarcq Communal Cemetery Extension, France. Son of Mary Edwards (formerly Stanton), of 224, Chester St., Birkenhead, and the late John Stanton.

Private A Hallsworth (Age 23) 16th Bn. Royal Irish Rifles Graveyard, Laventie, France. Son of Harry and Maria Hallsworth, of 4, Elizabeth St., Hyde, Cheshire.

Private GB Mann (Age 21) 16th Bn. Royal Irish Rifles Graveyard, Laventie, France. Son of Mrs. S. Farrer, of 1, Lillburn Place, Southwick-On-Wear, Sunderland.

Private JT Marsh 16th Bn. Royal Irish Rifles Graveyard, Laventie, France. Son of Mr. W. Marsh, of 6, Smithy Lane, Pensnett, Dudley.

Meanwhile in World War 2:

1943: Private John Wilson Taylor (Age 32) 2nd Bn. Ancona War Cemetery, Italy. Son of Joseph and Annie Isabella Dora Taylor, of Kendal, Westmorland.

1945: Private Alexander Barrett (Age 24) 4th Bn. Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany. Son of James Edward and Annie Barrett, of Moss Side, Manchester.

Private Arthur Leslie Freear (Age 26) 1st Bn. Becklingen War Cemetery, Germany               .

VC Winner…

1918: James Forbes-Robertson of Border Regiment in WW1, Vieux-Berquin, France.

1917: Donald MacKintosh of Seaforth Highlanders in WW1, Fampoux, France.

1917: Harold Mugford of Machine Gun Corps in WW1, Monchy-le-Preux, France.

1918: Thomas Pryce of Grenadier Guards in WW1, Vieux-Berquin, France.

1918: Joseph Woodall of Prince Consort’s Own (Rifle Brigade) in WW1, La Pannerie, France.

Also…

1961 – start of Eichmann trial in Israel

1970 – Apollo 13 launched

 1972 – “I’m sorry I haven’t a clue” first episode aired