100 years ago today 26/12/1915: Remembering Private Joseph Brassey 9th Bn. Merville Communal Cemetery, France. Son of Joseph Brassey, of Thornton Hough, Birkenhead.

Meanwhile in World War 2:

26/12/1941: Lance Corporal Frank Connor (Age 28) 2nd Bn. Khayat Beach War Cemetery, Israel and Palestine (including Gaza)    .

26/12/1943: Corporal Francis Richardson (Age 32) 30th Bn. Radstock (St. Nicholas) Churchyard Extension, United Kingdom. Son of Francis and Elizabeth Maud Richardson; husband of Gwendoline May Richardson, of Radstock.

“A devoted husband and father. Gone but not forgotten.”

also today…

1943 – Scharnhorst sunk off Norway

1944 – Bastogne releived

happy birthday….

1887 – Arthur Percival British General of WW2….survived first day of battle of the Somme (1/7/1916), went on to command troops in Singapore in 1941, in time to surrender.

98 years ago today 23/12/1917: Remembering Private Walter Hallworth 8th Bn. Basra Memorial, Iraq.

Private HR Bithell 10th Bn. Gosforth (St. Nicholas) Churchyard, United Kingdom.

Meanwhile in World War 2:

23/12/1940: Private Albert Edward Trueman (Age 35) 4th Bn. Worksop (Retford Road) Cemetery, United Kingdom. Son of John Edward and Clara Trueman, of Worksop; husband of Annie Elizabeth Trueman, of Worksop.

23/12/1941: Private Ronald Yates (Age 23) 1st Bn. Pembroke Military Cemetery, Malta. Son of Charles and Jane M. Yates, of Buglawton, Cheshire.

also today…

1968 – 82 crew members of USS Pueblo released by North Korea

100 years ago today 22/12/1915: Remembering Private A Pratt 11th Bn. Etaples Military Cemetery, France.

1894 – start of the Dreyfus affair with his (Alfred’s) conviction for treason

1944 – “nuts” General McAuliffe’s response on calls to surrender in Bastogne (Battle of the Bulge)

Happy birthday

1948 – Noel Edmonds (“Saturday Morning Swap Shop”)

In WW1 Remembering:

21/12/1914: Private Harry Turner (Age 19) 1st Bn. St. Peter-In-Thanet Churchyard, United Kingdom. Son of Tom Cyrus Turner and Mary Jane Turner, of Altrincham, Cheshire.

21/12/1917: Private WE Roberts 21st Bn. Hamburg Cemetery, Germany.

21/12/1918: Private C Sherratt 2nd Bn. Congleton (St. Stephen) Churchyard, United Kingdom.

21/12/1918: Private H Sherwood 1st Bn. Hamburg Cemetery, Germany.

Meanwhile in World War 2:

21/12/1943: Second Lieutenant Victor William Wood (Age 26) Sangro River War Cemetery, Italy. Son of Irene Ruth Wood; husband of Marjorie Alice Wood, of Chorlton-Cum-Hardy, Manchester.

also today…

1988 – Lockerbie bombin Pan Am flight 103 (killing 270)

happy birthday…

1804 – Benjamin Disraeli

1917 – Heinrich Boll

1948 – Samuel L Jackson

1957 – Ray Romano

and we lost…..

1945 – George S Patton (US General)

1957 – Eric Coates (English composer and writer of “Dam Busters” theme)

100 years ago today 20/12/1915: Remembering Private Walter William Whittaker 1st/7th Bn. Helles MemoriaL, Turkey (including Gallipoli).

also today…

69AD – Vespasian enters Rome as emporer (have you read the excellent books by Robert Fabbri?)

1924 – Adolf Hiler gets out of prison after Beer Hall Putsch (mmmm I wonder how that will turn out)

happy birthday…

1894 – Robert Menzies (former PM of Australia)

1901 – Robert J Van de Graff (he of the generator)

1926 – Geoffrey Howe (former UK MP)

1946 – Uri Geller (the spoon bender)

1946 – John Spencer (Leo Mcgarry in “West Wing”)

1952 – Jenny Agutter (I tell you, the films I watched her in were wonderful)

1957 – Billy Bragg

and we lost…

1937 – Erich Ludendorff (German WW1 general)

1996 – Carl Sagan (astronomer)

100 years ago today 19/12/1915: Remembering Second Lieutenant William Robert St. Clair Warrick 1st/4th Bn. Alexandria (Chatby) Military And War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt

Private George Wright (Age 24) 10th Bn. Hyde Park Corner (Royal Berks) Cemetery, Belgium. Husband of Mabel Wright, of 35, Thomas St., Congleton.

and happy birthday Ricky Pointing (“Punter”)

100 years ago today 18/12/1915: Remembering Serjeant William Maddocks (Age 37) 8th Bn. Hale Cemetery, United Kingdom. Husband of Florence Maddocks, of 14, Oakfield St., Altrincham.

Private Harold Hancock (Age 23) 10th Bn. Hyde Park Corner (Royal Berks) Cemetery, Belgium. Son of Mr. and Mrs. S. Hancock, of 21, Fowls Place, Nrthwich, Cheshire.

Meanwhile in World War 2:

18/12/1939: Private Frederick Slade (Age 20) 5th Bn. Helsby Cemetery, United Kingdom. Son of William Thomas Slade and Nancy Slade, of Helsby.

18/12/1943: Private Egbert Keall (Age 25) 7th Bn. Sangro River War Cemetery, Italy. Son of John and Margaret Keall, of Gateshead, Co. Durham.

also today…

218BC – battle of Trebia in Second Punic War: Hannibal beat Romans

1916 – end of battel of Verdun

happy birthday…

1878 – Joseph Stalin

1946 – Steven Speilberg (BTW thanks for ‘Jaws’, ‘Schindlers List’ and ‘Saving Private Ryan’)

1954 – Ray Liotta (great in ‘Goodfellas’)

1963 – Brad Pitt (‘Snatch’)

and we lost…

2000 – Kirsty MacColl

100 years ago today 17/12/1915: Remembering Lance Corporal  Walter Long (Age 38) 1st Bn. St. Sever Cemetery, Rouen, France. Son of Patrick and Esther Long, of Hyde; husband of S. H. Long, of 43, Hallbottom St., Newton, Hyde.

Meanwhile in World War 2:

17/12/1939: Private Joseph Glyn Clarke (Age 22) 1st Bn. Khartoum War Cemetery, Sudan. Son of William and Elizabeth Knappett, of Churton, Cheshire.

17/12/1940: Private William Henry Blease (Age 20) 5th Bn. Northwich Cemetery, United Kingdom. Son of Harry and Ellen Blease, of Greenbank, Northwich.

17/12/1944: Serjeant Walter George Burwell (Age 27) Darlington North Cemetery, United Kingdom. Husband of Elnora Burwell, of Darlington.

17/12/1946: Serjeant A Latham (Age 44) Rome War Cemetery, Italy. Son of John and Elizabeth Latham; husband of Selina Latham of Leicester.

also of interest (well, to me anyway..)….

1903: Wright brothers make first controlled flight….

1939: Admiral Graf Spee scuttled by Captain Langsdorff

1944: Malmedy massacre US POWs murdered