On this day...

Withnail

Well-Known Forumite
..in 1066 the Battle of Hastings is about to start with an opening volley of arrows from some 1000 archers.
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
Wikipedia said:
In 1863, Jules Verne wrote a novel called Paris in the 20th Century about a young man who lives in a world of glass skyscrapers, high-speed trains, gas-powered automobiles, calculators, and a worldwide communications network, yet cannot find happiness and comes to a tragic end. Hetzel thought the novel's pessimism would damage Verne's then booming career, and suggested he wait 20 years to publish it. Verne put the manuscript in a safe, where it was discovered by his great-grandson in 1989. It was published in 1994.
 

Mr X

Well-Known Forumite
1811 - Robert Bunsen was born. Chemistry lessons would have been a lot less fun without his most famous invention...
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
.. in 1960, Joseph Kittinger stepped out - at 102,800 feet.

220px-Kittinger-jump.jpg


51 years on and nobody's been anywhere near it since, although there have been recent attempts..
 

Withnail

Well-Known Forumite
... in 1066

Gate Fulford - the first of three battles that will change a nation.

Our boy Edwin, Earl of Mercia, his brother Morcar and the Housecarls and fyrds of Mercia and Northumbria face an invasionary force of Norwegians led by Harald Hardrada(Hard-ruler).

Sequence of battle.

Not for the last time facing the Norwegians, our boys take a hell of a beating…
 

Withnail

Well-Known Forumite
… in 1066.

Stamford Bridge – Round Two…

After receiving the news from Fulford, Harold Godwinson has spent the last four days marching his army from the south coast to York to face Hardrada.

The Norwegians, believing the English to be several days march away and having left their armour with their ships, await the submission of the men of York. Instead they see Harold’s army hastening toward them in full war-gear.

To cut a long story short, Hardrada dies with an arrow to the wind-pipe and the Norwegians are heartily spanked. Of the 300 ships that brought the invasionary force to England, just 24 take the survivors home.
 

Stevieb

Well-Known Forumite
1969 -
John Lennon recorded "Cold Turkey." The backing band included Eric Clapton, Yoko Ono, Ringo Starr and Klaus Voorman.
 

gilbert grape

Well-Known Forumite
1493 - Christopher Columbus left Spain with 17 ships on his second voyage to the Western Hemisphere.


Just an old fashioned show off! My armada's bigger than yours!!
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
.. in 1936 the Supermarine Spitfire flew for the first time, which was possibly not as much of a surprise as it was when they shot this video.


Audio is NSFW!
 

Withnail

Well-Known Forumite
A day late, by pesky time -

...2012 Aung San Suu Kyi wins seat in Burmese Parliament.

On this day.
 

Jonah

Spouting nonsense since the day I learned to talk
1993: Grand National ends in 'shambles'. Esha Ness, ridden by John White and trained by Jenny Pitma,n crossed the line first but the race was declared null and void due to protestors on the track at the start.
 

Withnail

Well-Known Forumite
... by all (some) accounts, the George that we know as St. was broken on a wheel of knives, buried alive and had boiling lead poured down his throat. Like some kind of martyr, these were nothing to him, three times did he rise against these botherations.

Eventually his head was removed from his body, and regardless of those other three, let's face it, quite reliable ways of despatching someone you are not overly fond of, the head removal seemed to do the trick.

Justly reverenced among men, regardless of his actions being known only to God, and being the Patron Saint of not only England but the Scout movement, the Syphilitic, all Soldiers and of Sheep - to truly celebrate Saint George's Day we must -

a) find the most syphilitic woman we can find, the older the better
b) help her across a perilous road
c) stab her with our valiant swords
d) eat a lamb chop in her honour

Happy St. George's Day one and all :)
 
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