.....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/d...31/default.stm

An interesting story from Nepal......

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/d...00/3987183.stm

Rome liberation day among other interesting events on this day. One thing that didn't get a mention, was the fact that it was my Dads birthday (1913) :D

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/d.../5/default.stm

I can remember my Dad, who was in Italy at the time, not being overly impressed with General Mark Clark. He'd been ordered to cut off Kesselring's Army which was moving north following the Battle of Monte Casino, but decided to go for Rome instead. Kesselring was able to extract his army and build another defensive line in Northern Italy which pretty much stalemated the war in that country.

My Old Man referred to Clark with a word that rhymes with banker.

Similar weather patterns today to 5th June 1944. The lull this year is expected on Wednesday, though.

No one was impressed with Clarks glory seeking escapade which did nothing to shorten the war. Even the Americans weren't happy with his actions.

Probably the biggest day in military history.....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/d.../6/default.stm

Yes there will probably never be an amphibious landing on that scale again. Not far from where I live in Bude there is a monument on the promenade overlooking the harbour to the American Rangers who trained for D Day in the area. They had the unenviable task of scaling the cliffs at Pointe du Hoc in order to attack the heavy guns there.

The cliffs in this part of Cornwall are similar and were ideal for training. I've pottered about on them myself and they're not easy. To think of climbing them under fire is a very grim business, but those lads did it.

Two big events on this day. The Battle of Midway, and the day that Tony Blair got handbagged by the Women's Institute :)


http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/d.../7/default.stm

The first time the Decca system was used was on the 6th June, there were only twenty sets available for the invasion fleet craft that were being used as Guide vessels which included the HDML 'Medusa'.

There is also a monument on Slapton Sands.

It's hard to think of what more could have gone wrong with that operation. (Tiger.) I suppose the only consolation, and it certainly isn't much to the families of those who lost their lives, is that the mistakes that were made were rectified for the actual D Day landings.
One would hope so anyway. :(

Sir Galahad bombed on this day. RIP

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/d.../8/default.stm

*****

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/d...25/default.stm

They still had warning signs about live ammunition on parts of Slapton Sands for many years, certainly as late as 1975. A Sherman tank lost off the beaches at Slapton during the Operation Tiger exercise was salvaged and preserved as a monument at Torcross.

Welsh Miners deaths & Maggie T retires....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/d...28/default.stm

Two fathers each with a son. Terrible and always prompts the question as to why the pit communities fought so hard to keep such a ghastly business.

Surely not coal gas but methane or 'fire damp'. Coal gas is largely H2 and CO mixture produced by heating coal (usually by man but I suppose it might result from an underground fire) AKA 'town gas'.

Samuel Johnson said “A man in a jail has more room, better food, and commonly better company.” when referring to a life at sea. That blows this site out of the water, but we do love it. I also think you answer the question when you say "pit communities". My Grandad was a coal miner till he lost the fingers on his right hand in an accident. He did live in a community, and that was a help to him.

I have no doubt about community but then again so is the Bethlem Hospital.

A better known comment: “No man will be a sailor who has contrivance enough to get himself into a jail; for being in a ship is being in a jail, with the chance of being drowned.”

Mind you he is also supposed to have defined "buggery" as a tem of endearment amongst seafaring folk.