This day in history

[Richard Frost]

04 October 1883

The Orient Express departs on its first official journey from Paris to Istanbul

[macliam]

04 October 1883

The Orient Express departs on its first official journey from Paris to Istanbul

1582 - Pope Gregory reforms the calendar introduced by Julius Caesar in 45BC, so 4 October is followed by 15 October causing riots over the "lost days".

1693 - The "Irish Brigade" of the French army fights successfully at Marsaglia, one of the first instances of a bayonet charge by infantry and where Hussars were first used western Europe.

In the liturgical calendar, today is the feast day of St. Francis. Traditionally, many people have their pets blessed in honour of the patron saint of all animals.

[Richard Frost]

1995 Astronomers discover 51 Pegasi is the second star known to have a planet orbiting it.

1987 Fiji becomes a republic independent of the British Commonwealth.

1981 Egyptian president Anwar el-Sadat is assassinated in Cairo by Islamic fundamentalists. He is succeeded by Vice President Hosni Mubarak.

1973 Israel is taken by surprise when Egypt, Syria, Iraq and Jordan attack on the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur, beginning the Yom Kippur War.

[macliam]

1995 Astronomers discover 51 Pegasi is the second star known to have a planet orbiting it.

1987 Fiji becomes a republic independent of the British Commonwealth.

1981 Egyptian president Anwar el-Sadat is assassinated in Cairo by Islamic fundamentalists. He is succeeded by Vice President Hosni Mubarak.

1973 Israel is taken by surprise when Egypt, Syria, Iraq and Jordan attack on the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur, beginning the Yom Kippur War.

October 6

1175 - In the Treaty of Windsor, Rory O'Connor recognized HenryII of England as his overlord and agrees to collect tribute for him in all parts of Ireland. Henry agrees O'Connor is king of all areas not conquered by the Normans. Therefore Henty is "gifted" Ireland by one who doesn't own it and in return is made King by someone who does not own it.......O'Connor failed to control territories assigned to him and Henry and his barons further annex land without consulting him. This is the "legal basis" for the conquest and colonization of Ireland.

1891 - Death of Charles Stewart Parnell, often called the "Uncrowned King of Ireland". A champion of tenants rights, co-founder of the Land League and was leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party from 1882 to 1891. His party held the balance of power in the House of Commons and advanced the debate on Irish Home Rule.

[Richard Frost]

7 October 2001

The US invasion of Afghanistan starts with an air assault and covert operations on the ground

[macliam]

7 October 2001

The US invasion of Afghanistan starts with an air assault and covert operations on the ground

1919 - A British Cabinet committee is appointed to consider Irish self government, given the end of WW1 and the revision of the previously passed but deferred Home Rule bill.

1935 - Birth of Thomas Kineally, Irish-Australian author of Schindler’s List.

2002 - Ian Paisley’s DUP withraws two ministers from the Assembly, prompting a crisis with the GFA.

[Richard Frost]

8th October 1952

The Harrow and Wealdstone Rail Crash occurred at Harrow and Wealdstone Station in Middlesex. Three trains collided in the early morning rush hour, resulting in the loss of 112 people with 340 injured and 88 needing to be detained in hospital.

A local train carrying approximately 800 passengers was running seven minutes late due to fog. The Perth Express hit the local train from the rear at a speed of 50-60 mph, having passed a coloured light signal and two semaphore signals set to danger, bursting through trailing points of the cross over from the slow lines set for the local train. The local train was driven forward 20 yards and the three rear coaches were telescoped, destroying them. The first two vans and three coaches of the Perth train piled up behind and above the local train.

The wreckage from the first collision spread across the adjacent line and a few seconds after the first collision, the northbound express to Liverpool, travelling at about 60 mph, struck the derailed Perth train resulting in the first two carriages of the Liverpool train mounting the platform.

1967 Guerrilla, Che Guevara captured in Bolivia.

[macliam]

8th October

1962 - Kerrygold butter is first launched on the world market by An Bord Bainne (The Irish Dairy Board) in North West England.

1999 - A monument to the memory of James Magennis VC was finally unveiled in his native Belfast. He was a diver and took part on the midget submarine attack on the Tirpitz in Norway, for which he was mentioned in dispatches Then in July 1945 he mined the Japanese cruiser Takao in Singapore harbour, for which he was awarded a VC, the only recipient in WW2 from NI.

[Richard Frost]

1971 London Bridge, built in 1831 and dismantled in 1967, reopens in Lake Havusu City, Arizona, after being sold to Robert P. McCulloch and moved to the United States.

[blythburgh]

1971 London Bridge, built in 1831 and dismantled in 1967, reopens in Lake Havusu City, Arizona, after being sold to Robert P. McCulloch and moved to the United States.

Not sure how true it is by I have heard numerous times they thought they were buying Tower Bridge. Maybe the truth is the buyer knew but the USA media did not know the difference