This date in history

[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

1940 Battle of Britain - 'The hardest day" Luftwaffe lose 69 aircraft, the RAF 68 in largest combined losses during an air battle.

Funny they didn't call it KräheEssenTag

[Mr Quatro]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna
1940 Battle of Britain - 'The hardest day" Luftwaffe lose 69 aircraft, the RAF 68 in largest combined losses during an air battle.

Anyone know how many pilots made it back home after that melee?

[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by Mr Quatro

Anyone know how many pilots made it back home after that melee?

KräheEssenTag

During the 18 August 1940, Luftwaffe units flew a total of 970 sorties over Britain: some 495 by medium bombers, 460 by fighters and 15 by reconnaissance units. Of this total, about 170 of the bomber sorties were flown on the night of 17/18 August; the remainder were flown during the daylight hours on the 18 August. Less than half of the available (or serviceable) aircraft on the Luftflotte 2 and Luftflotte 3 order of battle were involved in the action that day, so it was clear that the Luftwaffe was not greatly extended in providing forces for the offensive. Luftflotte 5 did not take any part in the fighting, although its reconnaissance aircraft were active over England and Scotland.
Altogether, the Luftwaffe lost between 69 and 71 aircraft destroyed or damaged beyond repair as a result of its operations over Britain on 18 August 1940. Of this total, 59 were lost to certain or probable action by fighters while two fell to ground fire, four to a combination of both and one collided with a British training aircraft. The remaining three crashed in German-held territory owing to technical failures. Altogether, the losses represented seven per cent of the force committed. Around 29 aircraft crashed in England. Personnel losses were 94 German crews killed, 40 captured and 25 returned with wounds. Some 27 to 31 German aircraft returned with damage.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hardest_Day

[Jimbuna]

1812 US warship Constitution defeats British warship Guerriere.

1914 German fleet bombs English coast.

1915 British liner "SS Arabic" sunk by German submarine without warning leaving Liverpool for New York; killing 44. Creates diplomatic incident.

1942 WWII: General Paulus orders German 6th Army to conquer Stalingrad.

1942 WWII: Over 4,000 Canadian and British soldiers killed, wounded or captured raiding Dieppe, France.

[Jimbuna]

1940 1st Polish squadrons fight along allies in the Battle of Britain.

1940 British PM Churchill says of Royal Air Force, "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few".

1944 Gen de Gaulle returns to France.

[Jimbuna]

1991 Conservative coup in the Soviet Union is crushed by popular resistance led by Boris Yeltsin in three days.

[Mr Quatro]

I remember that one tanks in Red Square shooting at their own palace ... what a day that was

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Mr Quatro

I remember that one tanks in Red Square shooting at their own palace ... what a day that was

Rgr that, I thought it was really surreal.

[Jimbuna]

1485 Battle of Bosworth Field - Henry Tudor's forces defeat English King Richard III during last battle in the Wars of the Roses.

1864 First Geneva Convention adopted in Geneva "for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded in Armies in the Field".

1944 Adolf Hitler orders Paris to be destroyed [or 23rd].

1944 Last transport of French Jews to nazi-Germany.

1962 Failed assassination attempt on French president Charles de Gaulle.

1963 The X-15 rocket plane achieves a world record altitude of 354,200 feet (107,960 m, 67 miles).

[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

1485 Battle of Bosworth Field - Henry Tudor's forces defeat English King Richard III during last battle in the Wars of the Roses.

Not QUITE! While Richard III might have quit 'horsin around' ("my kingdom??!!) Ol' Hank VII still had to contend for primacy and in 1487, June 15 did so at the Battle of Stoke Field. Though it is often portrayed as almost a footnote to the major battles between York and Lancaster, it may have been slightly larger than Bosworth, with much heavier casualties, possibly because of the terrain which forced the two sides into close, attritional combat. In the end, though, Henry's victory was crushing. Almost all the leading Yorkists were killed in the battle.A sizeable engagement of over 20,000 troops. The Yorkists, seeking power under an imposter son of the late Duke of Clarence (Richard's #2 brother- famously drowned in the Tower's butt of Malmsey) with professional German and Swiss mercenaries, armed with guns, were notably defeated by Lancastrian longbowmen.

Unable to retreat (with the river on three sides), the German and Swiss mercenaries fought it out. ... by the end of the battle they were "filled with arrows like Ipswich hedgehogs"

Henry-ever the politician, forgave the imposter lad, putting him to work in the royal kitchens and pardoned all rebel Irish lords-needing their support to rule in Ireland. The principle Yorkist leaders, ie the Earl of Lincoln conveniently died fighting-sparing the need for immediate executions popular at the time.... Yorkist losses were estimated at 4000; a considerable set-to by any medieval standard. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Stoke_Field http://elstonheritage.org.uk/index.php?id=23

[Jimbuna]

1799 Napoleon leaves Egypt for France en route to seize power.

1940 German Luftwaffe begins night bombing on London.

1942 Battle of Stalingrad: 600 Luftwaffe planes bomb Stalingrad (40,000 die).

1942 Last cavalry charge in history takes place at Isbushenskij, Russia; the Italian Savoia Cavalleria charges Soviet infantry

1996 Osama bin Laden issues message entitled 'A declaration of war against the Americans occupying the land of the two holy places.'

[Aktungbby]

1305: Sir William Wallace, found guilty of pissing off the Sassenach is hung, drawn, and quartered...The quarters of Wallace’s body were sent to Berwick, Newcastle upon Tyne, Stirling and Perth to show the price of treason. Wallace’s head was spiked above London Bridge. Edward (Longshanks) thought this humiliating death would be the end of the matter - that Wallace would be forgotten. He was wrong. Mel Gibson, himself a 'man of many parts' came along to set the record straight....exhibiting considerable but enjoyable "FREEDOM" with the facts-(and five Oscars): http://www.angelfire.com/rebellion/historicalheros/historyvsbraveheart.html

[Mr Quatro]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

1996 Osama bin Laden issues message entitled 'A declaration of war against the Americans occupying the land of the two holy places.'

Sad figure in world history, uh? They said that the cost of training and supporting the 9/11 attacks directed by bin Laden cost less than one million dollars.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Mr Quatro

Sad figure in world history, uh? They said that the cost of training and supporting the 9/11 attacks directed by bin Laden cost less than one million dollars.

They did get him in the end though so full credit for that.

[Jimbuna]

1949 North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) goes into effect.