On This Day ... 1336 & Others
Edward III launched a pre-emptive attack on Scotland before Philip VI of France's plans to reinforce his Scottish allies could be brought to fruition. With less than a thousand men, Edward hurried north towards Aberdeen, thought the most likely port for the French to head for. The Scottish troops under Murray were caught completely off guard and had to abandon their seige of Lochindurb, held for Edward by the Countess of Atholl. Having burnt Forres and Elgin, Edward reached Aberdeen on 21 July and razed it to the ground.
1855: Corporal John Ross, Royal Engineers, was put in charge of a working party to undertake the dangerous task of digging at night a siege trench close to the Russian fortifications at Sevastopol. By dawn, he and his men had established a protected position offering some security from Russian fire. For this and subsequent acts during the siege, including reconnaissance work, he received the Victoria Cross.
1940: A Channel convoy was the main focus of attacks by the Luftwaffe. Fairey Battles which had survived the debacle in France commenced attacks on German barge concentrations.
Comments
Eddie III didn't do things by halves, did he?
Posted by: SGT Jeff | July 21, 2006 6:27 PM
Good for Ross, those damn Russians are supplying the Syrians yet, we should have bombed the hell out of them years ago.
Posted by: DirtCrashr | July 22, 2006 6:49 AM
Pity Edward III isn't around today. Burning Aberdeen to the ground (and Glasgow, and Edinburgh) is just what's needed. I don't know Forres or Elgin, but they probably deserved it, and no doubt could deserve a replay today.
Posted by: Kim du Toit | July 23, 2006 3:10 PM