On This Day ... in 1367 & Others
The French having intervened in the Castilian civil war on the side of Henry of Trastamara, an English-Gascon force under the Black Prince was dispatched to back his rival brother Pedro the Cruel. At stake was control of the Castilian fleet, which had previously threatened English shipping in the Channel. At Najera, near Burgos, the Black Prince attacked the Franco-Spanish army, his vanguard under Sir John Chandos and John of Gaunt advancing under covering fire from their longbowmen. The Prince followed up their attack with his main force, dismounted. This broke part of the French lines, and the English rearguard, under the Count of Armagnac and Sir Hugh Calveley, completed the rout with a devastating mounted charge. Henry of Trastamara escaped, but the French commanders Bertrand du Guesclin and d'Audrehem were captured along with the Grand Masters of the Military Orders of Santiago and Calatrava. True to his nickname, Pedro had to be dissuaded by the Prince from executing his captives. Pedro was installed on the Castilian throne, but was overthrown and killed two years later.
1858: British and loyal Indian troops under Major-General Sir Hugh Rose stormed the city of Jhansi during the Indian Mutiny - its female ruler, the Rani, had proved one of the most capable of the rebel leaders. Six Victoria Crosses were won that day: Bombardier Brennan; Private Pearson; Captain Jerome; Private Byrne; Private Whirlpool; and Corporal Sleavon.
1917: On the Western Front, a valuable battery of German artillery had been abandoned in the open during a withdrawal, but was kept under constant fire by German troops. Major Lumsden, Royal Marine Artillery, volunteered to lead a party to secure the six guns and bring them back to the British lines. This was eventually achieved despite suffering casualties. Lumsden himself ran the gauntlet of fire three times, and remained exposed until the last gun had been got clear. He was awarded the Victoria Cross for his gallant leadership.
1944: The Fleet Air Arm mounted a major airstrike against the Tirpitz, sheltering in Altenfjord. Fourteen hits were secured, putting the battleship out of action for three months.
1945: At Lingen, an important bridge over the Ems had been prepared for demolition by the Germans. A company of Coldstream Guards commanded by Captain Liddell was ordered to take the bridge intact. Liddell went forward alone under very heavy fire, managed to climb over a ten-foot high roadblock and disconnected the fuse wires at the near end. He ran across the bridge, still under intense fire, and disconnected the fuses at the German end. To be sure, he climbed under the bridge and disconnected the wires to the charges placed there. Finally he returned to the roadblock, climbed on it to be seen better, and summoned his men forward. Liddell was awarded the Victoria Cross, but was killed in action shortly afterwards on 21 April during the final days of the war.
1982: Following the invasion of the Falklands, Argentine forces landed on South Georgia, defended by a small party of Royal Marines under Lieutenant Keith Mills and Sergeant Leach. The Royal Marines eventually surrendered after inflicting significant losses on their opponents, including damaging a corvette with an anti-tank round.