On This Day ... in 1541 & Others
Francis I, King of France, signed a commission to begin colonisation of North America
In 1524, Francis assisted the citizens of Lyon in financing the expedition of Giovanni da Verrazzano to North America; on this expedition, Verrazzano claimed Newfoundland for the French crown. In 1534, Francis sent Jacques Cartier to explore the St. Lawrence River in Quebec to find certaines îles et pays où l'on dit qu'il se doit trouver grande quantité d'or et autres riches choses ("certain islands and lands where it is said there must be great quantities of gold and other riches") & in 1541, Jean-François de la Roque de Roberval was sent to settle Canada and to provide for the spread of "the Holy Catholic faith."
1559: Queen Elizabeth I was crowned in Westminster Abbey
1859: At an action at Maylah Gat during the Indian Mutiny, two privates of the Black Watch - Millar & Cook - took charge of their company when the officer & sergeant fell casualties, & were awarded the Victoria Cross.
At another fight at Chichumbah, Captain Clogstoun led a charge of only eight Indian sepoys against a force of mutineers. Although only he & one of his men survived the attack, they succeeded in driving their opponents off & forced them to leave behind much that they had looted from the town. Clogstoun also received the Victoria Cross.
1942: Lieutenant Goodman RNVR was awarded the George Cross for his bravery in dismantling an unexploded Italian torpedo of unusual design, fitted with a self-destruct mechanism.
1944: Australian troops took the last remaining Japanese stronghold on the Huon peninsula in New Guinea, destroying their 20th Division.