1885: The Naval Nursing Service was formed. The Service became Queen Alexandria's Royal Naval Nursing Service in 1902.

1918: The Royal Air Force was formed, the world's first independent air arm, from the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service. The decision followed the perceived failure to defend the British Isles from German air attack.

1924: The Fleet Air Arm was formed, although it remained under the control of the RAF at this time.

1941: The air force operating in Sudan under Air Commodore Sowrey against the Italian East African empire formed a Close Support Flight from South African Air Force Gladiator and Hartbeest biplanes; RAF doctrine at the time normally deplored such a use of air power. Despite the limited capabilities of the aircraft, they provided invaluable assistance to General Cunningham's troops as they advanced north. A particular innovation was the deployment of the flight commander on the ground with the leading troops to provide precise coordination. The system would be gradually developed to reach its apogee with the huge 2nd Tactical Air Force providing support to the ground forces during the liberation of North-West Europe in 1944-5.

Churchill instructed Wavell to not hesitate to implement a full blockade on French Somaliland and its port, Djibouti.

1942: The United States Army began the mass evacuation of all people of Japanese ancestry from the Pacific Coast

The Japanese Combined Fleet Headquarters submits a draft of an operational plan for the Second Phase of operations, in which the Aleutian Operation (AL-GO) will be followed by a Midway Operation

The Pacific War Council held its first meeting at Washington. Presided over by President Roosevelt, it was attended by representatives of Great Britain, Australia, Canada, China, the Netherlands, New Zealand and the Philippines.

As a result of the immense loss in shipping along the US eastern seaboard, since January 1942, the US authorities instituted a partial convoying system, known as the "Bucket Brigade." It meant that ships would sail in convoy as close to the coast as possible during daylight hours and anchor in protected harbours at night. Due to the shortage of escort vessels, continuous convoying was possible and the "Bucket Brigade" system did not apply to the Caribbean or Gulf of Mexico sea areas.

1944: Aircraft launched from Task Force 58 commenced an all-out attack against Woleai Atoll and a minor raid on Ulithi Atoll in the Caroline Islands. This concluded three days of attacks against targets in the western Carolines including the Palau Islands.

During these three days, the USN estimated that the Japanese lost 150 aircraft in the air and at sea two destroyers, four escort ships and several auxiliary and merchant vessels, totalling some 130,000 tons of shipping. Aerial mines were also dropped in the main fleet anchorage in the Palau Islands, which blocked it for six weeks.

US losses were 58 aircraft and 18 airmen.

1945: Operation Iceberg the invasion of Okinawa began. Admiral Turner with TF 51 deployed some 1200 transport and landing ships, 450,000 soldiers and Marines.

The III Amphibious and XXIV Corps of General Buckner's 10th Army landed in the Hangushi area on the south west side of Okinawa against no resistance. They secured a beachhead of 3 miles by 9 miles by nightfall. Kadena and Yontan Airfields are also captured. US TF 58; British TF 57; and TF 54 (Heavy ships) were also involved.

The USS West Virginia and HMS Indomitable received damage from Kamikaze raids.

1964: The Ministry of Defence was established, combining in a single Department of State the functions of the Admiralty, the War Office and the Air Ministry.