Rorke’s Drift
On the 23rd of January, 1879, the Battle of Rorke’s Drift ended. It is depicted in the classic 1964 film Zulu, directed by Cy Endfield, and starring Michael Cane, Stanley Baker, Jack Hawkins, Ulla Jacobssen and many others. The Battle of Rorke’s Drift, fought on the...
Tobruk
On the 22nd of January, 1941, Tobruk was captured from the Italians by British and Commonwealth forces during the Western Desert campaign of World War Two. Although Tobruk features on my father’s battle honours, that was the 1942 battle in which we retook it from the...
RMS Tayleur
On the 21st of January, 1854, RMS Tayleur sank on her maiden voyage near Lambey Island on her maiden voyage from Liverpool to Australia. The RMS Tayleur was a British iron-hulled sailing ship whose disastrous maiden voyage in January 1854 resulted in one of the worst...
Charles I
On the 20th of January, 1649, proceedings began in the High Court of Justice in the trial of King Charles I. Charles was not born to be king, but his elder brother Henry Frederick died of typhoid, at the age of 18, in 1612. In addition to succeeding Henry as king,...
Jan Palach
It was on the 19th of January, 1969, that Jan Palach died. I was ten years old. I have recently read John Le Carré’s George Smiley series, which deals with what the West knew as the Cold War. Jim Prideaux was Le Carré’s character who dealt with Czechoslovakia. I...
Kaiser Wilhelm I
On the 18th of January, 1871, Wilhelm I of Germany was proclaimed Kaiser Wilhelm in the Hall of Mirrors of the Palace of Versailles towards the end of the Franco-Prussian War. Kaiser Wilhelm I (1797–1888), born Prince Wilhelm of Prussia, was the first German Emperor...
Prohibition
On the 17th of January, 1920, the Volstead Act came into effect in the United States of America introducing the prohibition of alcohol. The Volstead Act, formally known as the National Prohibition Act of 1919, was the legislative backbone of America’s great national...
First Tsar of Russia
On the 16th of January, 1547, Grand Duke Ivan IV of Muscovy became the first Tsar of Russia. Ivan’s early life was shaped by trauma and instability. Born to Grand Duke Vasily III and Elena Glinskaya, he inherited the throne at just three years old. When his mother...
Cade’s Legacy
I have a title for the sixth book in the Sir Anthony Standen Adventures, and today I wrote the first scene. I’m calling it Cade’s Legacy. I described my progress in my last update. But it feels real now. I have started the scrivener file, added character sketches, and...
Rorke’s Drift
On the 23rd of January, 1879, the Battle of Rorke’s Drift ended. It is depicted in the classic 1964 film Zulu, directed by Cy Endfield, and starring Michael Cane, Stanley Baker, Jack Hawkins, Ulla Jacobssen and many others. The Battle of Rorke’s Drift, fought on the...
Tobruk
On the 22nd of January, 1941, Tobruk was captured from the Italians by British and Commonwealth forces during the Western Desert campaign of World War Two. Although Tobruk features on my father’s battle honours, that was the 1942 battle in which we retook it from the...
RMS Tayleur
On the 21st of January, 1854, RMS Tayleur sank on her maiden voyage near Lambey Island on her maiden voyage from Liverpool to Australia. The RMS Tayleur was a British iron-hulled sailing ship whose disastrous maiden voyage in January 1854 resulted in one of the worst...
Charles I
On the 20th of January, 1649, proceedings began in the High Court of Justice in the trial of King Charles I. Charles was not born to be king, but his elder brother Henry Frederick died of typhoid, at the age of 18, in 1612. In addition to succeeding Henry as king,...
Jan Palach
It was on the 19th of January, 1969, that Jan Palach died. I was ten years old. I have recently read John Le Carré’s George Smiley series, which deals with what the West knew as the Cold War. Jim Prideaux was Le Carré’s character who dealt with Czechoslovakia. I...
Kaiser Wilhelm I
On the 18th of January, 1871, Wilhelm I of Germany was proclaimed Kaiser Wilhelm in the Hall of Mirrors of the Palace of Versailles towards the end of the Franco-Prussian War. Kaiser Wilhelm I (1797–1888), born Prince Wilhelm of Prussia, was the first German Emperor...
Prohibition
On the 17th of January, 1920, the Volstead Act came into effect in the United States of America introducing the prohibition of alcohol. The Volstead Act, formally known as the National Prohibition Act of 1919, was the legislative backbone of America’s great national...
First Tsar of Russia
On the 16th of January, 1547, Grand Duke Ivan IV of Muscovy became the first Tsar of Russia. Ivan’s early life was shaped by trauma and instability. Born to Grand Duke Vasily III and Elena Glinskaya, he inherited the throne at just three years old. When his mother...
Cade’s Legacy
I have a title for the sixth book in the Sir Anthony Standen Adventures, and today I wrote the first scene. I’m calling it Cade’s Legacy. I described my progress in my last update. But it feels real now. I have started the scrivener file, added character sketches, and...