Lindisfarne
Vikings raided Lindisfarne on the 8th of June, 793, the beginning of Norse activity in the British Isles. It marked a pivotal moment in European history, often cited as the dawn of the Viking Age. This brutal incursion on a small island off the northeast coast of...
The First Crusade
On the 7th of June, 1099, during the First Crusade, the Siege of Jerusalem began. This siege not only symbolised the efforts of the crusaders to reclaim the Holy Land from Muslim rule but also embodied the religious fervour and military prowess of the time. The roots...
Battle of Midway
The 6th of June is, of course, famous for D-Day and the opening of Operation Overlord. My father landed in Normandy on D-Day +1, as I have already posted. But another vitally important battle was waged in the Pacific Ocean from the 4th to the 7th of June, 1942, the...
Orient Express
Wikipedia tells me that on the 5th of June, 1883, the first scheduled Orient Express departed from Paris to Vienna. The first item ticked off our bucket list when Claire and I retired was to take that fabulous train from Paris to Istanbul, and Interrail our way home....
Emily Davison
It was on the 4th of June, 1913, that Emily Davison ran in front of King George V’s horse, Anmer, at the Derby. Emily Wilding Davison, a name synonymous with courage and determination, was a formidable figure in the women's suffrage movement in the early 20th century....
Wallis Simpson
On the 3rd of June, 1937, the Duke of Windsor married Wallis Simpson. The marriage of the Duke of Windsor, formerly King Edward VIII, and Wallis Simpson is one of the most infamous romances in modern history. Their union was not just a personal affair but one that had...
Siege of Antioch
There was a breakthrough in the Siege of Antioch on the 2nd of June, 1098. The Siege of Antioch, a pivotal episode during the First Crusade, is as fascinating in its complexity and strategic importance as it is in the sheer audacity of its execution. Taking place from...
Whisky
On the 1st of June, 1495, a monk by the name of John Cor recorded the first written mention of Scotch whisky. I have posted several times on Mary Queen of Scots and other Scottish historical events and people, but now it is time to discuss the spirit. Whisky, a...
Jutland
The Battle of Jutland began on the 31st of May, 1916. This engagement involved the British Royal Navy’s Grand Fleet, commanded by Admiral Sir John Jellicoe, and the Imperial German Navy’s High Seas Fleet, led by Vice-Admiral Reinhard Scheer. Although the battle was...
Lindisfarne
Vikings raided Lindisfarne on the 8th of June, 793, the beginning of Norse activity in the British Isles. It marked a pivotal moment in European history, often cited as the dawn of the Viking Age. This brutal incursion on a small island off the northeast coast of...
The First Crusade
On the 7th of June, 1099, during the First Crusade, the Siege of Jerusalem began. This siege not only symbolised the efforts of the crusaders to reclaim the Holy Land from Muslim rule but also embodied the religious fervour and military prowess of the time. The roots...
Battle of Midway
The 6th of June is, of course, famous for D-Day and the opening of Operation Overlord. My father landed in Normandy on D-Day +1, as I have already posted. But another vitally important battle was waged in the Pacific Ocean from the 4th to the 7th of June, 1942, the...
Orient Express
Wikipedia tells me that on the 5th of June, 1883, the first scheduled Orient Express departed from Paris to Vienna. The first item ticked off our bucket list when Claire and I retired was to take that fabulous train from Paris to Istanbul, and Interrail our way home....
Emily Davison
It was on the 4th of June, 1913, that Emily Davison ran in front of King George V’s horse, Anmer, at the Derby. Emily Wilding Davison, a name synonymous with courage and determination, was a formidable figure in the women's suffrage movement in the early 20th century....
Wallis Simpson
On the 3rd of June, 1937, the Duke of Windsor married Wallis Simpson. The marriage of the Duke of Windsor, formerly King Edward VIII, and Wallis Simpson is one of the most infamous romances in modern history. Their union was not just a personal affair but one that had...
Siege of Antioch
There was a breakthrough in the Siege of Antioch on the 2nd of June, 1098. The Siege of Antioch, a pivotal episode during the First Crusade, is as fascinating in its complexity and strategic importance as it is in the sheer audacity of its execution. Taking place from...
Whisky
On the 1st of June, 1495, a monk by the name of John Cor recorded the first written mention of Scotch whisky. I have posted several times on Mary Queen of Scots and other Scottish historical events and people, but now it is time to discuss the spirit. Whisky, a...
Jutland
The Battle of Jutland began on the 31st of May, 1916. This engagement involved the British Royal Navy’s Grand Fleet, commanded by Admiral Sir John Jellicoe, and the Imperial German Navy’s High Seas Fleet, led by Vice-Admiral Reinhard Scheer. Although the battle was...