London Schools in Wartime- School Life in London, England, 1941

A teacher leads a large group of children out of the entrance of Old Woolwich Road School in Greenwich, London. The children are crossing the playground in a line two abrest and all carry their gas masks. The school

#onthisday 17 May 1756 – Seven Years' War formally begins when Great Britain declares war on France.

The Seven Years' War (1756–1763) was a global conflict involving most of the European great powers, fought primarily in Europe & the Americas. One of the opposing alliances was

#onthisday 17 May 1590 – Anne of Denmark is crowned Queen of Scotland.

Anne of Denmark (12 December 1574 – 2 March 1619) was the wife of King James VI and I.

She was Queen of Scotland from their marriage on 20 August 1589 & Queen of England & Ireland from the union of the

#onthisday 17 May 1536 – Henry VIII & Anne Boleyn's marriage is annulled.

Henry married Anne Boleyn on
25 January 1533.

On 7 September, Anne gave birth to the future Queen Elizabeth I. Henry was disappointed to have a daughter, but hoped a son would follow & professed to love

#onthisday 17 May 1536 – George Boleyn, 2nd Viscount Rochford & four other men are executed for treason.

George Boleyn was accused of incest with his sister Anne during the period of her trial for high treason, as a result of which both were executed.

The four others implicated

#onthisday 17 May 1521 – Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham, is executed for treason.

Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham (b.3 February 1478) was an English nobleman. He was the son of Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham, & Katherine Woodville, & nephew of Elizabeth

Remembering Second Lieutenant George Richard Murray Udny 🇬🇧

2nd Battalion, Gordon Highlanders.

Death: 17 May 1915, At Festubert, Western Front.

#lestweforget #remembrance #britishhistory #Britisharmy #gordonhighlanders British Army 🇬🇧 National Army Museum Imperial War Museums Commonwealth War Graves

Lord Kitchener with the Lord Mayor of London inspecting the Guard of Honour (Hon. Artillery Company) at the Guildhall, just before his speech.

Date: 1915

#britisharmy #Britishhistory #firstworldwar #lordkitchener

Remembering Second Lieutenant Alfred Douglas Wingate 🇬🇧

Indian Army Unattached List, attached to 2nd Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.

Commanded the Bomb-throwers Section.

Death: 16 May 1915, k.i.a attacking the German trenches near Richebourg-l' Avoue. Shot through the

#onthisday 16 May 1991 – Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom addresses a joint session of the United States Congress. She is the first British monarch to address the U.S. Congress.

#britishhistory #queenelizabethii #BritishMonarchy

#onthisday 16 May 1945 – Beginning of the Levant Crisis between Britain & France in Syria. The latter try to quell nationalist protests but backs down after threat of military action by the British.

Image: British armoured cars moving through the streets of Damascus during the

#otd 16/17 May 1943 - Operation Chastise an attack on German dams was carried out by Royal Air Force No. 617 Squadron, later called the Dam Busters, using a purpose-built 'bouncing bomb' developed by Barnes Wallis.

#Dambusters #RAF #RoyalAirForce #bombercommand #Britishhistory

#onthisday 16 May 1811 – Peninsular War: The Battle of Albuera.

A mixed British, Spanish & Portuguese corps engaged elements of the French armée du Midi (Army of the South) at the small Spanish village of Albuera, about 12 miles south of the frontier fortress-town of Badajoz,

Remembering Lieutenant Hugh Owen 🇬🇧

A Company, 3rd Battalion, attached to 2nd Battalion, Border Regiment.

Death: 16 May 1915, Western Front.

#lestweforget #remembrance #britishhistory #firstworldwar #britisharmy #wewillrememberthem British Army 🇬🇧 National Army Museum Commonwealth War Graves 📷 Imperial War Museums

#onthisday 15 May 1957 – At Malden Island in the Pacific Ocean, Britain tests its first hydrogen bomb in Operation Grapple.

Operation Grapple was a set of four series of British nuclear weapons tests of early atomic bombs & hydrogen bombs carried out in 1957 & 1958 at Malden

#onthisday 15 May 1941 – First flight of the Gloster E.28/39 the first British & Allied jet aircraft.

The Gloster E.28/39, (also referred to as the Gloster Whittle, Gloster Pioneer, or Gloster G.40) was the first British turbojet-engined aircraft first flying in 1941. It was the

#onthisday 15 May 1536 – Anne Boleyn, Queen of England, stands trial in London on charges of treason; she is condemned to death by a specially-selected jury.

By March 1536, Henry was courting Jane Seymour. Henry had Anne investigated for high treason, adultery, incest with her

#onthisday 14 May 1796 – Edward Jenner administers the first smallpox inoculation.

Edward Jenner (17 May 1749 – 26 January 1823) was an English physician & scientist who pioneered the concept of vaccines & created the smallpox vaccine, the world's first vaccine. The terms

#onthisday 14 May 1747 – The First Battle of Cape Finisterre.

The First Battle of Cape Finisterre was waged during the War of the Austrian Succession. It refers to the attack by 14 British ships of the line under Admiral George Anson against a French 30-ship convoy commanded by

On This Day In History

14 May 1264

– Battle of Lewes: Henry III of England is captured & forced to sign the Mise of Lewes, making Simon de Montfort the de facto ruler of England.

The Battle of Lewes was one of two main battles of the conflict known as the Second Barons' War.