Stephen J. Goss

During my Naval training I was fortunate to be taken to see Southwick House: the forward command of Eisenhower, Ramsay, and Montgomery who oversaw Operation Overlord and . That alone was a privilege.

To commmemorate those who gave their lives, and actually meet and honour the surviving men who liberated Europe (at a time when European forces are once again resisting conquest and oppression), is the right thing to do. It is a once in a lifetime opportunity - not an event in an itinerary.

The first took place in 1919 on the anniversary of the Armistice signed on 11th November 1918 that brought the First World War to an end. The King and Queen, Lloyd George, and President Poincaré presented wreaths.

Surprised at the strength of public support (1.2 million people had visited the Cenotaph), the Government, which had planned for it to be a temporary memorial, decided to make the Cenotaph permanent and hold an official service of Remembrance at it annually.

2023 is the 70th anniversary of the film : a timeless classic about two friends surreptitiously racing in the .

Today I have not only seen the Brighton Run for the first time - but the actual cars at the centre of the film. What a wonderful .

Today is . This evening the is celebrating victory over the Franco-Spanish fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Victory at Trafalgar established Britain as the pre-eminent global naval power, with the might of the Royal Navy unchallenged for a century.

Today is Victory over Japan Day!

On this day in 1945 the Japanese announced they were surrendering unconditionally, thereby bringing the Second World War to an end. It took the only two nuclear bombs ever to be used in war to persuade the Japanese to stop fighting.

The formal surrender was signed on 2nd September onboard the USS Missouri.

Four Greenpeace agitators have been arrested for a roof protest at the Prime Minister's home. In 1910 200 Suffragettes marched on the Prime Minister's official residence in what became known as the Battle of Downing Street. They smashed windows - including the Prime Minister's car - then assaulted and injured the Chief Secretary for Ireland. Rishi Sunak should consider himself lucky...

'TWAS NOT while England's sword unsheathed
Put half a world to flight,
Nor while their new-built cities breathed
Secure behind her might;
Not while she poured from Pole to Line
Treasure and ships and men--
These worshippers at Freedoms shrine
They did not quit her then!

Not till their foes were driven forth
By England o'er the main--
Not till the Frenchman from the North
Had gone with shattered Spain;
Not till the clean-swept oceans showed
No hostile flag unrolled,
Did they remember what they owed
To Freedom--and were bold!'

in 1776 a cabal of British settlers decided to rebel against the authority of the Crown. Given what the 13 Colonies have become, thankfully they succeeded.

'The nearest run thing you ever saw in your life'. 

So said the Duke of Wellington after victory at the Battle of Waterloo, which was fought in 1815.

Napoleon's defeat resulted in his forced abdication and exile to the British colony of St Helena in the middle of the Atlantic. However, had the Prussians under Marshal Blücher not arrived when they did, the battle could've gone the other way.

'At Runnymede, at Runnymede,
Your rights were won at Runnymede!
No freeman shall be fined or bound,
Or dispossessed of freehold ground,
Except by lawful judgment found'

in 1215 King John was forced to seal Magna Carta, restricting his powers over rebel barons. It is popularly considered to be the foundation of the rights and freedoms of the individual against arbitrary government which underpin British, Commonwealth and American constitutions today.

More importantly, Magna Carta ensured widows did not have to settle debts with Jews, no town could be compelled to build a bridge, and that all fish weirs should be removed.

Was ever 'trendy'?

On this day in 1453, after a 53 day siege, Constantinople fell to the Ottomans under Mehmet II.

It was a watershed moment. With the great city's conquest, the 1,500 year-old Roman Empire finally came to an end. Mehmet made Constantinople his capital and converted the Hagia Sophia, the greatest church in Christendom, into a mosque.

The first full-sized scan of Titanic has been carried out, providing 3D views of the ship. Well worth a look:

Titanic: First ever full-sized scans reveal wreck as never seen before Full-sized digital scans reveal shipwreck in stunning detail, showing unopened champagne bottles.

Three days ago the King wore St. Edward's Crown ftor the only time he ever will. Yet, he may not have had it for the Coronation.

On this day in 1671 Irishman Thomas Blood came the closest anyone has to stealing the Crown Jewels.

Disguised as a clergyman, Blood and his gang convinced the Keeper of the Jewels to let them see them, bashed him on the head and tied him up. Blood then hammered the Crown flat(!), one accomplice filed the sceptre in half, while the other shoved the orb down his trousers.

Caught in the act, they fired on the guards as they escaped, getting as far as Tower Wharf before being captured.

Today, 78 years ago, crowds were also gathered outside Buckingham Palace. Not to cheer a new King, but to celebrate Victory in Europe (VE) Day.

On 8th May Germany signed an unconditional surrender bringing an end to the Second World War in Europe. Millions of people thronged streets and squares across the UK and North America in jubilation.

However, it would take another three months and two atomic bombs before Japan surrendered, bringing the War to a definitive end.

The weather certainly didn't dampen spirits or enthusiasm today. Truly wonderful to be there for a historic event.

God save the King!

Happy St George's Day! Although famous as the patron Saint of England, George only achieved this honour in the 14th Century. Previously, Saint Edward the Confessor was revered as England's patron.

George was a solider in Emperor Diocletian's Praetorian Guard who became a martyr after being executed for refusing to abandon his Christian faith. His tendency to save Libyan princesses from irate dragons is less well historically established.

BBC News is known throughout the world for its impartiality and reliability. Today we have news broadcast 24 hours a day, which makes the BBC's bulletin on 18th April 1930 all the stranger.

As listeners tuned in for the evening news, the newsreader announced: 'there is no news today'. There then followed 15 minutes of light piano music.

In the era of 'fake news' and an insatiable news-cycle, perhaps this was a better approach to the stories of the day.

At 11.40pm on 14th April 1912, RMS Titanic struck an iceberg with well known tragic results. However, did you know?
1. She was built in Belfast, where you can visit the dry dock and cranes used to build her.
2. There is a conspiracy theory that White Star Line swapped Olympic and Titanic and deliberately sank her for the insurance.
3. My great-grandfather was a painter on Titanic. While there are questions about the quality of the steel used to build her, there was nothing wrong with the ship's paintwork...

U.S. President Joe Biden made a speech in Belfast today as part of the celebrations marking the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.

Thanks to the Agreement reached on 10th April 1998, the Troubles in Northern Ireland were brought to an end, ensuring the subsequent quarter century of peace.

U.S. President Joe Biden made a speech in Belfast today as part of the celebrations marking the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.

Thanks to the Agreement reached on 10th April 1998, the Troubles in Northern Ireland were brought to an end, ensuring the subsequent quarter century of peace.

On this day 74 years ago the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) was formed. Originally with twelve member states, today Finland becomes the 31st country to join.

Established to counter the threat posed by the Soviet Union, it requires all members to respond if any member is attacked.

So as not to antagonise the USSR, Finland maintained a policy of non-alignment throughout the Cold War. However, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the country has joined NATO to guarantee its security against Russian attack.

Beannnachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh!

Today we celebrate St Patrick's Day, but did you know that Ireland actually has three patron saints? As well as Patrick, we have Colmcille and Bridget, whose feast days are 9th June and 1st February respectively.

Our other patron saints are unduly overlooked, and if nothing else, we're missing out on two more days of celebrating!

Temple Church: the chapel for both the Inner and Middle Inns of Court - two of the professional associations for barristers.

Built by the Knights Templar in 1163, it is probably the first gothic building constructed in England.

It was built to recreate the shape of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre: the place most sacred to Christians, as it stands over the empty tomb of Christ in Jerusalem.

When the Templars were suppressed in 1314 the 'Temple' area of London was seized by the Crown. In 1608 James VI & I gave it to the two Inns for use in the education and accommodation of lawyers on condition they maintain the Temple Church - which they still do to this day.

'Is there a bard of rustic song,
Who, noteless, steals the crowds among,
That weekly this area throng,
O, pass not by!
But, with a frater-feeling strong,
Here, heave a sigh.'

Robert Burns was born today in 1759. Happy Burns Night to those celebrating!