In the First World War, battalions of friends and colleagues from the same towns who had signed up to the army together.
Pals battalions
Fact of the Day
In 1252 Henry III was given a polar bear by King Haakon of Norway. He kept it in the Tower of London on a long chain so it could swim in the Thames.
Quote of the Day
"Untutored courage is useless in the face of educated bullets.
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~ George S. Patton, US general
On This Day
19 Germanicus, Roman general and member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, died of a 'mysterious illness' (most probably assassination). He was viewed by many as the perfect Roman and his death led to a climate of fear in Rome.
1957 The worst nuclear accident in British history occurred when a fire led to a major radiation leak at the Windscale (now known as Sellafield) nuclear plant in Cumbria.
1971 After being sold, dismantled and moved to the USA, London Bridge was reconstructed and reopened in Lake Havasu City, Arizona.
2004 Former Superman actor Christopher Reeve died, aged 52, possibly from an adverse reaction to an antibiotic. He became a prominent activist for people with spinal cord injuries after being severely injured when thrown from his horse.