250 years ago, on 10th May 1773: Britain passed the Tea Act, favouring the British East India Company over the American colonies, which led to the Boston Tea Party in December, which escalated into the American Revolution and the establishment of the United States of America.
150 years ago, on 1st May 1873: David Livingstone, Scottish missionary and explorer, died. Best known for his search for the sources of the Nile, and for going missing (and being found) in Africa.
100 years ago, on 26th – 27th May 1923: the first Le Mans 24 hours endurance motor race was held.
90 years ago, on 2nd May 1933: the first modern sighting of Scotland’s Loch Ness monster was reported in the Inverness Chronicle.
80 years ago, on 16th – 17th May 1943: the RAF launched Operation Chastise, which became famous as the ‘Dambusters’ Raid’. Bouncing bombs were used to bypass anti-torpedo nets and breach dams, which caused catastrophic flooding in Germany’s Ruhr Valley.
70 years ago, on 29th May 1953: New Zealand mountaineer Edmund Hilary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay became the first people to reach the summit of Mount Everest.
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Dambuster Lancaster Soars Again Over the Derwent Valley Dam
A Lancaster bomber aircraft from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) soars over the Derwent Valley Dam in Derbyshire. The famous ‘Dambusters’ of the RAF’s 617 Squadron trained in this valley during the Second World War for their mission. It is 80 years since the Dambusters flew their daring raid over wartime Germany. Image is from WikiCommons (P.D.)