On This Day

[bunkerfan]

13th May


In 1912 The Royal Flying Corps forms in Great Britain.




In 1918 1st US airmail stamps issued (24 cents)




In 1958 The trade mark Velcro is registered.




In 1966 The Rolling Stones release "Paint it Black" in the UK.

[bunkerfan]

14th May


In 1878 Vaseline is granted a patent (U.S. Patent 127,568)




In 1938 "The Adventures of Robin Hood", directed by Michael Curtiz and William Keighley, and starring Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland premieres.




In 1948 Israeli Radio Station Kol Yisrael's 1st broadcast.




In 1979 "Kids Are All Right" rockumentary film featuring The Who premieres at the Cannes Film Festival.

[bunkerfan]

15th May


In 1917 The first officer's training camp is opened in the US, as the country prepares for war.




In 1928 Mickey Mouse makes his 1st ever appearance in silent film "Plane Crazy."




In 1967 Paul McCartney meets his future wife Linda Eastman.




In 1981 George Harrison releases "All Those Years Ago" in UK.

[bunkerfan]

16th May


In 1920 Joan of Arc (Jeanne D'arc) canonized a saint.




In 1929 1st Academy Awards: "Wings", Emil Jannings and Janet Gaynor win.




In 1958 Major Irwin, USAF, flies a Lockheed Starfight F-104 A to a record 1,404.18 MPH.




In 1966 The Beach Boys release their groundbreaking album "Pet Sounds", containing the hit single,"God Only Knows."

[bunkerfan]

17th May


In 1890 Comic Cuts, 1st weekly comic paper, published in London.




In 1943 World War II: the Dambuster Raids by No. 617 Squadron RAF.




In 1967 Dylan's 1965 UK Tour is released as film "Don't Look Back."




In 1973 Stevie Wonder releases the music single "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life", goes to #1 and wins him a Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.

[maddogfagin]

John aka bunkerfan is taking a short holiday with his wife to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary so . . . .

18th May

1804 Napoleon Bonaparte is appointed Emperor of the French. Even today, the French leader, a native of Corsica, is widely known for his successful military campaigns - and his final defeat at the Battle of Waterloo.



1980 Mount St. Helens erupts. The eruption killed 57 people. A large part of the previously cone-shaped volcano was replaced by a massive crater; its summit is now some 1300 feet (400 meters) lower than before the eruption.



1987 A fire destroyed Tom Petty's house in Los Angeles, the cost was estimated at $800,000.



1961 Birthday of Enya Ni Bhraonain, from Irish family band Clannad who had the 1982 UK No.5 single 'Harry's Game'. Enya had the solo, 1988 UK No.1 single 'Orinoco Flow', and the 2001 US No.2 album 'A Day Without Rain'. Enya is Ireland's biggest selling solo artist and second overall behind U2 with an estimated 75 million records sold worldwide.

[woodsongs]

May 18, 2022 5:33:23 GMT maddogfagin said:

John aka bunkerfan is taking a short holiday with his wife to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary so . . . .

18th May

1804 Napoleon Bonaparte is appointed Emperor of the French. Even today, the French leader, a native of Corsica, is widely known for his successful military campaigns - and his final defeat at the Battle of Waterloo.



1980 Mount St. Helens erupts. The eruption killed 57 people. A large part of the previously cone-shaped volcano was replaced by a massive crater; its summit is now some 1300 feet (400 meters) lower than before the eruption.



1987 A fire destroyed Tom Petty's house in Los Angeles, the cost was estimated at $800,000.



1961 Birthday of Enya Ni Bhraonain, from Irish family band Clannad who had the 1982 UK No.5 single 'Harry's Game'. Enya had the solo, 1988 UK No.1 single 'Orinoco Flow', and the 2001 US No.2 album 'A Day Without Rain'. Enya is Ireland's biggest selling solo artist and second overall behind U2 with an estimated 75 million records sold worldwide.

I have just heard 80's singer Enya has bought her own Rugby Union team.


Their next 3 fixtures are:


Sale (A)

Sale (A)

Sale (A)

(Sorry, I'll get my coat.) 

[nonrabbit]

[smint100]

Happy Anniversary Mr and Mrs Bunkerfan! 50 years - wow!

[maddogfagin]

19th May

1963 Martin Luther King's Letter from Birmingham Jail is published. King used the open letter to defend his nonviolent resistance against racism and segregation. It became one of the central texts



1962 Marilyn Monroe performs her famous rendition of Happy Birthday. Monroe gave her sultry performance, which was to be her last, at a party for U.S. President John F. Kennedy. The two are believed to have been engaged in an affair.



1945 Birthday of Pete Townshend of the Who.



2010 'Stairway To Heaven' was named the UK's favourite rock song in a survey by listeners to radio station Absolute Classic Rock. Led Zeppelin had two other tracks in the top 10; ‘Whole Lotta Love’ was voted at No. 4 and ‘Rock 'n' Roll’, from the group’s fourth album, was at No. 7.

[maddogfagin]

20th May

1927 Charles Lindbergh takes off on the first solo non-stop transatlantic flight. He departed from Long Island in the United States and arrived in Paris, France at 22:22 on the next day.



1873 Blue jeans are patented. Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis invented the garment, which today represents one of the most popular types of trousers worldwide.



1966 Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey of The Who grew tired of waiting for John Entwistle and Keith Moon to arrive for their gig at the Ricky Tick Club in Windsor, England so they took to the stage with the bass player and drummer of the local band that opened the show. When Moon and Entwistle finally arrived in the middle of the set, a fight broke out, with Townshend hitting Moon on the head with his guitar. Moon and Entwistle quit the band, (and rejoined a week later).



2013 Ray Manzarek, keyboard player and founder member of the The Doors died aged 74. Manzarek, who had suffered from bile duct cancer for many years, died in a clinic in Rosenheim, Germany, with his wife and brothers at his bedside. He formed The Doors with lead singer Jim Morrison in 1965 after a chance meeting in Venice Beach, Los Angeles.''

[maddogfagin]

21st May

1904 FIFA, the world governing body of association football, is founded. The Fédération Internationale de Football Association is responsible for the organization of the World Cup, which is one of the world's most viewed sporting events.



1951 The 9th Street Show opens in New York. The ground-breaking art exhibition showing works by artists like Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning is considered the birth hour of the artistic avant-garde referred to as the New York School.



1967 Jimi Hendrix signed with Reprise Records on the US Warner Brothers label. They released the guitarist's albums Are You Experienced? Axis: Bold as Love and Electric Ladyland.



1970 Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young released the protest single Ohio, written and composed by Neil Young in reaction to the Kent State shootings of May 4, 1970, when unarmed college students were shot by the Ohio National Guard. The guardsmen fired 67 rounds over a period of 13 seconds, killing four students and wounding nine others, one of whom suffered permanent paralysis.

[maddogfagin]

22nd May

1980 The arcade game Pac-Man is released. The game featuring a dot-munching round yellow figure moving through a maze has become one of the best-known video games in history. It was produced by Namco.



2012 The world's tallest tower is opened to the public
At 643 meters (2080 feet), the Tokyo Skytree in Japan's capital city is also the second tallest structure in the world after Burj Khalifa in Dubai. Its prime purpose is relaying TV and radio signals.



1959 Birthday of Morrissey, English singer-songwriter, pianist.



2014 Fleetwood Mac's Christine McVie was honoured with a lifetime achievement at this year's Ivor Novello songwriting awards. McVie played with Fleetwood Mac for 28 years and wrote some of their most famous songs, including 'Don't Stop' and 'Little Lies'.

[woodsongs]

May 22, 2022 5:37:53 GMT maddogfagin said:

22nd May

1980 The arcade game Pac-Man is released. The game featuring a dot-munching round yellow figure moving through a maze has become one of the best-known video games in history. It was produced by Namco.



2012 The world's tallest tower is opened to the public
At 643 meters (2080 feet), the Tokyo Skytree in Japan's capital city is also the second tallest structure in the world after Burj Khalifa in Dubai. Its prime purpose is relaying TV and radio signals.



1959 Birthday of Morrissey, English singer-songwriter, pianist.



2014 Fleetwood Mac's Christine McVie was honoured with a lifetime achievement at this year's Ivor Novello songwriting awards. McVie played with Fleetwood Mac for 28 years and wrote some of their most famous songs, including 'Don't Stop' and 'Little Lies'.

I bought a Fleetwood Mac sat nav yesterday!

Absolutely useless, everytime I enter a destination it tells me 'You can go your own way'.

(Sorry, I'll get my coat.) 

[maddogfagin]

23rd May

1949 The Federal Republic of Germany is established.  The proclamation of the Grundgesetz, Germany's current constitution, marked the birth hour of the republic. The foundation of West Germany came four years after the demise of the Nazi regime and the end of World War II.



1969 The Who release Tommy. The British rock band's fourth album is considered the first musical work of the rock opera genre.



2006 The King of Sweden presented the surviving members of Led Zeppelin with the Polar Music Prize in Stockholm recognising them as "great pioneers" of rock music. Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones were joined by the daughter of drummer John Bonham, who died in 1980. The Polar Music Prize was founded in 1989 by Stig Anderson, manager of Swedish pop group ABBA who named it after his record label, Polar Records.




2019 Richard Ashcroft regained rights to his song ‘Bitter Sweet Symphony’ after more than two decades. The Verve singer lost the rights to his most recognisable song, which ended up in the possession of The Rolling Stones’ Sir Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. Released in 1997 on Urban Hymns, the track sampled The Rolling Stones’ song ‘The Last Time’, using a composition by Andrew Oldham, and became the centre of lawsuits, which saw Ashcroft stripped of rights and royalties.

[woodsongs]

May 23, 2022 5:25:35 GMT maddogfagin said:

23rd May

1949 The Federal Republic of Germany is established.  The proclamation of the Grundgesetz, Germany's current constitution, marked the birth hour of the republic. The foundation of West Germany came four years after the demise of the Nazi regime and the end of World War II.



1969 The Who release Tommy. The British rock band's fourth album is considered the first musical work of the rock opera genre.



2006 The King of Sweden presented the surviving members of Led Zeppelin with the Polar Music Prize in Stockholm recognising them as "great pioneers" of rock music. Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones were joined by the daughter of drummer John Bonham, who died in 1980. The Polar Music Prize was founded in 1989 by Stig Anderson, manager of Swedish pop group ABBA who named it after his record label, Polar Records.




2019 Richard Ashcroft regained rights to his song ‘Bitter Sweet Symphony’ after more than two decades. The Verve singer lost the rights to his most recognisable song, which ended up in the possession of The Rolling Stones’ Sir Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. Released in 1997 on Urban Hymns, the track sampled The Rolling Stones’ song ‘The Last Time’, using a composition by Andrew Oldham, and became the centre of lawsuits, which saw Ashcroft stripped of rights and royalties.

In early 'The Who' gigs their drummer would sometimes go on stage dressed in nothing but a layer of blue paint. However, he didn't do it too often.


In fact, it would only happen once in a blue Moon. 

(Sorry, I'll get my coat). 

[maddogfagin]

May 23, 2022 6:36:06 GMT woodsongs said:

May 23, 2022 5:25:35 GMT maddogfagin said:

23rd May

1969 The Who release Tommy. The British rock band's fourth album is considered the first musical work of the rock opera genre.



In early 'The Who' gigs their drummer would sometimes go on stage dressed in nothing but a layer of blue paint. However, he didn't do it too often.

In fact, it would only happen once in a blue Moon. 

(Sorry, I'll get my coat). 

[maddogfagin]

24th May

1970 Engineers begin drilling the world's deepest hole.The Kola Superdeep Borehole had reached the unsurpassed depth of 12,262 meters (40,230 feet) before the project was abandoned due to a lack of funding



1956 The first Eurovision Song Contest was held in Lugano, Switzerland. The event was the brainchild of Marcel Baisoncon of the European Broadcasting Union. Seven countries participated and they were each allowed two songs. Both Luxembourg and the winner Switzerland used the same singer for both. Switzerland won with 'Refrain' by Lys Assia.



1962 Elvis Presley was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Good Luck Charm' his 11th UK No.1 single. It completed his second hat-trick of chart topping singles in the UK.



1941 Birthday of Bob Dylan, American singer-songwriter, author, and painter. Dylan has released over 40 albums since 1964, and was a major influence on The Beatles. His biggest hits are the 1965 US No.2 single 'Like A Rolling Stone', the 1969 UK No.5 single 'Lay Lady Lay', and his 1964 UK No.1 album The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan. He has won many awards throughout his career including the 2016 Nobel Prize in Literature, and twelve Grammy Awards. Dylan was also a member of The Traveling Wilburys.

[maddogfagin]

25th May

1977 The first Star Wars film is released. George Lucas' epic space opera is one of the most popular works in movie history.



1968 Simon And Garfunkel scored their second US No.1 album with 'Bookends'. The album featured four US singles: 'A Hazy Shade of Winter', 'At the Zoo', 'Fakin' It' and 'Mrs Robinson'.



1985 Dire Straits scored their second UK No.1 album with 'Brothers In Arms', also No.1 in the US and 24 other countries. 'Brothers In Arms' was one of the first albums to be directed at the CD market, and was a full digital recording (DDD) at a time when most popular music was recorded on analog equipment. The album won two Grammy Awards at the 28th Grammy Awards, and also won Best British Album at the 1987 Brit Awards, and has gone on to sell over 30 million copies worldwide.



1969 A benefit concert was held for Fairport Convention at The Roundhouse, London to raise money for the families of the band's drummer Martin Lamble, Richard Thompson's girlfriend and clothes designer Jeannie Franklyn who were all killed in an accident driving back from a gig. Also on the bill, Family, Pretty Things, Soft Machine and John Peel

[woodsongs]

May 25, 2022 5:41:07 GMT maddogfagin said:

25th May

1977 The first Star Wars film is released. George Lucas' epic space opera is one of the most popular works in movie history.



1968 Simon And Garfunkel scored their second US No.1 album with 'Bookends'. The album featured four US singles: 'A Hazy Shade of Winter', 'At the Zoo', 'Fakin' It' and 'Mrs Robinson'.



1985 Dire Straits scored their second UK No.1 album with 'Brothers In Arms', also No.1 in the US and 24 other countries. 'Brothers In Arms' was one of the first albums to be directed at the CD market, and was a full digital recording (DDD) at a time when most popular music was recorded on analog equipment. The album won two Grammy Awards at the 28th Grammy Awards, and also won Best British Album at the 1987 Brit Awards, and has gone on to sell over 30 million copies worldwide.



1969 A benefit concert was held for Fairport Convention at The Roundhouse, London to raise money for the families of the band's drummer Martin Lamble, Richard Thompson's girlfriend and clothes designer Jeannie Franklyn who were all killed in an accident driving back from a gig. Also on the bill, Family, Pretty Things, Soft Machine and John Peel

My wife left me because of my obsession with Star Wars.

Regret that she will. 

(Sorry, I'll get my coat.) 

[bunkerfan]

Thanks to maddogfagin AKA Graham for keeping the thread going while I was away on holiday

26th May


In 1908 Mr & Mrs Jacob Murdock and their children become 1st family to travel across United States by car: Los Angeles to NYC in a Packard Thirty (32 days, 5 hours and 25 minutes)




In 1941 American Flag House (Betsy Ross' Home) given to city of Philadelphia.




In 1969 John Lennon and Yoko Ono began an eight-day 'bed in', in room 1742 of The Hotel La Reine Elizabeth, Montreal, Canada, to promote world peace. They recorded 'Give Peace a Chance' in the hotel room (Petula Clark can be heard on the chorus). The song was credited to Lennon & McCartney, even though Paul had nothing to do with the record.




In 1972 At the point of the band splitting up David Bowie offered Mott The Hoople two of his new songs, 'Suffragette City', which they turned down and 'All The Young Dudes', which they recorded. The song gave the group a No.3 UK and US Top 40 hit.

[bunkerfan]

May 18, 2022 19:35:01 GMT smint100 said:

Happy Anniversary Mr and Mrs Bunkerfan! 50 years - wow!

Thank you very much smint100, surprisingly, we both remembered to pack the cards

[bunkerfan]

27th May


In 1931 Swiss Auguste Piccard and Paul Kipfer make 1st flight into stratosphere, by balloon from Augsburg, Germany.

Nice Hats


In 1940 British and Allied forces begin the evacuation of Dunkirk (Operation Dynamo) during WWII.




In 1957 Buddy Holly and the Crickets released 'That'll Be The Day' which became a UK No.1 and US No.3 hit. The song had its genesis in a trip to the movies by Holly, Allison and Sonny Curtis in June 1956. The John Wayne film The Searchers was playing. Wayne's frequently-used, world-weary catchphrase, "that'll be the day" was the Inspiration behind the song. It was also the first song to be recorded by The Quarrymen, the skiffle group that subsequently became The Beatles.





In 1971 John Lennon records the song "Imagine" at his Ascot Sound home studio at Tittenhurst Park, England.

[woodsongs]

May 27, 2022 5:24:16 GMT bunkerfan said:

27th May


In 1931 Swiss Auguste Piccard and Paul Kipfer make 1st flight into stratosphere, by balloon from Augsburg, Germany.

Nice Hats


In 1940 British and Allied forces begin the evacuation of Dunkirk (Operation Dynamo) during WWII.




In 1957 Buddy Holly and the Crickets released 'That'll Be The Day' which became a UK No.1 and US No.3 hit. The song had its genesis in a trip to the movies by Holly, Allison and Sonny Curtis in June 1956. The John Wayne film The Searchers was playing. Wayne's frequently-used, world-weary catchphrase, "that'll be the day" was the Inspiration behind the song. It was also the first song to be recorded by The Quarrymen, the skiffle group that subsequently became The Beatles.





In 1971 John Lennon records the song "Imagine" at his Ascot Sound home studio at Tittenhurst Park, England.

I've been thinking about selling my John Lennon memorabilia on eBay.

Imagine all the PayPal.

(Sorry, I'll get my coat.) 

[bunkerfan]

28th May


In 1900 Total solar eclipse occurs.




In 1929 1st all colour talking picture "On With the Show" exhibited (NYC)




In 1951 Radio programme "Crazy People" (later titled The Goon Show) premieres on the BBC, created by Spike Milligan.




In 2019 Motorhead’s 'Ace of Spades' was named Greatest Gambling Song of All Time.

[bunkerfan]

29th May


In 1692 Royal Hospital Chelsea Founder's Day first celebrated in London.




In 1919 Charles Strite files patent for the automatic pop-up toaster.




In 1953 Edmund Hillary (NZ) and Tenzing Norgay (Nepal) are first to reach the summit of Mount Everest as part of a British Expedition.




In 1961 Ricky Nelson started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Travellin' Man'.

The good old days of greasy hair

[bunkerfan]

30th May


In 1906 Hersheypark, founded by Milton S. Hershey for the exclusive use of his employees, is opened.





In 1914 The new and then largest Cunard ocean liner RMS Aquitania, 45,647 tons, sets sails on her maiden voyage from Liverpool, England to New York City.




In 1959 58th Women's French Championships: Christine Truman beats Zsuzsi Kormoczy (6-4, 7-5)




In 1964 Beatles 1961 record of "Cry for a Shadow" is number one in Australia.

[bunkerfan]

31st May


In 1880 League of American Wheelmen (1st US bicycle association), forms in Newport, Rhode Island.




In 1926 Kruger National Park is established as South Africa's first national park.




In 1968 Movie star James Stewart retires from the US Air Force after 27 years of service.




Also in 1968, Working on what will become The White Album, The Beatles added overdubs of bass and vocals on ‘Revolution’.

[bunkerfan]

1st June


In 1880 The first pay telephone service in the United States is installed in New Haven, Connecticut.




In 1933 Century of Progress world's fair opens in Chicago.




In 1964 Rolling Stones arrive in New York's Kennedy International Airport for 1st US tour.




In 1968 Simon And Garfunkel went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Mrs Robinson'. Featured in the Dustin Hoffman and Ann Bancroft film 'The Graduate', the song earned the duo a Grammy Award for Record of the Year in 1969.

[bunkerfan]

2nd June


In 1914 Glenn Curtiss flies his Langley Aerodrome.




In 1932 Fisherman George W. Perry catches the world record largemouth bass, weighing in at 22 pounds, 4 ounces, at Lake Montgomery, Georgia.




In 1962 Owen Gray's 'Twist Baby' became the first single released on UK based Island Records. The label became home to Free, Traffic, Jethro Tull, Bob Marley and U2.




In 1967 Capitol Records releases The Beatles' album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" in the US; it is their first album with identical track listings in US and UK, and goes to number one for 15 weeks in US, 22 weeks in UK.