Tuesday, February 23, 1909. The first Canadian built aircraft, the Aerial Experiment Association Sliver Dart, takes flight.

 

Lex Anteinternet: Friday, June 25, 1943. Murder in Ukraine, tragedy in Nova Scotia, race riot in UK.

Lex Anteinternet: Friday, June 25, 1943. Murder in Ukraine, tragedy...: 

Friday, June 25, 1943. Murder in Ukraine, tragedy in Nova Scotia, race riot in UK.

The Germans completed the eradication of the Jewish population of Stanislav (Ivano-Frankivsk) in Ukraine.

The "Battle of Bamber Bridge" occurred in the UK when white Military Police intervened in a pub which had stretched out drinking hours for black US troops and then attempted to cite one for improper uniform.  Shots were ultimately fired and one of the soldiers was killed.

The Smith-Connoally Act was passed, which allowed the government to seize industries threated by strikes.  It went into law over President Roosevelt's veto.

 No. 21 Squadron RAF Ventura attacking IJmuiden, February 1943.

A Ventura AJ186 crashed in Summerville, Nova Scotia, killing P/O John C. Loucks, air gunner, Bracebridge, Ont., P/O George W. Cowie, pilot, Wellington, New Zealand., P/O Clifford A. Griffiths, navigator, Auckland, New Zealand., Sgt. Arthur Cornelius Mulcahy, wireless air gunner, Sydney, Australia.

The men were undergoing training.  A memorial service will be held for them today in Summerville.

Classified as a medium bomber, the Ventura is one of the numerous Allied warbirds that are now basically forgotten, in spite of having received widespread use.  It was an adaptation of a civilian airliner.

Sarah Sundin notes, on her blog:

Today in World War II History—June 25, 1943: 80 Years Ago—June 25, 1943: Bob Hope begins his first major USO tour; he will spend 11 weeks touring England, North Africa, and Sicily.

Lex Anteinternet: February 21, 1941. Frederick Banting killed in accident.

Lex Anteinternet: February 21, 1941. Frederick Banting killed in ac...: 

February 21, 1941. Frederick Banting killed in accident.

On this day in 1941 Nobel laurate and medical scientist, the Canadian Frederick Banting, died in an airplane crash.  He was the co discoverer of insulin.

He was, in a way, a victim of the Second World War in that he was serving in the Canadian Army at the time, and was a passenger on a Lockheed Hudson that developed mechanical trouble. The bomber was being ferried to the UK but went down in Newfoundland.

It was the last day of the Swansea Blitz, that event in which the Germans bombarded that city for three nights.

It was strategically ineffective. Swansea had significant military targets, including oil facilities, but they were not damages in the three day raid.

More on both of these events can be read about here:

Today in World War II History—February 21, 1941

The British disembarked 1300 men on Malta.

21 February 1941: Reinforcements for Malta – 1300 Troops Disembark