Swindon

1951: People living in Swindon had been warned to expect to find themselves in a mock battle area, for five days, when troops with tanks and guns rampaged over eight counties of Southern England on big army manoeurvres.

1961: Twenty jockeys have signed up for the Donkey Derby at Westcott Recreation Ground, Swindon, in aid of Swindon Blind Association. The sportsmen will race for bottles of champagne and pewter mugs.

1971: Devizes MP Charles Morrison gave a talk to an audience of 70 people in Highworth, explaining that Britain entering the Common Market would not mean a steep increase in food prices. He said going into Europe would produce increased opportunities for national wealth, wellbeing and political influence.

The world

1940: The Battle of Britain began.

1958: Columbia Records signed up a 17-year-old singer called Cliff Richard.

1963: The Great Train Robbery took place at Sears Crossing, Buckinghamshire, when a gang of 15 men, including Ronnie Biggs and Buster Edwards, stole more than £2.6m.

1974: Richard Nixon announced his resignation as US president, the first to do so, because of his implication in the Watergate scandal.

1991: Hostage John McCarthy came home, five years and three months after being kidnapped and held hostage in Beirut.

BIRTHDAYS Dustin Hoffman, actor, 80; Keith Carradine, actor, 68; Nigel Mansell, former racing driver, 64; The Edge (David Evans), rock guitarist (U2), 56; Angus Fraser, former cricketer, 52; Chris Eubank, former boxer, 51; Princess Beatrice of York, 29.