30 Apr 1915, Australian submarine AE2 scuttled by crew in Sea of Marmara. 1st Allied submarine to go through Gallipoli Straits. Crew spent 3½ years in Turkish prison. 4 ratings died in captivity, remainder released after Armistice. navy.gov.au/hmas-ae2has gallant story. #WW1

I've just signed up for this. Have you? It's going to be good! The book is a must read for governors (especially of church schools) & Mike's put a gr8 programme together. I'm sure it's fine to dip in & out as I will!

London Diocesan Board for Schools Diocese of St Albans Schools Team CofE Education CofE Foundation for Educational Leadership

29 Apr 1916, 5 month siege of Kut-Al-Amara, 160 kms south of Baghdad, by the Ottoman Army, ended, as 12,500 British & Indian troops under Maj Gen Charles Townsend surrendered. 1,000s of prisoners died through neglect & brutality. Been called worst defeat of the Allies in WW1.

29 April 1917, Lt Col Hubert Harvey-Kelly DSO, Royal Irish Regiment & Royal Flying Corps, died of head wounds in German hospital, aged 26. Buried Browns Copse Cemetery, Roeux. Born Teignmouth. First RFC pilot to land in France & down enemy aircraft in #WW1 . His BE2 is at Imperial War Museums.

28 Apr 1888, Harry Crerar, born in Hamilton, Ontario (d.1965). In #WW1 attained rank of Lt-Colonel in artillery & awarded DSO. 1940-41 Chief of Canadian army’s general staff. Canada’s senior field commander in #WW2 , being i/c First Canadian Army in North-West Europe in 1944–1945.

28 Apr 1918, on way from New York to Liverpool carrying nitrate, sugar & baseball equipment for US troops, Pacific Steam Navigation Co. liner, SS Oronsa, torpedoed by U-91 in Irish Sea. She sank in 10 mins but of 265 on board, including 57 US YCMA workers, only 3 died. #WW1

28 Apr 1918, Gavrilo Princip, Bosnian-Serb assassin of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria & his wife, Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, in Sarajevo on 28 June 1914, died from tuberculosis, weighing only 40 kgs, aged 23, in Terezin, Austria-Hungary, after 3 years in prison. #WW1

28 Apr 1888, 2nd Lt Walter Tull, Middlesex Regiment, born Folkestone. Orphaned aged 9. Footballer with Tottenham Hotspur & Northampton Town. Among first African-Caribbean mixed-heritage officers in British Army. Recommended for Military Cross. Died nr Favreuil, aged 29. On Arras Memorial. #WW1

27 Apr 1916, Revd Hatton De Vine, killed by shell, aged 36. #WW1 Army Chaplain with Gordon Highlanders. Buried Vermelles British Cemetery. Educated Jesus College & Ridley Hall, Cambridge (Theology – photo of memorial board). Solicitor 1913, curate Birmingham Cathedral.

27 Apr 1916, while off Malta, pre-dreadnought battleship HMS Russell struck two mines laid by U-73. 125 crew killed. LCDR John Cunningham (1885-1962) was on board & survived, along with 700 men. 1943-45, served as C-in-C Mediterranean Fleet & 1946-48 as First Sea Lord. #WW1 #WW2

26 Apr 1942, Revd Geoffrey Woodmansey, died, aged 50. Born Highgate, baptised St Mary Hornsey Rise. Educated St John's College, Cambridge & @ridleyhall (on their #WW2 memorial). 1918, army chaplain Egypt. Vicar of St Matthias Broomhall, St Mark’s Barrow & Rector St Swithins Bath. Killed in air raid on Bath.

26 Apr 1915, Lt William Rhodes-Moorhouse, mortally wounded while carrying out bombing raid at Courtrai, Belgium, but flew for 35 miles to destination. Died next day. First member of #RFC to receive Victoria Cross. Son, William, born 04/03/14, #RAF pilot KiA in Battle of Britain.

26 Apr 1871, Lt Col Cyrus Peck VC, DSO & Bar (d.1956), born. One of seven Canadians to be awarded Victoria Cross for their actions on 2 Sept 1918, across 30km long Drocourt-Quéant Line near Arras. Commanded 16th Bn, Manitoba Regt. Mentioned in Dispatches x 5 & wounded twice. #WW1

26 Apr 1916, French cruiser Léon Gambetta torpedoed & sunk in Ionian Sea by Austrian U-5, under LCDR Georg von Trapp (1880-1947), most successful #WW1 Austro-Hungarian submarine commander. Later became patriarch of the Trapp Family Singers. Sank in 10 mins. 684 of 821 crew died.

25 Apr 1915, Battle of #Gallipoli begins. Allied troops land at five beaches, including Anzac Cove & Cape Helles. Campaign achieved nothing but is often claimed to have played key role in fostering sense of national identity in Australia & N Zealand. #WW1 #AnzacDay #AnzacDay 2023

25 Apr 1862, Sir Edward Grey, Liberal politician, born. Between 1905 & 1916, was Foreign Secretary - longest continuous tenure of any holder of that office. On eve of #WW1 , he said, ‘the lights are going out all over Europe & I doubt we will see them go on again in our lifetime’.

25 April 1925, #WW1 German field marshal Paul von Hindenburg (1847-1934) was elected 2nd President of Weimar Republic. Retired 1911, recalled Aug 1914. Victory at Tannenberg led to his appointment as C-i-C of German armies in East. Army Chief of Staff from Aug 1916 to June 1919.

24 Apr 1882, Air Chief Marshal Hugh Dowding, C-in-C Fighter Command during #WW2 Battle of Britain, born (d. 1970). 1900, enlisted Royal Garrison Artillery. Joined RFC at start of #WW1 , served as fighter pilot & CO of No. 16 Sqn before rising up ranks. Theosophist & Spiritualist.

24 Apr 1856, Philippe Pétain, Chief of Vichy (1940-44) authoritarian regime that collaborated with Axis powers, born. Known as Lion of Verdun & as #WW1 hero, created Marshal of France. Post #WW2 , convicted of treason. Due to age & WW1 service, sentence commuted to life in prison.

24 Apr 1915, Armenian Genocide in #WW1 began with arrest of c. 250 Armenian intellectuals & community leaders, who were later executed. Systematic mass murder & ethnic cleansing of 1 million plus ethnic Armenians by Ottoman Empire. Policy of extermination of Christian minorities.