Today in History

1226 – Death of St Francis of Assisi, founder of the Franciscan order. 1863 – United States president

Abraham Lincoln, right, expressing gratitude for a pivotal military victory at Gettysburg, proclaims November 26 will be an official Thanksgiving holiday.

1888 – The New Zealand Natives play their first game of rugby in Britain, beating a scratch Surrey XV 4-1.

1932 – Iraq becomes independent after 17 years of British rule and centuries of Ottoman rule.

1941 – Adolf Hitler announces Germany has broken the Soviet Union and it will never rise again.

1952 – Britain successfully tests its first atom bomb at the Monte Bello Islands, off northwest Australia.

1981 – Irish nationalists at the Maze Prison near Belfast, Northern Ireland, end seven months of hunger strikes that claimed 10 lives.

1990 – East and West Germany are united.

1995 – The OJ Simpson trial ends with the former American football star being cleared of murdering his wife and a male friend.

2005 – British comedian Ronnie Barker, half of the TV duo The Two Ronnies, dies aged 76.

2011 – Amanda Knox is freed after an Italian appeals court throws out the American’s murder conviction relating to the death of her British roommate Meredith Kercher.

Birthdays

James Herriot, English veterinarian and novelist (1916-1995); Ray Lindwall, Australian cricketer (1921-1996); Chubby Checker, US singer (1941-); Bryan Williams, New Zealand rugby player (1950-), Stevie Ray Vaughan, US musician (1954-1990); Fred Couples, US golfer (1959-); Tommy Lee, US musician (1962-); Clive Owen, English actor (1964-); Gwen Stefani, US singer-songwriter (1969-); Neve Campbell, Canadian actress (1973-); Rodney So’oialo, NZ rugby player (1979-); Alicia Vikander, Swedish actress (1988-).