THE ARCHIVES

100 years ago

This German official communique has been issued: “The artillery duel in Flanders raged uninterruptedly yesterday from early morning until far into the night. The development of artilleristic intensity represents the highest degree of massed effect in the war. At several points of the battlefield attacks by our own and by the enemy troops called forth desperate local infantry engagemnents. At night, east of Monchy, the atacks by British battalions broke down with heavy losses.”

50 years ago

Several Edinburgh town councillors expressed their disappointment at the decision not to go ahead with plans to build a £2,200,000 sports stadium for the Commonwealth Games. But the man whose proposals for a £650,000 stadium were adopted defended his action. Councillor Leonard Bailey said: “Edinburgh must not be asked to establish a sports centre for Scotland at the expense of the people of the city.” Edinburgh ratepayers would have had to meet the cost.

25 years ago

A warning that Hilltown could become a Dundee housing ghetto of the 1990s was given last night by the area’s representative on the district council. Councillor David Coutts, SNP group leader on the authority, was commenting on the alarming level of lawlessness engulfing a multi-storey housing block in his ward. Carnegie Tower in Alexander Street is in the grip of a reign of terror conducted by gangs of rowdy youths and drugusers, according to law abiding tenants.

One year ago

The number of serious court cases being delayed because of lack of time has more than quadrupled in Dundee since the closure of neighbouring sheriff courts. Arbroath and Cupar courts shut their doors in 2014, with business moved to Dundee and Forfar. New figures show just 5% of solemn cases in Dundee were delayed due to a lack of court time before this but that rose to 22% after the workload merged. A Courts Service spokesman said there is “no link” between the closures and the figures.